If I ever become president, one of my first orders of business would be to outlaw iceberg lettuce- the white, flavorless, wilty crap that ends up sitting in my stomach like a brick much more than ever expected. I never use it at home. I love ordering salads when I go out, and am sometimes tricked by the "mixed greens" line that some salads boast, noting it to be all ice berg with two shreds of Romaine... UGH. JUST STOP. I came to FatDuck for a Monday Funday and was super impressed with the beautiful summer mango salad I ordered- look at all that dark green! Also, please note the mass amount of toppings that came with it. There was a healthy portion of grilled chicken, mango, avocado, fennel, tomato, all sprinkled with a light mango dressing- DELICIOUS. I would highly recommend it. My guy ordered their chicken giardinera sandwich and paid the extra to get the DuckFat fries, which I HAD to try. He loved his sandwich, although I thought it was a little small. The fries were plentiful, crispy, with a more mild flavor (I'm guessing due to the duck fat used). I liked them, and all the dipping options that came with them, but did not experience a life changing moment like some of my other yelpers. The bar itself is large, with ample indoor and outdoor seating, a decent beer and cocktail list, but service was a smidge slow. It wouldn't prevent me from coming back, by anymeans, especially after that rockstar salad!
(4)
Kacie R.
I walk past this place every morning on my way to Starbucks but had yet to try it. Came here last Thursday after here such great things. Unfortunately the whole experience was underwhelming Positives: -great patio (ill be back for this alone) -apps were amazing...Parmesan fries And the baked goat cheese dip (LOVE) - the margarita was good and strong Negatives: -the entire entree menu left a lot to be desired as far as options -I got the duck fat burger....first complaint overlooked when I order something medium I don't want it well done. The burger says it has Caramelized onions but they tasted like they were almost pickled - the duck fat fries weren't anything special -service was a little slow but it was busy they appeared to be understaffed. Overall I'd return for drinks and apps on the patio but with all the restaurants in the area in not exactly rushing back
(3)
Eric S.
Duckfat? Fatduck? I think the banners out front are drunk and/or confused. I certainly was towards the conclusion of my bar crawl that ended here last summer. From what I can recall, it was a decent time, although I was fairly sh*thoused, so who knows. All I know is, they had tons of solid beers on tap and a distinctly pub-like atmosphere. A second trip here involved a food order with drinks. I was hoppy (hah!) to see Bell's Oberon drafts, a personal favorite of mine. I got an order of the calamari and pepperoni pizza, neither of which was particularly noteworthy. Calamari is pretty standard at most places, and while the 'za tasted pretty good, it had a bitter aftertaste since they had burnt the cracker-thin crust. Service was fine, value was acceptable. I'd come back to sample more foodstuffs. + Begin tangent + Ever notice how weird, unappealing food items have a snazzy or innocuous name to make them more palatable? Because really, who in their right mind would eat deep-fried bull testicles? Crazy people, that's who. Or ranchers. But I might be willing to try a "Rocky Mountain Oyster". 'Escargot' has a nice, eloquent French connotation to it, since 'snails in butter sauce' is a hard pass. Not a single person would want to indulge in fried squid rings, but calamari? Sure, put me down for an order. + End tangent +
(4)
Bridgette H.
I went here with a friend. I thought there would be a huge difference since the fries were cooked in duck fat but they actually just tasted the same. The food was good but not great. It was ordinary bar food nothing special.
(3)
Kate H.
Burgers and fries are just average - didn't taste any different than any other burger or fries for the duck fat. Bar is just decent looking but service was excellent. Super friendly and attentive without being overwhelming. Really great selection of craft beers and ciders. Might come back for drinks but won't bother eating here again.
(3)
Claudette H.
After passing this place several times over the course of 6 months, I decided I would try their food. I like the ambiance of the restaurant. When you walk in there is a bar and seating area. As you make your way to the other side, there is additional seat with better natural light and a outdoor dining area. It's much bigger than a patio. I chose to eat indoors and enjoy the natural light and AC. I ordered the fried egg burger with fresh cut fries. I ordered my burger well done but it came out medium well. It still was perfect. I really enjoyed it. The bun was soft and fit the burger perfectly. My fries seemed a little under done but they were seasoned perfectly. Along with the food came ketchup, chipotle mayo, and a green sauce (I can't remember what it was). I didn't like the green sauce to much. Just to touch on the parking-there is metered street parking in front of the restaurant and also side street parking. Overall, the food and atmosphere was great and I do plan on returning.
(5)
Lizzy C.
Only 7 minutes walking distance from my home. I should have tried this place earlier. French fries is quite tasty. $2 for a small glass for beer is good too. I like that. Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA is the best. Rosa is light. Anti-hero is also very good. Bells Oracle Double IPA is too strong.
(5)
Sabrina C.
I'm totally confused as to whether this place is called Fat Duck or Duck Fat, because signage at the restaurant says both. Confusion aside, however, this place is awesome. Have eaten inside in the dining room and outside on the patio. Both were nice but definitely prefer the patio when Chicagoland weather cooperates! Enough about ambiance. Which is good. Let's get to the food. Have tried a few things here now and loved all of them. The duck fat fries with dipping sauces are pretty damn awesome. Some are crispy, some are softer (I prefer softer fries myself) but all were freaking GOOD. The aioli they serve with it is my favorite of the three - there's also a spicy ketchup that's fab. Ok, so, what really compelled me to write this review was the Duck Fat burger. Bacon, brie and caramelized onions on a pretzel bun. Oh HELL. YES. And it comes with duck fat fries! My friend had the confit sandwich, which he loved - and he got smart and chose the truffled parm fries with his sandwich, which - next time - I am ALL OVER. They were so good I had a hard time keeping my hands out of his plate. (Um, I didn't try hard.) They offer several fry options - including sweet potato - which is pretty cool. The cocktails were good (we had mojitos on the first trip here) and the servers are fantastic. I love this place; can totally see myself becoming a regular.
(5)
Katina S.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! I've been here so many times w/o writing a review. But this night I said I simply have to acknowledge this place for being so awesome!!!! First off the staff is number 1 bar none!!! Carrie was our waitress tonight and she was phenomenal. I shared the barbecue brisquette which was great. I love the truffle fries ordered a separately. The coleslaw was flavorful without boat loads of mayo. As a single mom I can have dinner with me and my 12 year old son or make it a night out with my friends. Fat ducks is a great bar!!!!
(5)
Amanda W.
I am in love with Duck Fat (Fat Duck?) and come here all the time. The patio is great when the weather is nice and their burgers are top notch. But lets be real. I'm coming here for the duck fat fries. I could eat these fries every day and be so content.
(5)
Karen G.
Very happy with this place. first went with my mom and as she's old- we can't sit at those high tables in the bar so glad they had a quieter area with low tables. Wanted to order a side of duck fat fries so my mom could try which my mom was like "why, they;re just fries". I insisted that ALL urban hipster posers eat this stuff and its very hip. Waitress came by- SUPER nice- talked me out of the fries , saying if you get a burger you can get them with it and my mom can try them without you guys having a huge mound of them. I agree. I get the burger- super good and so big I make 2 meals out of it. My mom gets the french onion soup, which shes says was great. Waitress comes back and says " i got you more fries cause I decided there wasn't enough for you 2 to really enjoy just from that burger side" and she gives us a huge plate of fries for free. Well- OK! And the fries were quite good and my mom can say she's a fake urban hipster now. In re to beer, yea, there's a craft list, but I really would have liked a bigger list... it was heavy on IPA... I actually know beers- unlike some urban hipsters posers and I had trouble deciding- not many ambers, wheat, just a ok saison, too hot for imperial stout. I guess its to be expected cause HIPSTERS LOVE HOP!
(4)
Steph C.
This'll be a short review, since I only came to FatDuck for beers. The bar (and restaurant, I guess) was handsomely nondescript, or nondescriptly handsome, if either of those phrases makes sense. There was wood, there were stools, maybe there was a TV. The atmosphere was uninteresting but unobtrusive, and service was pleasant enough. My husband and I met a friend for a casual drink when we were staying in Elmwod Park, and it was a suitable venue for that purpose. The bar was pretty quiet on a Tuesday night, if not entirely dead. The beer list was solid. I think I had some kind of Goose Island beer, probably an IPA. I'd probably come back to FatDuck if I lived in the neighborhood. I have a place just like it back home that I don't love but visit constantly out of convenience. Serviceable bar, good beer and laid-back vibe. The kind of spot you'd forget right away if it weren't always showing up in your corner. Where you can always sit down without planning ahead and have a reliably good time.
(3)
Chicago G.
Not sure what the hype about the duckfat fries is all about. They were greasy and soggy. Burger was just ok. My kids chicken tenders tasted like they were made with plastic parts and they were dripping with grease. Margaritas were from a terrible mix. There are a million other places to get good tasting food that is terrible for you. Skip it!
(1)
Mike L.
I cannot believe the amount of places that lie about their kitchens being open for customers. Yes going to a bar is great, yes having a few drinks is nice, but when it comes to late-night snacks this place disappoints due to the sheer fact that it lies about its kitchen lateness
(1)
Jamie D.
Service is always great, great beer selection, I have never been disappointed with the food. The burger with bbq, pineapple, and bacon is absolutely delicious!!! Highly recommend!!!
(5)
Kelsey L.
My boyfriend and I moved to oak park about two months ago from the city. We've tried many of the restaurants around here and our favorite, by far, is this one. Their duck fat fries and dipping sauces are incredibly addictive! I always get the pizza as well and am never disappointed with this place. We go back at least once a week.
(5)
Brianna L.
The outdoor patio is really nice. It was the perfect atmosphere for a nice chill Tuesday night. It was colorful, nicely lit with the roped lighting and made me long for Florida with the key west signage. I guess the patio colors are very Florida esque as well. The plan was to meet at Doc Ryans, but I saw the patio and lights and was like noooope, let's go here! So glad we did. They have a nice craft beer list. I'm a beer kinda girl for the most part so I enjoyed it. We tried 4 new beers between us. 1. A pumpkin ale. It was tasty. Just like pumpkin pie. 2. Lemon ginger radler best thing since sliced bread!! Get it you won't regret it. 3. Lagunitas a lil sumptin sumptin. Not for me it was a lil bitter 4. Honey, you're a blonde. Was a light refreshing taste. Had we not ventured in we would've been drinking the standard Heineken and bud light.
(4)
Julia J.
I ordered take-out from FatDuck to bring to my mom and step-dad during a long say at nearby Loyola University hospital. It's not exactly right around the corner from there, but it was close enough that I could pick it up and it was still hot by the time I got to the room. We ordered the black bean chili which was really delicious, two of the grilled chopped chicken salads and the grilled chicken wrap. Everything traveled well, the fries with the wrap were good, and everything tasted fresh. Portions were large, and I would return here if I'm in the neighborhood.
(4)
Tracy H.
This place is great. I've lived merely 3 blocks from it for more than 3 years but I've never stopped in. Silly me! My boyfriend and I dropped in Saturday evening during the St. Patrick's Day celebration. It was packed but we were easily able to get drinks while we waited. And the drinks were quite strong and reasonably priced. The shots though seemed very small to me. Maybe they were regular shot but they just seemed tiny, and for $6/shot I kinda was like, really? That said, everything else was great! I had a burger and fries and loved it. And it was $12 which seemed very good for the quality/size. The garlic sauce that came with the fries was addicting. Will be back! Our server/waitress was very good and nice.
(4)
Alan D.
This is a local favorite of mine. Been here a handful of times and I usually wind up ordering the chicken giardinera sandwich with the duck fat fries. It's a great sandwich. The chicken parm is also worth ordering in my opinion. The staff is super friendly and always with a smile. This is a very comfortable atmosphere and a great staff. Will definitely keep going back.
(4)
Nelson M.
Restaurant Review 10 dollar burger check! I would have to say that the burger is good, but not the best. The best bet for your dollar is the duckfat burger which comes with brie cheese, applewood smoked bacon, and carmelized onion. You don' t have to upgrade because it comes with duckfat fries already. The fries are fried in duck fat and offer a unique taste that is complemented well with the three dipping sauces (Roasted Garlic Aioli, Mexican Pesto, Chipotle Ketchup) with the last being the best. The burger was 1/2 lb of angus beef cooked to specs. Overall I was happy with my choice. Also there are daily drink specials so check the website. Pro- duckfat burger and duckfat fries, rich but low in saturated fat. Yummy Con- none Hidden deal- Daily drink specials
(4)
Rob M.
Very solid place for beers and bar food with great outdoor seating for warm days. Ribs are good and most of the pub food filled menu is dependable. Duck fries are especially delicious.
(4)
Lyndsey A.
Sit at the bar. Ask for Hannah. She's the best server! Hubby and I are big craft beer drinkers and she was happy to let us sample a few before making a decision. The food here is great and the service is excellent. They are happy to change the TV to whatever sports game you want. The atmosphere is fun and family friendly. Love this place!
(5)
Melissa B.
A friend and I decided to check this place out because she thought I would enjoy it. I see why she thought that. It looks like a place I would normally fall in love with. We stood at the bar while the bartender talked and ignored us for so long that we actually almost just walked out. After finally getting a drink we just stood in the corner and noticed the odd vibe to the place. I think they are having an identity crisis. To be fair, we didn't order any food. Its possible that would make up for it. I doubt it. I also doubt we will head in again to find out. There are so many better options in the area.
(2)
Leonard W.
I have a friend that lives a few blocks from here and LOVES this place..(clearly the 2stars shows how much I love this place) Been here four times.....and yet none of the food stands out to me besides the Duckfat fries (and that's not so much because they were good....they were....but when have crispy hot fries ever tasted bad?) I can just get some BG Fries from submarine tender (butter and garlic) a few blocks down. I would just bring a bunch of pals here for drinks to watch the game...but than again it's SEVERAL locations in the area I can do that
(2)
Rob W.
My brother wanted to go here for his birthday and post Chicago Marathon celebration. The main reason was that we had a group of ten that wanted to watch the Bears game AND my brother is a big fan of their pot roast nachos and sliders. Here's how it all went... The biggest issue was securing a table - which it should NOT have been. My brother called ahead to try to reserve a table for ten, but they didn't take reservations. OK, so the next option was to have a friend who was not at the Marathon go early to try and get one set aside. Mind you, they have a main area, a second room and a covered patio area. When we called as we were leaving the Marathon, they told her that they might not be able to save a spot for us. Well we got there and the main bar was pretty full (though there were some tables in back), the middle room was 1/2 empty and the covered patio had plenty of space - which is where they seated us (along with all the families with little kids in the restaurant). I don't know why they made it sound as if it would be tough to seat us - that was unnecessary and disappointing. Our group ended up with a tab of more than $200 which while it wasn't huge for 10 people is still nothing to scoff at - and they should have figured that out in advance. Now - for the better news... the food overall was pretty good. The pot roast nachos that my brother raved about hit the spot. The chips that came with them were thin and low quality - the kind I'd never care to have - BUT - they were PERFECT for this dish. Our table shared two orders. I had a Bloody Mary which had a little pop to it and a slight sweet twist as well - loved it. Ordered a brisket sandwich on ciabatta bread with fries - that was good. My non-marathon brother ordered a confit sandwich on the same bread, he said he would have preferred not to have had the rosemary seasoning over the top of it. One person in out group ordered Mac & Cheese - came served in an iron skillet steaming hot and looking great - gotta try that next time. A couple of people also ordered the somewhat famous "duckfat fries". I must say that I couldn't detect much of a difference between those and the ordinary fried that came with my sandwich - other than the price of course! So overall the experience was good - other than the seating issue. I'll be back - especially for the Bloody Marys and the pot roast nachos.
(4)
Jordan K.
We originally came for the duck fat fries and they were worth the entire trip. The burgers are good, but I have to take away a start for the pretzel buns. They absolutely ruin a burger. You can request brioche, but too many times I've had it come out with a pretzel bun. That said, prices are good, beer selection is great and the patio is a great time when the weather is good. This is one of our Madison Street staples.
(4)
William Q.
Religious experience! Get out of job late and Googled a nearby place and I came out coming here. Why I didn't before? I ate a duck fat burger with a side of duck fat fries and a marzen beer(Founders). Everything was gooood. Starting with the service and ending up with the tasteful burger and fries. I can't stop eating those fries. Finally I found a worthy challenger to Kuma Burger. Kuma watch out!
(5)
Rob L.
Really cool place. I had the duck fat confit (pulled duck) really good, texture of duck was different. Lots of draft beers. Little tight seating. Duck fat fries were good. I recommend it,
(4)
Kate Z.
Been to Duckfat two or three times now and each time I was really glad I went. They're open late, as an added bonus. Nice bar area, solid beer/drink menu, and the best fried ice cream I've ever had (with gorgeous presentation, I might add). Service has always been great as well - friendly, timely, etc. The only criticism I have that is parking can be tricky but that's true of any business off Madison in that area.
(4)
David B.
Good place for a burger and a beer in the summer time. Been here a couple times and never been disappointed. The beer selection is pretty decent with the likes of Three Floyds, Revolution and some other top notch brews. The food is good, yet pricey. The menu is fairly imaginative but it's kind of hit and miss. Like others have commented here the fries are just outstanding and the burgers are decent to. The beer garden is really the star of the show at this place. They really did a great job remodeling it after they bought the property from the previous establishment.
(4)
Alyssa J.
The fries were GREAT and my burger was pretty good but we didn't have the best service. It was a Friday evening but it didn't seem too crowded; we were seated right away.
(3)
Linh L.
Classier than I thought. The menu is extensive. We ordered... 1. Duck breast: Yum. I really liked it. This is one of the more expensive dishes which was $19. 2. Duck fat fries: This was nothing special. I think I prefer McDonald's fries. Please note, I'm not the person who raves over French fries. 3. Fish tacos: These are decent. They're not fantastic. 4. Banana pudding bread: The worst... Sorry. I felt like it could have been sliced and eaten with my coffee for breakfast. I would come back... Only for the duck breast. Plus, their menu is extensive from cheap to quality food. I have to try their other stuff.
(3)
Dan H.
Burgers are excellent, and the duck fat fries served with a variety of sauces are amazing. I've had other items on their menu but always end up back at the Duckfat Burger. Solid beer selection, and the outdoor tiki bar a great summer spot.
(5)
Rebeca M.
This place is great. Close to everything, fat duck will make your night. Good food, good music and fast service. Can't get much better than that!
(5)
Nora C.
Went in for a late dinner on a Thursday, there were quite a few people there. First impression walking in is that it looks like your regular bar, has an older feel to it with lots of exposed wood. Looks like they open the patio up in the summer for outside seating which I will be back to check out. Ordered a flight of beers along with the fat duck fries and burger. All I have to say is that the fries are amazing. You have to stop here and try these fries! Service was good and waitress was very attentive.
(4)
Heather D.
The signage is a little confusing when you first arrive because outside it says Duckfat, and inside everything is Fatduck, but that aside...they have really good food. Craftheads! This place serves craft beers! And I was lucky enough to arrive when Abita had their Strawberry Harvest beer available (i'm noticing its seasonal) I had the Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with the duck fat fries. It was delicious! I also recommend their calamari. The bar and tiki lounge area is pretty nice. The only lack of star is because our waitress took forever and a day to bring us our check. I thought when they usually ask if you would like anything else that was a nice indicator that we want our check. Other than that, I recommend this place for their food and brews.
(4)
Erica D.
DuckFat (it's still DuckFat in my head, probably forever) is an ideal place to grab lunch or dinner. The location is really convenient, a block away from Harlem. I only grabbed food here a few times, mostly to go. I either would get a veggie wrap (very subpar) or a burger. The burgers and fries were good, however nothing that stood out to me. What I really like was their artichoke dip. It may have been all the drinks I was consuming that night, but man, that artichoke dip was amazing. My old roommates and I used to live two blocks away, and this is the place we celebrated our pre-21st birthday celebrations. We were poor and overly worked students who unfortunately had 21st birthdays fall on a Monday-Wednesday night. We would go to DuckFat at midnight, drink as much as we possibly could, and be home by 2:30am. The bartenders were always really nice, and so were the few people at the bar on an early weekday night. We always got free drinks, but I guess that's a given for being a group of females. tl;dr Duckfat food is subpar; my friends and I liked drinking here. The end.
(3)
Kristen V.
When the inevitable apocalypse strikes, my butt will probably be here, along with other survivors of the zombie invasion of the western Chicago suburbs. As a Forest Park resident, I am here quite often. Unlike other bars on the Madison strip, Fat Duck serves excellent food. I am a massive fan of their Bleu cheese burger (must get the Pretzel bun!), their Pizza Magherita, and their Tilapia sandwich. A note: you wouldn't expect a bar that prides itself on burgers and beer to have excellent vegetarian options, but they do. I've had the veggie wrap before, and it was quite tasty. Most importantly, Fat Duck has a very impressive range of craft beers, many seasonal. Most bartenders and waiters are extremely knowledgeable about the beer, and this makes the experience all the better. Extremely crowded and crazy during Blackhawk games...but really, would you expect anything else from a Chicago bar with good food and tons of great beer?
(5)
Phillip A.
Ate here today with my daughter. Not busy. Good service. Food spot on.We both had Burgers cooked to our liking.The winner is the Truffle fries. Can't find these in a lot of places. Good place in the western 'burbs.Drinks,food and tip came to around $42.00.Quality food.
(4)
Thomas C.
A step above "bar" food, with a great outdoor courtyard and a diverse menu. The name keeps changing (now it'sback to Duckfat according to the sign outside) but whatever the name, it's a great place to check out, kid friendly, and have yet to have a bad meal here. Do try to duck quesadilla's, obviously the duckfat fries and all of the fish offerings are pretty good. Corned beef (this place was formerly Horan's and they have kept the corned beef) and Rueben were also tasty. Daughter loves the cheese pizza, I just love going.
(4)
Smunsky T.
Yep the duck fries are good. Not orgasm good like some of these posts rave, but still above average. A little soggy and not very crispy. The ruben was delicious. No complaints. I went on a Friday around 5 and the place was packed by 630. Service was good enough. Waitress (Hanna) didn't give me a place setting. Not the end of the world. The fries come with 3 sauces. I liked the ketchup tasting one. The other two were downright wretched. Only had one pint. A three floyds blah blah. Whatever...it was tasty and fresh. Good enough that I will be back for sure.
(3)
Liz S.
Well first of all her name is Melanie and she was a terrible waitress. It took forever for her to come back to our table. I myself am a waitress so I understand that when you're busy you're busy but our table and one other seemed to be the only she had. My drink sat empty for about 15 minutes the first time.. second time she was on it but it tasted terrible, third time it was perfect timing. But then it was time to get our check and time after time we tried getting her attention "Miss" "Excuse Me" things of that nature, and she would just walk right past. We finally spoke to a manager and got to voice our troubles and he seemed understanding. Overall I would go back because it was a great atmosphere, tons of TV's for games, and the duck fat fries are amazing.. just try to avoid this non-enthusiastic server.
(2)
Tim B.
First Non 5 star review , I would be giving a 3.75 if that was allowed. 80% of the time the food is amazing. The beer selection is large and a craft lovers paradise . The last few time we ordered their famous duck fat fries that comes with gourmet sauces . The fries were blah and the sauces were... Ripe. Spoiled. My date and I never complain about food because we have worked in the food industry before and know things happen. The busboys are on top of their game, very hard working and always helpful, usually taking over for the servers ( even when not busy). We never see the same server more than twice, I assume they go through servers a lot because the service there can suck at times. The fried egg burger rules ( GET IT WITH BACON!) If I was rating it as a bar I would give infinite stars because the bar tenders rule and so does the selection.
(4)
Amy A.
FatDuck, DuckFat- who cares?! My favorite place on Madison! Love the staff, bartenders (hugs to Laura & Mike) and the energy. The ONLY place to watch the Hawks play while simultaneously eating the best damn truffle fries- ever! Ridiculous shredded pork nachos are enough to feed a family of 4 and delicious! The reuben and any of their burgers are must haves and they always have interesting craft beers on tap (if you like that sorts thing). This was our first date place and always a favorite to return to on a Tuesday night or a Saturday afternoon with the kids.
(5)
Eduardo C.
The baked goat cheese appetizer is a trend setter in my opinion. Nicely presented with hints of other seasonings and sauces, the goat cheese concoction with marinara sauce makes for an excellent appetizer. It is appropriately supplied with toasted garlic bread. As a goat cheese lover, I will definitely be back for more. I also tried the three mini burgers. They were hot, juicy, and savory, although in the late night menu they are not accompanied by fries. The service and attentiveness has also been spot on, even on busy nights, although I've heard that hasn't always been the case. I still have not tried the fat duck fries, but I'm sure it won't be long now. Depending on how the rest of my entree and drink experiences go, along with the atmosphere, I may award Fatduck five stars for my review update.
(4)
Sarah S.
We went to duckfat for dinner. Had an overall good experience. The food was pretty good for bar food. We paid extra for the duck fat fries, but didn't really think they were that special. Will probably just go with regular fries next time. The service was just ok. Not that attentive, and food was slow to come out. We had beer, so that made it better. The restaurant is a lot bigger than it looks for the outside, so we got seated immediately. They also have a parking lot across the street which is really convenient on busy nights in forest park. Overall a good experience, and we will be back.
(4)
Margaux D.
I can't say enough good things about this place. Part beautiful restaurant, part bar, it has everything you've ever wanted. The decor is very cozy and old-fashioned. Upon receiving the menu when I went this monday with my family, I immediately gravitated towards their extensive micro brew list. They have roughly fifteen behind the bar. You heard me. Fifteen. Coming from Rock Island, IL where you're lucky if you can find more than eight on a menu, I was shocked. And quite pleased. However, I was with my family so I couldn't order any. It was then that I spotted Delirium. My favorite beer. I decided I would go back the next day. Enter lunch: A beautiful cheeseburger on a pretzel bun, because I always go basic my first time at a joint. Everyone at our table loved their food, including my aunt who ordered mini-sliders (which also came on adorable little pretzel buns) with a side of soup. YUM. Anyways I went back the next day with a friend, at which time we ordered beer (thank God). We also got the Fried Calamari appetizer, which was out of this world. It's not hard to mess that one up, but the breading was light and actually stuck to the calamari rings. It came with a chipotle cocktail dipping sauce that was out of this world. I literally could have drank that on the side. Not really. That's disgusting. ANYWAYS... I had a pizza for lunch this time. They only have three on the menu: Classic Margharita, Pepperoni/Sausage and a Potato Bacon pizza. Being a glutton, I chose the latter of the three. It came with a white sauce, Peccorino Romano, parmesan, and mozzarella. Perf. Brett (the friend), ordered a truffle burger with duck fat fries. Get this, the burger actually had a beautiful slice of Brie on it, along with truffle oil and caramelized onions. If you want an explanation on why that seriously makes me melt, just let me know. Otherwise I'll let you imagine how beautiful it was. In fact, I was fine before I wrote this review and now I'm hungry and salivating like a Pavlov experiment.
(5)
Bria D.
I was extremely disappointed with this place. I came during St. Patrick's day weekend. The place wasn't as nearly as crowed as some of the other places on Madison St. but the service still sucked! I ordered the duck fat burger and duck fat fries but my burger was cold! I had the waitress bring out another burger but she switched out my fries and the new batch of fries I was given were horrible; so she had to bring me new fries. When requested the bill I was given the WRONG one! it took the waitress another 15 minutes before she gave me the correct bill. Ugh, a waste of time, I will not be back, its a shame I had such high hopes for this place. P.S - DO NOT ORDER THE "SKITTLES" DRINK!
(1)
Tony B.
Not more than 2 hours before writing this internet review, I sat on the premises of Fat Duck and paid monies for food, including: fried egg burger; sweet potato fries; goat cheese dip; a PBR. Others in my party ate: meatloaf, ribs, cheeseburger, truffle fries, chicken sandwich, fish and chips. They put the sporting event of our choice on the television and brought our food quickly. I am still digesting the food. The food and service were very good. Now we are watching A Muppets Christmas Carol.
(4)
Magen R.
FatDuck can be described in one word: delicious! My sisters have been raving about FatDuck forever and I finally got to try it out this week. I was immediately impressed by the large beer garden that we were seated in. It was the perfect place to enjoy a balmy summer evening with some beers and good company. I ordered the pot roast sandwich on a pretzel bun with duck fat fries. Such a good choice! The pretzel bun was so fresh and the combination of the crispy onions, the horseradish and the pot roast was perfect. It's also worth mentioning that the pot roast was perfectly cooked. It was tender and juicy and came with a side of au jus. The duck fat fries belong in a category of their own. They came with three amazing dips (I am a huge dip lover). The garlic mayo combo was amazing but I was also pleasantly surprised by the pesto dip as well. A great side that's definitely worth the $1 upgrade! Our server was also amazing. He was consistently present and never let our beers empty without offering to bring us another. If you're in Forest Park on Madison Street FatDuck is definitely worth a trip.
Have been here quite a few times to watch the Blackhawks and the Bears. Good beer prices, food is good little pricey for bar food. Good duck fat fries. Staff is always friendly.
(4)
Rebeca B.
I enjoyed Fat Duck. The service to me was an A+ the waitress was very honest and quick to get us what we needed. Even let us taste test a few items and drinks..pretty cool. I got the BBQ Pizza-not the best choice off the menu. My bad for selecting that over their burgers, my friends burger was delicious and cooked perfectly. My only complaint would be is that I got way overcharged.. which isn't cool. My bill was $54.00 and I left a $13.00 tip. After reviewing my bank statement I was charged $84.00 for the entire meal..meh.
(4)
Claudia E.
Really disappointed in our trip out to this "gastropub" which really seemed more like a tavern. Came to visit on March 8 and the place was packed with st Patricks day patrons (mind u it's nine days early of the holiday) and the restaurant was serving a limited menu due to a "high volume" weekend. Not even sure what that means, as if this restaurant is not usually a busy place. The limited menu sucked but was hungry and ordered pot roast nachos which were completely lacking of taste and pot toast. Mostly layered in pico and sour cream, the amount of meat was laughable. While they did have a decent beer list, it's not a place I would recommend.
(2)
Teresa S.
Understaffed and overpriced. When we walked in, no one was at the door to check us in. We wandered in looking for some seating, I asked a waitress where the outdoor seating was and she pointed towards the direction. Once we found the place and sat down a waitress finally came over with menus after 10minutes. We weren't sure if we were going to stay as it seemed like no one noticed we were there. Finally we are given menus, we pick our burgers, we order and asked about the duck fries and the waitress seemed annoyed by the question so we went with regular fries. Waitress never introduced herself. The food finally came after 35 minutes. Then we never saw the waitress again. We were sucking on ice in our cups as we never were asked if we wanted refills. My husband then wanted extra tomato slices in his burger. Oh no! He waited for 10 minutes! My son had finished his burger by the time my husband got his extra tomato slices. When they arrived the waitress practically threw it at him as she wanted to take the order of the people waiting to take there order near us. When we asked for the check it came quickly. We payed and left. No goodbye or come again. The atmosphere outside wasn't great. We sat in cheap lawn seats,near an iron gate along the side walk. The food was good definitely but we agreed that we've had better. The prices were not great for the quality of the food.
(2)
Cintya P.
It was a nice Wednesday evening when a few of my girlfriends and I decided to grab a few bites to eat and a few drinks. We decided to hit Duckfat Tavern & Grill because of the nice patio area and it was a warm and cool Chicago evening. We ordered a mojito, a cucumber margarita and a strawberry margarita. The mojito tasted nothing but mint, the cucumber margarita had a weird vegetable only flavor with a odd tequila taste and the strawberry margarita was way too sweet to drink it all. Our least favorite appetizer that we got was the beet salad. The beets tasted like the cooks got them straight out of the can, chopped them up, poured some low budget balsamic vinegar and 3 pecans and a thin shaving of parmesan cheese and voila! Not so great if you ask me -__-.
(2)
Rob H.
I'd give this place 4 stars but I had a couple bad experiences here, one was poor service and two was the bottom of my hamburger bun was soaked in raw hamburger juice. So if I discount those two experiences I would say overall this place has excellent burgers and fries & a nice selection of beer.
(3)
Lauren H.
The food is always great! The staff is very welcoming and nice, especially the hostesses Jessica and Gianna! The key lime pie is awesome
(5)
Deena H.
I am not sure why they don't have at least 4.5 stars. The food is excellent. You must try the duck quesadillas. The burgers are good. They have outdoor seating. Menu has a decent selection. The service is decent.
(4)
Denise S.
I've been here several times now and I just can't give it more than the A-OK three stars. 1) I don't know why, but this place is ALWAYS busy...so busy, that I've never been able to sit in the damn dining room. I'm always stuck at a high table and chair where my feet are dangling and my back and hips are killing me (I have lupus)...stinks. 2) The food is okay. It's not bad...it's not superb, it's good. I've had stuff I didn't care for and stuff I like. I really like the Kobe burger with duck fat fries and I love the dipping sauces. 3) The parking stinks because it's right off Harlem Avenue and Madison Avenue is a strip of restaurants and bars so parking can be hard to find on weekends. We'll still be coming here in the hopes that I can eat my Kobe burger in the dining room one day!
(3)
Layne S.
Service was good as can be expected at a bar. Waiter was good. Got sour cream instead of tartar sauce and waited a few minutes for a drink refill. Again. Not fine dining service, yet this is a bar... Food was really good other than side salad. Side salad was crap yet this is a bar menu. Salads are probably not a priority. I had the duck fat burger done medium. It was cooked medium. Better than some "fancy" restaurants. The flavor was great and the pretzel bun was great (I generally dislike dry, puffy pretzel rolls. This was a dense chewy roll.). The duck fat fries were the main reason I went. They didn't disappoint. Crispy and perfectly cooked and full of flavor. Dipping sauces were fine. Wife had the fish and chips. The fries were great and the texture of the fish was good, yet fish or batter could have been seasoned a bit more. Overall great experience. Til we left. We were walking back to our car and 2 hooligans riding their bikes on the sidewalk ran into us and then threatened to shoot us in the face for suggesting they were doing life wrong. So yeah that happened.
(4)
Ellie K.
The four star review is for the service and adult beverages. I have never had a bartender/server that wasn't friendly and attentive... Even during the busiest timeS. I have only tried the fish tacos as far as food and I don't think I would have them again so minus a star there. Overall, good vibe and good people.
(4)
James T.
When I want a drink, this is my go-to place. Things FatDuck has: A food menu where everything on it is delicious. Excellent rotating craft beer selection. Friendly staff who remember the names of their regulars. TVs that will show whichever game you came there to watch. Clean bathrooms. The ability to pour a Guinness the right way every time. A huge outdoor patio. Short wait times to get a table if your group has four people or fewer. An atmosphere appropriate for families as well as anyone just stopping in for a beer after work. Things FatDuck doesn't have: Loud music. Slow and/or surly service. A pool. Beer poured into plastic cups. The smell of urine and stale cigarettes. Dilapidated tables and shaky bar stools. Unicorns.
(5)
Briggs A.
Friendly staff -- shout out to Mike -- incredible food from the pros in the kitchen and the best beer garden in FP. Highly recommend the burgers, duck wings and whatever is on the chalkboard.
(4)
He K.
We liked this place a lot! We started our girls night with a dinner here, sitting in the outside area "Tiki Bar". We ordered the Burger and the fish tacos and both was delicious. Service is fast and friendly. This place is worth to try it our for sure :)
(4)
Eric R.
Food is ok, greasy at times. Beer is acceptable. Outdoor patio is really the best part. Wait staff is ok at best. Prices are kinda high for what you get. Duckfat fries are pretty good though, and the burgers are passable
(3)
E W.
This place is excellent. The burger is the best in the area (all the western suburbs I've had burgers in, Back Alley Burger in LaGrange is a close second, but the two are totally different). Their mac and cheese is pretty great too; as well as their cobb salad. Yar. The beer selection is fantastic and the bartender who selects said beers is often on hand and knows his shit. You can get small pours too (cheaper, three to five-ouncers). One of my favorite things about this place is one of the waitresses. She's a bespectacled blond woman and she is AWESOME. Always wicked personable and helpful. She is seriously one of the best waitresses I've ever had at a restaurant. I only wish I remembered her name. I'll add it once I figure it out. Check this place out and then go get some more drinks at one of the myriad bars just west of this place or some ice cream at Brown Cow (also just west). Good stuff. I love this place...really do.
(5)
K S.
This place is my go to spot when I want to meet up with family or friends and have a nice meal. Most of the time we eat outside which they have a great area. Even when it's a tad bit chilly they have heaters outside. Im a fan of the pizza and the burgers are awesome. And if you dont get the duckfat fries..whats the point! However not a fan of their mac and cheese. They have am okay beer menu. Place is big and even if it seems crowded we never had to wait for a table. They only take reservations for parties of 5 or more. Last time we were here we did the free valet parking because there weren't any spots on the street. It is quicker just to park yourself.
(4)
Melina D.
SERIOUSLY HATE THEIR SERVICE. My husband and I went there for dinner and literally had to leave. No one waited on us we sat there for ten minutes and the dining room had only two other tables. So upsetting because apparently their food is good. We wouldnt know! The waitresses simply just stared at us. Before we left, the hostess girls said no one wanted to take our table. The hostess girls were walking around chatting as were the waitresses. Really sad that your service sucked hardcore.
(1)
Rosie M.
This is an update to my previous review. I will say I usually really like the food here but recently had a pretty crappy experience. I had friends coming into town so we made a reservation for 10. They accepted our reservation which was great. When we showed up they had us seated at 2 different tables of 5. I would think when I called to make the reservation they would have warned me they could not actually accommodate the party and would sit us separately. If we would have known this we would have gone somewhere else. I'm not sure what happened but the food ended up not being their best either. I probably won't go back anytime soon bc the manager was far from accommodating and basically said "too bad" regarding the whole situation which I think is bogus as a previous regular and a paying customer.
(3)
Monika K.
my sister calls in an order for pickup. the girl says it will be ready in 15 minutes. she goes to get it and they tell her that they don't have an order for her and ask her if maybe it is under "Phil." umm... what?! then a girl says oops she wrote it down but forgot to do anything with it. we are in a hurry, hence why we placed the order ahead of time, but apparently it's more important for the girls there to chit chat then to actually do their jobs. my sister leaves and then gets a call from a guy there, who when she answers the first thing he says is "we f*cked up." excuse me? who is this? this is a professional way to treat this situation? she is too upset to talk so she gives me the phone and the guy tells me that he is going to send me a giftcard. he asks for my address and then says oh you live across the street? yup. and guess what? it has been over a week and i still have not received the giftcard.even if he sent it over via pigeons, i should have gotten it. way to go, fatduck! **Update: just to clarify, i got the giftcard on Monday, June 1st. It was postmarked 05/29 from Carol Stream. The incident occurred on Friday, 05/22 (not Monday, as commented by Danielle). Also on June 1st, I received an animated voicemail from Dennis at fatduck, screaming like a lunatic and stating that he has read my "lovely yelp review" and that i can "just throw away the giftcatd." If there was a way that I can attach the message to this review, believe me I would. funny how i never complained about the food (in fact, it's delicious), but rather about the service and rudeness of the staff, and then i continue to get harassed due to an honest review. as a professional adult woman, i will just have to shake my head and laugh this off.
(1)
J.B. M.
My husband and I drove 1&1/2 hours to come here! What a great place! Our waiter Andrew was helpful and attentive, the food was great! Kobe beef burgers duck fat fries, truffle fries, duck Quesadilla were all delicious! They have a large selection of craft beers and ciders. Will definitely be back!
(5)
Jill C.
Good food. Good drinks. Cute place. I thought it was gonna be expensive but really not 2 bad. My group and I had a nice time there. Thanks.
(4)
Rosie D.
I love this place! It's my favorite neighborhood bar. It's really a gem. I remember when the place was a little Irish pub on the outskirts of the Forest Park bar scene and now it's really become an anchor in the community. Even though I really don't live in the area it's totally my go to spot when I'm entertaining guests from outta town, having a casual girls night out, or simply looking to catch the game. I've never gotten bad service. In fact there's one lady in there whose blond, kinda spazzy, and a lil older who I absolutely adore!! She's so much fun you can't help but to fall in love with her! And she knows her stuff!!! Of course I love the food! Everything is delicious. Next time you visit try the pot roast nachos. It's huge so plan on splitting with a friend and they are delicious!!!! Love love LOVE me some duckfat!!!
(5)
Yvonne B.
I've wanted to try this place for such a long time and was tickled to finally have the opportunity. I gotta say, it was decent, but nothing super special. I mean, I'd compare it to Poor Phil's on S Marion in Oak Park. They both have laid-back, community bar personalities and distinctive characteristics. Poor Phil's has an outstanding beer selection whereas DuckFat has duck fat. Their fries really were delicious. The little stubs of fries we got were flavorful. It was fun to dip them in the three different sauces. Unfortunately, because they were so stubby, our fingers probably got as much of the sauce as the fies. I got the DuckFat burger and M got the pork chop special. The burger was good. It was cooked just as I requested, the toppings were fresh, and the flavor combinations were on point. I loved the brie and pretzel roll bun. I don't think it was my favorite burger, but half of it was surely satisfying. I took the other half home. M's pork chop special was not so good. She said that the pork was over cooked and the risotto was too salty. She was also unimpressed with their wine selection. She recognized several inexpensive bottles of wine that had exaggerated prices on the menu. She didn't like her first glass of wine at all (she didn't finish it) and she was barely content with her second. Our service was really just mediocre. I'm not sure what the deal was. Maybe they were understaffed. Maybe our server was new. I dunno. All I know was that it was stuffy warm inside and we were anxious to bounce outta there. Our bus boy was more personable and eager to please than our server. Although Duckfat wasn't really bad, it also wasn't anything great. I've definitely experienced better taverns in the area. It's worth trying at least once - maybe even twice.
(2)
Marina V.
I am not a huge huge fan of pubs in the US, but this was an exception b/c the food was soooooo good!! We had kobe burgers for lunch. WOW!!! incredible... loved it!! Delicious bun too.... Next time I'm in Oak Park - i'll be back to DuckFat!!!
(5)
Claire M.
I've eaten here a couple times but this par-tic-u-lar review is for this past Saturday night when I spent a couple of hours in the bar. One of my old coworkers was in town staying the night with me and I thought it'd be fun for us to wander up to Madison Street to catch up with each other over a few beverages. She ordered a coupla blue moons and I had this rather tasty microbrew called Unibroue Ephemere Green Apple. Or something. Holy god was it GOOD! I'm traditionally not a fan of beer. I had originally ordered a Rolling Rock but 3 minutes later was informed they don't have it. Not sure if they were out temporarily or if they never carried it. As fate may have it, the bartender handed me their drink menu and I frantically and desperately searched for something to order. My eye wandered over to the "microbrew" section and as my eyes skimmed the options, the words "green apple" caught my eye. I love green apples! I decided to try it. I'm seriously in love now. I don't usually go out just to drink much anymore and most of the bars on Madison are too loud and obnoxious for me but the couple times I have (tonight included) "Fatfuck" Duckfat whatever (it was actually Horan's the last time I was there for dedicated drinking) has been a lovely and suitable location. It will likely be my go-to place. And I've really got to learn more about this beer that I had... I never have luck when I randomly pick something off of a menu - until now I guess.
(3)
Angela C.
I was tempted to give this place only three stars because of the poor service, the crap frozen drink from the bar and the overrated duck fat fries, but I ate their duck confit sandwich and had a foodgasm. I could give two sh!ts about those fries (still deep fried and greasy without a lot of extra flavor), but DAMN was that sandwich good! Do yourself a favor and share the fries with someone else and get that duck confit sandwich if you are someone that likes pineapple and spices with your BBQ or meats. I probably will go back at some point in the future just for that sandwich.
(4)
C T.
Am sitting at the bar right now.... Ordered ice tea and she didn't offer me sugar. Ordered food to go, didn't ask how I wanted the meat cooked. She's been wayyyyy to busy chatting to her coworkers and all the male guests. Nice....but not really. Apparently it's also bring your kid and husband to work day (or entertain someone else's). Awesome.... but not really. The previous bartender Mary is really attentive and welcoming. Not this girl. Still hasn't checked on me or given me my check in the 20 minutes I've been here. I'm not seeing any of the managers I used to recognize. Staffing changes I assume?! I've been here several times before and the food is typically pretty good but the service is hit or miss. I'd rather spend $20 on takeout where the staff appreciates my business. Side note: been in restaurant industry over 15 yrs. Update: Ordered the porkchop special, it came with asparagus and au gratin potatoes. Granted it was to go, but the chop was dry but the sauce was good. The sides were ok but the potatoes were a little too sour for my liking. Other item have been great in the past.
(1)
Rosanna L.
Decided to throw my brother a surprise birthday dinner and I wasn't sure as to where to go since we usually have a big gathering for birthdays. Got good reviews about this place from a friend and decided to try it out. They easily accomodate 15 of us in the outisde patio area, which they covered up, added some tables and plastic chairs and bam they extended their serving area. Our server was extremely helpful and friendly. She shared her opinion openly and honestly. (She doesn't like duck so she never tried it, but always receive great feedback about it) The food: we had a wide variety from calamari and nachos as starters to mac and cheese, roast duck, turkey burger, brisket, baby back ribs, and cavatappi pasta as entreees! *whew* Being us we always like to eat off of one another. Overall the reviews were mix from my family members, some enjoyed their dishes, some didn't. My review: the nachos are flavorful and tasty, having pot roast on top is definitely something different. The calamari was okay and the portion is extremely small. The baby back ribs were good, but the end part of it was extremely dry and rough. The brisket was very tasty and soft. The duck was decent, but the mash cinnamon sweet potatoes that they serve with it is extra delicious! The mac and cheese was extremely bland with no flavor. The duckfat fries you ask? Nothing special besides the sauce. Out of the three sauce the white one was the best the other two were okay. It really depends on what you like. Overall the experience was fun and the server was great, but the food just average.
(3)
Matt M.
Low quality employees. Low brow establishment. Rude service, high prices, better options up and down Madison.
(1)
Lola K P.
Typical bar atmosphere, pretty nice. Came in around 10pm on a weeknight since I got a sudden attack of the munchies, and was still having some laughs with friends. Some regulars were in attendance, pleasant ambiance. We split an order of truffle Parmesan fries and a sausage pizza, and I admit I wasn't expecting much, but they were both really good! Decent glass of red, others had beer. Service was ok.
(4)
Chuck D.
Nice beer selection and good atmosphere for relaxing and watching the game with friends. Enough buzz in the place to keep the energy going but not so loud that you maintain a conversation.
(4)
Suz M.
This is my local watering hole and it's really not bad. The food is fine (on the greasy side and a little expensive but really can be good) and the atmosphere is standard busy bar. I like the outdoor patio and I've never had rude service. Most of the servers are knowledgable about their beer and that's greatly appreciated. Saying that, sometimes their service is lacking (in terms of never coming back to your table) and while the food isn't bad it runs of the expensive side. They have some fancy add ons to regular bar fare that don't really justify the price. Also I hate to say it but their duck fat fries taste about the same as their regular fries. I visit this place frequently enough but I like to go drink there more than eat.
(3)
Jenni E.
I really enjoyed this place when we stopped by on a Friday night for dinner and drinks. It is a great place to go if the weather is nice because they have a fantastic outdoor patio where you can enjoy watching people walk up and down Madison street while enjoying some great food and a nice drink. I will say that as someone who loves to try unique foods - this place was right up my alley. There were tons of things on the menu that I wanted to try, but I went with the Duckfat Burger because I felt like I really should try the signature item. I wasn't disappointed at all - it was actually one of the best burgers that I had ever had. The fries which apparently are cooked in duckfat were also amazing. There are lots of other things that I can't wait to try the next time I come here. The salad that my vegetarian friend ordered wasn't very good - so I am wondering what the have that is good for non-duck eaters. I don't like beer, but this seems like a good place to have one. I opted for a mojito and was very pleased.
(4)
Nicole P.
I want to like you FatDuck, I really do. There is so much going for you, great location, easy parking, solid beer list, games on the multiple tv's...but you disappoint me, every time. This place is well trafficked, I am sure for the reasons I noted above, but the food is just meh. I have been here at least ten times and have probably ordered most everything on the menu. The burger buns come out cold, the lettuce is all iceburg, the spinach artichoke dip is watery, etc, etc. I hate to be critical but honestly, they could do better, they just don't have to because the places in Oak Park/Forest Park where you can go and grab a beer, eat a decent meal, and watch a game are limited. I have been going to Scratch recently and would honestly recommend this place. The food is all homemade, the burgers are great and the canned beers are better.
(2)
Nichole C.
I'm still a fan of FatDuck, but I will say this: Looking back at my last review, I almost had the opposite experience as the last few visits. It seems like it's hit or miss on the food and the service, but the patio (yes, even in Chicago Winter [they put up a huge tent with heaters]) and the craft beer list still impress. The truffle Parmesan fries continue to be my Kryptonite but the fish and chips have changed (OR I was drunk enough last time that I didn't notice they were heavily breaded and crunchy...not my bag.). Either way, I would recommend this place for a nice pit stop to the city, a drink and appetizers with friends, or a night out with the man. If only for the fries and the beers...
(4)
Jenny B.
I want to like FatDuck so much, but their service is so SLOW every time we've been. Food is good, prices are fair. The servers don't check back in with you, so you are constantly waiting for a drink or if something is wrong with your meal, you wait a very long time to have it fixed. The other night we ordered the kids menu Burger Sliders, and the burger size was pathetic....about 1/2 the size of the slider bun. Didn't even begin to fill up my 8 year old son. It's in my neighborhood and I like to support local business, but the slow service is a major downer.
(2)
Robby K.
i'm sorry guys but this place is good and all, but def not great. u can get a better burger down the lock at Scratch kitchen that just opened. The drinks are probly the best thing here. i forget the specifics but i ordered a glass of Silver Tequila on the Rocks and i Tequila and it was 6$ or something like that. my GF likes there Martini's the Duck Fat fries are not that great. one time we had a dumb as rocks waitress. i pointed to a word on the menu that i couldn't pronounce and she's say's "Oh-lilly, its a french oil." in fact the word was Aioli. wow... idk, the gf is yelling across the house saying that this place is better than scratch, making unwarranted comments saying that the Duck Fat Mac and Cheese is better.. idk. smh.
(3)
Stephen T.
Awesome first experience! Server was very nice and always attentive. Duck Fry's are a must!! I had the Chicken Mac and Cheese and it was INCREDIBLE! Awesome atmosphere, 10 or so large screen TV's. Amazing selection of craft brews. Very reasonable prices! Will come back, often!
(5)
Frank H.
Great spot for a burger and beers or a meal friendly and professional. I highly recommend duck fat.
(5)
Susie C.
I'm just as surprised with myself for giving a bar/grill a 5 stars, but it does deserve a 5 star! My husband and I originally wanted to go to a nice sit-down restaurant for dinner on a Friday night, but we couldn't get an early reservation and we were starving, so we hit up our local bar/grill. I heard lots of good things about this place, and I actually wanted a very casual, sit down place with lots of happy people around..since I've been mentally tired from work. When we came here, there were no wait. We were seated at an area that is normally outside of the restaurant but they put several tables inside a tent with heat ventilation. Very interesting setup. The atmosphere was nice..The blackhawks game and bulls game were on, so lots of sports fans were decked out in their jerseys rooting for Chicago teams! My husband and I started with their Duckfat fries. It came with three types of dipping sauce (ketchup, ranch, and some kind of green verde sauce). The duckfat fries were good.. I also had a turkey black bean chili with pico de gallo on top. It was really good. I dipped my fries on it. My husband ordered their chicken dumpling soup, which he said was pretty salty. Disappointed there. For our entree, I ordered the blackened tilapia sandwich. I read good reviews about it, and I am glad I did. IT IS SOOOOO GOOD! This is the best fish sandwich I've ever had. It has the yummy tilapia with cole slaw, honey mayo, and some other sauce. The bread was delicious, too! The bread isn't hot or anything, but the fish inside was. It came with a side of fries so I had their parmesan fries, which btw taste just like our duckfat fries minus the parmesan. My husband ordered their fried egg burger.. he said it was okay. He had regular fries...once again taste like the other fries we ordered. I like how they have all different types of fries, but in the end they all taste the same! Overall I REALLY love my tilapia sandwich. HANDS DOWN!! Duckfat, Fatduck..I'm not sure what this place is really called since they use this name interchangeably.
(5)
Martha Z.
I tried their signature dish. I believe it was duck breast, spinach, and mashed sweet potatoes. I don't know if the sweet potatoes are supposed to be served at room temperature, but mine were definitely cold. Again, this was my first time there so I didn't question it. Maybe someone else can clarify if this dish is supposed to be a mixture of tastes and temperatures. Anyways, the cocktails were pretty good.
(3)
Russ D.
We always have a great meal here. The Grilled Calamari appetizer is one of our favorites.
(4)
Hannah A.
Through a twist of events, my husband and I ended up at FatDuck Tavern & Grill. We've always wanted to go, but have always argued ourselves away from that place for some dumb reason. I'm so glad we finally made it! They have a fun menu of elevated pub food and lots of craft beers. I had the duck confit quesadillas and my husband had the BBQ chicken flatbread. Both items were tasty. There were many items on the menu I want to return to try. I was in the mood for pumpkin beer ('tis the season!), and rather than choosing, I got a flight of all three varieties on the menu. I love this option!! My husband was driving and opted for a diet Coke. Our server (and supporting staff) were fantastic. His glass never ran empty as they brought refills with perfect timing. I liked the atmosphere a lot... Very comfortable, friendly, fun, and engaging. My husband and I are now big fans of this place and can't wait to return. VERY HAPPY TO FINALLY WALK THROUGH THEIR DOOR!
(4)
Megan T.
They have a great selection of food. There fries are to die for! Highly recommend this place.
(4)
Julie A.
I have been here many times, and each time its different. At first, I really liked it. The burger hit the spot. The next couple of times were just for drinks. The most recent time I ordered the ruben, which I don't recommend. Stick with the burger, or just the bloody mary and fries. Service is hit or miss, although this recent time is was severely lacking due to a private party.
(3)
Leah E.
The food is great, the beer is great and the server is nice. However, it's ridiculous that only one person is bar tending as well as waiting on all of the tables (it was packed). Takes forever is an understatement.
(2)
M W.
Great food and good service. The duckfat burger was amazing-I'd never had brie on a burger before. The fries were great, though I wish they had been a little longer. We also had the steak mac n cheese which was decent. The burger was definitely a hit.
(5)
Tamera B.
This place was ok. That's about all I can say. I had the duckfat burger & fries. Both of which were ok. I would prefer a Five Guys burger over this one anyday. The fries were alright, not the best I've had and not the worst. I have no urge to visit Duckfat's again.
(3)
Kimberly C.
I go back and forth about the Fat Duck. Sometimes I really like my meal, and other times, well, I just think I make a bad choice. Of course, in a perfect world, there would be no bad choices on a menu...but the world's not perfect...but these are my most favorite, almost no-fail choices: I love the Pot Roast Sliders, as long as they are served hot (which is 50% of the time). The beet salad is tasty, and rather large. The burgers are good, and the turkey burger actually has flavor (which is sometimes lacking in other restaurants), plus the burger toppings are plentiful and delicious! The artichoke dip is yummy, and the fish tacos are fine. But, my new favorite, can't-love-it-enough menu item is the Pomogranate BBQ Black Angus Meatloaf...Lordy, this is good. The sauce is tangy and the meat is moist and perfectly seasoned...and the portion is quite large. The best part is the kitchen is open late for those last minute before bed cravings :)
(4)
Grace L.
We had pre-dinner snacks and beers on a Monday night. The beer selection is fine, and the duck fat fries are delicious (especially the dipping sauces!) albeit very greasy. The baked goat cheese was good and they even brought us a second round of bread to go with it. Our server was great but everyone else on staff seemed kind of depressed. Maybe just a bad case of the Mondays. Great bar for Chicago hockey fans--lots of people wearing jerseys and watching the game.
(3)
Sumara K.
Oh, Fatduck/Duckfat, have you ever -really- decided on a name? So... after raving to my boyfriend about the stellar food, we took a trip down to Fatduck for some eats and the hawks game. Got our food fairly quick, it was good, our server, Melissa, was a total sweetheart, and soon after eating we decided to head outside to finish our drinks (and have a round or two more) outside on the patio. When we first went outside for a cigarette, we still had our tab open inside so we politely told the waitress outside we were okay with our drinks. After being outside for about an hour (and closing our tab inside so we could continue to have our drinks outside) it was pretty clear said waitress (not melissa btw, because she was super super nice, but some other old in the face blonde lady who's name i didnt get) had no intention of bothering to see if we needed anything. So one of our friends asked a busboy if he could order a drink, and kid said he'd get the waitress. She didn't show. When said old in the face blonde lady walked by towards a table of people she knew pretty well (unless waitresses normally gives out hugs and such?) we asked her for a drink and she said, no. go to the bar. uhm..... okay? why? and needless to say she threw a bitchfit of unnecessary and epic proportions. listen lady, im sorry asking you for a drink caused you to meltdown. but honestly, isnt that your job..............? the owner came out to talk to our friend, and he was a cool guy. however i doubt we''ll go back there due to The Blonde Kraken.
(2)
Stefania G.
Been here twice and has been successfully each time! A little unhealthy but worth the calories!
(5)
Jide F.
Awesome addition to Forest Park! The food at Duckfat is pretty good but I definitely prefer their drinks. The Duckfat fries are very flavorful and I really enjoy the sauces that come with it. I've also tried the corned beef sandwich and it wasn't anything special. The Duck Confit sandwich is surprisingly tasty. Nice, tender pulled duck topped with a spicy pineapple sweet chile sauce. The drinks at Duckfat definitely win me over. My favorite is the cucumber margarita: muddled cucumber with agave tequila. Very delicious! They also make a mean dirty martini. Overall I think Duckfat is great. The patio is spacious and perfect for the summer, the food is good and the drinks even better.
(4)
Julie L.
Good food, good beer selection, good crowd and good place to watch a game.
(3)
Mike K.
I had gone here for the 2nd time on 11/15/12.I had ordered a kobe beef burger with cheese & bacon.On the side I had their famous duckfat fries for an additional 95¢.The burger was very good, but slightly dry.I did like the pretzel bun that came with the burger. The fries come with 3 dipping sauces & were fantastic. They give you a fairly large amount of fries with the meal. My waiter was very attentive. Whenever I needed a refill on my drink he was there pretty quickly. Highly recommended.
(4)
Jason P.
Good food! Big menu with a great variety! Always has a good crowd. The service is great even when they are unbelievable busy. I always enjoy going to this bar even for some drinks on the weekends.
(4)
Bee M.
I came here for a "sister-date" when I was in town on holiday. I liked the idea of this place as we walked in, cute brew-pup atmosphere. We sat outside ( I have a baby and it was the best place in case he got loud- he slept the entire time.. phew).. and had great service. We both got margaritas ( I don't remember which, but they were delicious - and 6$ special.. happy hour I think?), she got sliders and I got a delicious yummy salad. We had a great experience. I don't much like fries, but these duckfat ones won me over with their sauces. They were crispy and delicious :)
(4)
Kiara B.
This was my second time here great service, I had the Kobe burger, with truffle fries. My burger was dry, and I couldn't even taste the truffle oil on my burger, not to mention I also had to season my food. I feel like if I have to do that then I don't need to pay 13.00. Maybe I'll be back at later time when their chef can properly prepare a burger!
(3)
Ted P.
Service was underwhelming and the food was just slightly better... Except for the DUCK FAT FRIES! **yum** The beer selection and patio space were definitely big pluses, but ultimately, the food was unexciting and the service made the food look good in comparison. Hence 3 stars.
(3)
Karen Anne B.
All and all a better experience than what I was anticipating when I went here. I went in knowing that they didn't have a lot of veggie choices, but I was with a group and someone else picked so I was willing to deal. I ordered their veggie wrap. I hate, HATE, veggie wraps but wasn't in the mood for pizza or mac and cheese, so I got it anyway. It was actually good! Lots of spinach, with some other veggies and some balsamic dressing. It actually had flavor. I ordered the sweet potato fries as my side, they were some of the best I've had in a long time. I ordered a pot roast sammich to go for my husband. He said it was quite tasty. We were there early on a Sunday. They were pretty empty at that time. Our service was fast and the server was very friendly. The atmosphere was pretty nice. I can see Max R's point though, it'd be nice if the employees dressed a little nicer. My husband wants to check it out in person, and I'd willingly go back.
(4)
Allison M.
We came here as a first stop on a bar crawl down Madison Street... They've got some good beers on tap, some good selection. I had a Bell's Amber Ale with my boyfriend, other people ordered some Harp lager, or Coronas. Some in our party also got food: a turkey club, a root beer float. Plenty of seating that can be moved around and adjusted as the party gets bigger through the night. Weirdly, though, the inside absolutely emptied out around 10, 10:30ish... Absolutely all of the other patrons were sitting outside, except for our group (yikes, maybe it was a hint?) A really good place to begin, where everyone can hear themselves think, and even speak... Plus lots of tv's with sports channels are always a good conversation-starter!
(3)
Robin C.
Most of the night I enjoyed a lovely evening at their outside bar with excellent service from the bartender. Chatted it up with one of the co-owners. Then it all went horribly wrong when a guy sitting at the bar began verbally abusing the female bartender. It was unbelievable how this guy insulted not only the bartender but most Americans in general. The bartender refused to put up with it and actually left (good for her!). Was waiting for the co-owner to ask the guy to leave since he was standing there the whole time but instead when we confronted the co-owner with why we were leaving...he denied everything and acted like he was all confused as to what was going on. Seriously! As the owner you are going to continue to serve a patron who is spewing off the most vile derogatory comments about women and most Americans...he went on and on and on using foul language that can't be printed. As an owner you don't put up with that. I will never go back to a restaurant who allows the staff to be verbally abused by a patron and then continue to serve the jerk. And the diverse liberal residents of Oak Park and Forest Park shouldn't either as this co-owner who doesn't live locally allows a patron to insult ALL of us. There are plenty of other establishments in the area for us liberals to spend our money.
(1)
mei s.
We tried this place for dinner the other night based on the reviews. My husband ordered the Kobe beef burger with parma truffle fries, I ordered the bacon cheese burger with duckfat fries, the kids had the Mac and cheese with bacon and we all shared the fish tacos as an appetizer. I thought the food was fine. But nothing outstanding. It's true, the duckfat fries did not taste any different than regular fries. the parmesan truffle fries were good though. the burgers were fine. i like pretzel bread. i would have liked it more, if it was not cold. they could have at least toasted it. and the mac and cheese was a little disappointing. very bland for having multiple cheeses. the fish tacos were good.
(2)
Amy T.
I will admit the first visit was better then the second, but that could probably because we had a different waiter. The food is AMAZING and is lives all it's expectations for comfort food. You do not feel sluggish after eating it like you do when you normally eat heavy foods. Some food reconmendations: Kobe Beef Burger Sliders Mac and Cheese Fish Tacos and of course the Duckfat fries. Atmosphere- Casual, and friendly. Yes, it's a bar but does have seperate seating in the back which is great for families with kids or if you just want a quiter dinner. There's also seperate seating if you do not wish to sit at the bar. Price- Moderate. Not badly price and is affordable. If you want some comfort food, ready to kick back and relax, and go somewhere casual then Duckfat is the place. Plus it's affordable, how can you NOT turn that down?
(5)
Mya A.
Dear Fat Duck--I was a fan of your food until tonight. The food was such a disappointment, we may never go back. I ordered the special "Almond Encrusted Fried Chicken". First, let me say that if you offer something as a special, I'm going to hold it to a higher standard, because you are presenting it as something you do very well. Second, your shake and bake pan fried mess is not fried chicken. Fried chicken should be crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Your chicken was a soggy, greasy, half burnt mess--that was almost inedible. Oh and don't even get me started on the corn, how you would call the sad two inches of corn you put on my plate corn on the cob, I have no idea. It wasn't even half an ear of corn, is corn so expensive that you can't even put an entire ear as a side? As a foodie type place, I would expect much better than something I could have made on my own stove top at the age of 12 with no training. Shame on you chef!
(1)
CJ L.
Solid choice... Especially in the summer when they open the patio. I like the duck confit quesadillas and the unique burgers
(4)
Maggie R.
So Yummy!! The fries are amazing!!! They were great with my daughter too.
(5)
Peter H.
love the vibe here, some decent beer selection, the duck fat fries with their different dipping sauces are delicious.
(4)
Tommaso S.
Had a beer with friends I like the ambiance. I will revisit for lunch and dinner.
(3)
T T.
Good pub in a great location. I ordered the Soup Du Jour (mushroom soup), Crispy Duck Breast, a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon (Calina), and for dessert, the Raspberry Chocolate Lava Cake. Overall, it was a fine meal, in a nice atmosphere, and a pleasant, accommodating server. The food has room for improvement. The mushroom soup was delicious but could use some whole mushrooms as a contrast to the cream base. The duck breast was savory but not crispy. The side order of spinach was fantastic, but the cinnamon mashed potatoes were undesirable. The dessert was good but a bit too rich. The wine was just OK with the meal, but complemented the dessert wonderfully (though there was no raspberry that I could taste). The menu options are inviting, and I will definitely be back to try the duckfat fries, grilled vegetable plate, or a burger. The discerning beer selections look appealing, too; so, I'll be sure to order them on a future visit. While my review may read as very critical, I think this gastropub shows promise and hope they continue to strive to be the best. They are a welcome change to the neighborhood, and the food is anything but boring. No matter what your culinary tastes are, you should try this place at least once. 7/20/2010 RETURN TO DUCKFAT! Revisited this pub yesterday and decided to sit alfresco, which they dub the "Tiki Bar." The decor didn't reflect much of a tiki bar (more like Margaritaville) and not sure if they served tiki drinks (more like frozen margaritas), but I enjoyed sitting outside where there was good energy from the many seated patrons. This time I ordered a light meal, given the heat. I selected the house salad and an order of duckfat fries to share. Rounded out the meal with a shot of Jameson (funny detail: Jameson reads as Jamo on the bill). The house salad was a perfect portion with cool, crisp vegetables. My only criticism was the dressing. The menu stated balsamic vinaigrette. I was served something that looked like ranch or poppy seed dressing. I asked the server and he told me it was balsamic vinaigrette. I tried to substitute it with vinegar and oil and was told that there was none in the restaurant. I ate the given vinaigrette and wasn't a fan. The duckfat fries were amazing! Consistently seasoned and delicious enough to eat alone. The trifecta of sauces given for dipping were mediocre (the chipotle ketchup was mildly interesting), but I was happy to eat the fries sans sauce (and so was my partner). sure to be back soon.
(3)
Ken L.
Yadda, yadda yadda... its bar food people and its good..... a lil sum for everyone, 3 stars no doubt but the atmosphere, beer selection and the continuous fabrication of a good.... no wait...... Great STIFF drink catapults it into FAN status.... or is that DRUNK status..... either way I have yet to be disappointed @ the good 'ol fatdux and not just because I'm a sucker for sweet potato fries mind you......
(4)
Nina M.
Delicious duck fat fries--- the white dipping sauce is amazing!
(4)
Mandy R.
I am a fan. I have been to Duck Fat three times now. The first time was last summer and we got to sit on the patio. Very nice to relax and enjoy the weather although like normal, there was a small wait to sit on the patio~ well worth it. I get the same thing every time, I nice juicy burger with sweet potato fries! The burger and sweet potato fries are delicious! I can't wait for some warmer weather to enjoy a cocktail and burger on the patio again! I have never had a problem with the service either. They do have free parking across the street.
(4)
Kristina C.
It was good. Can't really say anything bad about the place, but on the other hand, nothing really stood out as wonderful either. They have a very nice beer selection and, though there are way to many t.v.'s for my liking, the rooms kept a nice coziness about them. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable about their offerings and made a wonderful beer suggestion (a porter). To be honest, we both had the Duckfat Burger, which was very good, but the patty appeared to be pre-formed, so I don't know if they use frozen patties or possibly use a press to form their own, and while the toppings and bun were delicious, the burger patty itself was pretty marginal. As for the famed 'duckfat fries'...they were tasty, but I don't really know what the big deal was. We are certainly going to go there again. Next time, we'll get something different and see how it does. The menu did look to offer some pretty tasty sandwiches and according to the waiter the salmon special was wonderful. So, do I recommend? Yes, but not in an overly excited "you have to go out of your way to try this place kind of way". I recommend it in more of a "yeah, sure, that place was pretty good" sort of way.
(3)
L H.
Not only do you have a fabulous beer selection [yum pbr and seasonal beers!], ambiance and service, but your truffle fries and duck quesadilla are mouth watering! In an industry where quality and service is hit or miss, Duckfat is an excellent choice for dinner on the Madison strip in Fo Pa!
(4)
Rebecca C.
Duckfat is excellent. The service is good, the mac n' cheese, burger's, and fries are all excellent forms of winter comfort food. Can't go wrong with this place.
(4)
Patrick L.
I went to Duckfat on a Sunday evening for dinner during the summer. The outside patio was pretty busy, but we got in right away. The inside looked very slow. Outside, the patio is very quaint and fun. It almost has a vactionlike feel to it. I ordered the Kobe beef burger and thought it was ok. I ordered it medium but it came out pretty well done. The burger was very greasy and the flavor appeared to be lost in the pretzel roll it came on. A potato bun would have worked a bit better here. I ordered the duck fat fries along with the burger and was actually disappointed in those as well. They weren't warm and I was surprised that the didn't come out crispy. They were good, but nothing special. Overall, the food was decent, but I will most certainly come back for the patio. I wish I could say the same for the food. 2 stars
(2)
billy s.
Great beer selection, awesome burgers and I love the 3x dips you get with your duck fat fries. It does get busy and lil bit crowded, but I always seem to get a seat. Free parking across the street (for now at least.) Family friendly, and the outside seating area is nice too. No complaints!
(4)
Katie T.
We are regulars here and really enjoy pretty much everything about this place - the food, the drinks, the staff, the interior and the outside seating, too. Our favorite foods are the Duckfat burger (on a pretzel roll!), the Duckfat fries (which come with 3 delightful dipping sauces), the calamari, and my favorite: the fish and chips. I try the fish and chips nearly everywhere I go, and Duckfat is my favorite so far in the States. Additionally, they have a great beer menu, including Goose Island and Magner's Cider. Also, they have lots of TVs if you want to catch a game.
(5)
Timothy D.
Dear Duck Fat - are you a restaurant or a bar? Please choose one. - Food menu says restaurant. - Over half the square footage dedicated to the bar area, the excessive number of flat screens and the lack of windows/natural light says bar! - Price of food and drinks says restaurant. The only way this place is going to survive is by finding its identity. I wouldn't recommend this place for just drinks b/c the drinks are too expensive, you can get a cheaper drink down the block at Healys or O'Sullivans. I wouldn't recommend this place for dinner b/c the bar atmosphere doesn't justify the price. I don't want to pay $50+ for dinner for two and sit at a hi-top table. There is very limited actual restaurant style seating. The negatives: - Service and food was terribly slow (maybe due to Friday night rush) - Waitress knew next to nothing about the menu. This is a big negative b/c the menu is way too big and too many choices. - Background music was absolutely atrocious and had nothing to do with the environment. It was a bunch of strangely eclectic songs which actually plays right into this place not knowing its identify. - Beer from the tap was warm and slightly flat The Positives: - Bathroom was nice, big and clean. Also had a flat screen which was not entirely a surprise. - Patio will be nice during the summer and probably what keeps this place in business for a period of time.....too bad Chicago has a 6 month winter. - Waitress was nice about splitting our bill (we had 8 people) The Food: - Pot Roast Nachos for appetizer....probably the highlight of the meal, but the chips got soggy fast. Maybe too much pot roast juice? - 3 of us had burgers, all were overcooked and a bit dry. Pretzel bun was a nice touch. - Girlfriend ordered the duck breast. Wasn't really duck breast but more just a few thin slices of duck meat. For $16+ I would have expected more duck meat and less mashed potatoes which were terrible and spiked with about half a cup of cinnamon, inedible. - Fries did not come close to living up to the hype. And my fries were shriveled and lukewarm by the time they got to me. This review might seem overly negative but it is in hope that someone from the Duck Fat actually reads this and does something to fix it. I have an interest in this place succeeding b/c I'm a homeowner just down the block. And I was so excited for Horan's (what a dump) to shut down. But, next time I walk down my block to find dinner at a reasonable price...I'll probably hit up Skrine Chops until Duck Fat gets sorted. Overall rating is 2.5 stars....I rounded up to 3 to be nice.
(3)
Angela F.
Yes! Delicious food! Attentive Staff! Friendly and Accommodating Owner! Excellent Atmosphere! Great Fun! You Must Go!
(5)
Bernie D.
Really disappointed. This place had so much potential, the location is really discrete, the decor and atmosphere were the right mix of upscale, but still just your run of the mill bar. Where they fell short was their menu, total disappointment. Bar food with no real selection and sub par specials. Because of the menu we only tried the Duckfat fries which were supposed to be the specialty. Duckfat fries = every other fry you've ever had. Nothing special at all. I probably wouldn't go back for food, but maybe for a beer at some point.
(2)
B L.
Great patio. Servers very nice. But the Food stinks. OK for a beer on the patio in the summer, but that's about it.
(2)
Adriana B.
The first time we ate here was a good experience. The patio is comfortable and the food was decent. It was the middle of the afternoon on a weekday...and the food and the service was good. The next time we went to watch the hawks game. There was a group of about 8 of us. We bought a bottle of vodka and a lot of food throughtout the game. Our bill was about 400. The last and final time we went was not so great. It was the last hawks game, and my bf and i went 2 hours beofre the game started to get a good table because there were going to be quite a few of us. When we got there, there was 2 tables outside seated. We requested to sit at a table in front of the tv. They told us it was reserved. I was very upset by this because as far as i was told, they didnt take reservations. Now they said they did for special events, parties of 5 or more. So the table sat there open for 2 HOURS. Then we asked if we could sit there if the people didnt come. The hostess told us it was being held for the owner. Now as somone who works in the restaurant industry, I felt this was ridiculous. The guest should always come first. The best table shouldnt be held for the owner. The owner should want the people who are spending money there to be happy. I mean, we only spent 400 the week before. Evantually, some people came and sat there. They didnt eat anything. they sat there drinking canned beer. The group of 6 people we were with sat at the bar. Well some of us did. Me and my bf shared a seat once our other friends started arriving, and some of them stood around behind us. Meanwhile the people behind us keep telling them not to block the tv (in a crowded bar). So it became annoying. I feel a customer should be appreciated better than this. We purposely went there early to get a good table. The icing on the cake was the bartenders. There personality was like a dry piece of toast. They didnt smile once. They werent friendly. When asked why they seemed upset, the girl said "I'm working." Well when I work, I act HAPPY even if I'm not. Nobody comes out to see some miserable bartenders. They seem annoyed while taking orders. They should have some experienced bartenders who can handle being busy without getting stressed out and taking it out on the patrons. Furthermore, not once did they ask me if I needed another drink when my glass was empty. I had to flag them down. When you're sitting at a bar, usually the bartender NOTICES when you need another drink. To say the least, I wont be returning here again. I'll go to restaurants where my business is appreciated, and I dont feel I'm bothering the bartenders to get a drink.
(1)
James K.
Great beer selection and the food is a big step up from the typical bar fare.
(4)
Stephanie G.
You might think that Forest Park has its fill of bars, but when this place opened it was a welcomed addition to Madison street. It's a great place to eat too. Everything I have tried here has been really good. While they say their duck fat fries are a favorite, you have got to try the sweet potato fries. They are the best I've ever had. In regards to the drinking crowd, it tends to cater to a slightly older following. Meaning, the place isn't filled with underage or early twenty-somethings. Huge outdoor patio too.
(4)
Shannon A.
I cant say that we have ever gone to a restaurant 3 times in one week - until now! We love it... so close and really comfortable and tasty. Had the fish and chips, burgers and fish tacos! All incredible. The fish taco's were actually just OK, but my husbands Meatloaf and duck - also incredible. GO! Dine! oH wait - good Sangria too!
(5)
Rachel F.
I love their hamburgers and duck fat fries. This is an excellent restaurant for people to go to with food allergies. I never eat fried food, but I am definitely not allergic to duck fat. It's great to be able to eat fries again.
(5)
Ed O.
I have only been here two times, I had a salmon special one time and a signature burger with blue cheese another time. I am not well versed with what Duck Fat Fries are supposed to taste like, but these were hot and crisp so they passed in my book. My dinner partner, a vegetarian ordered the hummus, well you don't order hummus in a bar in Forest Park is the lesson learned here, as it was the most bland hummus she ever tasted. As an old-timer, I remember this place as "Horan's Snug" a dive bar with a decent corned -beef sandwich. I saw it on the menu and will be back to try it.
(3)
Carl D.
I went to Duckfat for the first time last Saturday night. A couple of us ordered burgers and one ordered the chili. Everyone was satisfied with the food. I thought the Buffalo burger was quite tasty. I also tried the sweet potato fries which were pretty good. Beer prices were pretty standard for the area. The decor was done up quite nicely. My only complaint was that I ordered oil and vinegar for my salad dressing and they came back with a creamy balsamic instead. The barmaid didn't tell me they don't have oil and vinegar dressing. They really should have that as it is pretty standard. Anyway, overall it was a good experience and I will be back to try some of the other dishes.
(4)
Amy L.
This place quickly became my new favorite in town. The blackened tilapia sandwich is the best fish sandwich I've ever eaten and the potato encrusted tilapia in the champagne sauce is fantastic. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable. Service is touch and go on timeliness but they have always been friendly. I definitely recommend this place.
(4)
G w.
OMG .... noisy,noisy, noisy... in the back room. NO acoustics whatsoever!!! Ugh...+ add a loud large party, which makes it unbearalble. The owner needs to install something, pronto... to absorb the racket! Could not eat fast enough and get the heck out of there. Food was just ok.
(1)
Lauren A.
Good place to stop in at for simple bar food. I think the duckfat fries are a little over rated, they taste like normal fries to me. Patio gets very crowded, if you like more low key dinning experience then it's better to sit inside.
(4)
Justin G.
Had some food during the week. Wings are good like and similar to the Ale House in Oak Park and the duck quesadillas are good. Also had drink specials, unlike the Saturdays I went.
(4)
Scott T.
Ok. So I went to Duckfat on a Weekday around 6pm. ambiance: right away I felt comfortable. It is dark and cozy with a good amount of flat screens. The first room is highlighted by the bar and bar tables. The second room was more of a dining area and then there is the outdoor patio with a bar outside...pretty awesome. Food: We had the Potroast Nachos. These were awesome. A large portion with a good amount of meat and toppings...really good. I also had the Duckfat Burger with Duckfat fries. The Burger was on a pretzel roll and cooked to perfection. It was really juicy and tasty. I would say above average. The Duckfat fries were good but with so much talk about them I don't think they lived up to the hype. Don't get me wrong they are really, really good but not oh my God this is the best fry I have ever had and I need more. I liked the fact they had a little bit of everything on the menu. From Burgers to Ribs, soups and salads to sandwich's all made a bit unique. Really good beer selection as well. Staff: pleasant but a bit slow. There was not a whole lot of people when I went and our service was a little on the slow side ie no water long time to come to table etc. they were nice though. I have been to every bar in Forest Park and Duckfat is one of the better ones. Really good food a good atmosphere and great drink selection. I will definitely go back. Total Tab: Appetizer, 2 Beers and two Burgers w/fries $40
(4)
David K.
Food is good. Smoking in beer garden isn't. If you favor fresh air with your burger, don't sit outside.
(2)
Joe G.
best place to eat in the area. one downside is that it gets very busy because it is the best place to eat. they actually have a unique menu. everything we've ever gotten there has been delicious. they have a great selection of brews albeit pricey. truffle fries are good stuff. burgers are really good, even mac and cheese was good and so are the fish tacos
(5)
Mark M.
Good bar food plain and simple. Plus private patio. I was in a bad mood when we came to eat here and my mood was improved when I left. Nice, fun environment good food. It reminds me of some of the Lincoln Park/Lakeview sidewalk cafes.
(4)
Dan C.
We just moved to the area and this was one of our first dining experiences. Overall, it was great. My wife had the Reuben and the meat was some of the best corned beef I've ever had. NO FAT! I had the Pot Roast sandwich which was also very good. Neither of us left a crumb behind. She opted to pay the extra $.95 for the "Duck Fat Fries". I guess they are healthier, but I tasted NO difference between those and my regular fries. We can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.
(4)
Ms G.
Came here on a Sunday night with my husband and some friends to watch college basketball. We sat in the bar area, lots of TVS and high tables, but I saw there was another room connected to a big outside patio that seemed to attract families. The food was pretty good, though a bit pricey. I got the reuben, which was good but not great. There was lots of good corned beef, but little sauerkraut- and that's the best part! Their thousand island dressing, which I think is homemade, was excellent though. I liked that they offer you an option of many different types of fries- duck fat, sweet potato, parmesan... I got the sweet potato which were very good. My husband had the four cheese macaroni and cheese which came in a cast iron skillet. I had a taste and thought it was pretty good. Overall, it seems like a good place to come to watch a game or hang out with friends. I'd go back if I was in the area.
(3)
Sara N.
If it were remotely reasonable, I would eat the fish tacos and sweet potato fries every day
(5)
c d.
Went back on a busy Saturday night. The outdoor patio was very busy, as was the inside. The hostess predicted a 20 minute wait and was dead on with the timing. Our food took a really long time to come out, which was understandable being one of the first nice night and the crowds inside and out. Our waiter did a great job of keeping us informed and was very apologetic. At the end of the evening the manager acknowledge the delay as well and apologized. The honesty was refreshing. They compensated us with a round of drinks and a gift certificate. They handled it all perfectly! Cocktails: the margaritas are tasty and large for the price. I enjoyed the cucumber margarita. Food: The bacon macaroni and cheese was DELICIOUS! It is a huge portion too, good for splitting. Pot roast nachos were a thumbs up as well. We had great service on both visits, even considering the delay of the food. This will likely become a go to place for us!
(4)
Pamela E.
Duckfat is a great addition to Forest Park's Madison Street. The food is soooooo good. However, many people I talk to have slight stomach aches after leaving, possibly due to not being used to duck fat? Or over-eating? The outside cabana area in the summer is the very best and the female bartender out there is great! She really knows what she's talking about. However, inside on a busy night the staff isn't as friendly.
(3)
Kimberly H.
We planned a going away party at Duckfat for my friend last week, and it couldn't have been better! We reserved the covered section of the beer garden, and even though it was hot, there were ceiling fans to cool us off. Dennis, the manager, could not have been more accommodating. We brought a few decorations, and our friends brought some guitars and a drum set for acoustic music. He came around several times to check in with us and make sure everything was ok, even though I was the one worried we were overstepping our boundaries. Veronica, our server, was patient and helpful. We had about 10 more people come than we expected (30 all together), and she had no problem adding a few tables for us. She split up the tabs however people wanted, brought drinks and food out as people ordered it (even if it was just a beer or appetizer at a time) and kept track of where everything went perfectly. She also spotted an ice cream cake just as we were bringing it in, and swept it off to the freezer, no questions asked. I only had time to eat the just-right-spicy quesadilla and drink a few ice cold Summer Shandy's, but because the hospitality was so wonderful, I'm looking forward to going back for another great experience at duckfat!
(5)
Erik N.
Drooled over the menu for quite some time before actually coming to Duckfat Tavern & Grill. I was so excited, I made my reservations for my group a couple of days in advance. I was running a little late, but a couple people from my group had arrived right at the time I made the reservation. I walk in the door and look around. It looked exactly what I thought it would from the pictures online. I was a little surprised to see a few people from my group sitting at the bar. I guess there was a snag w/ keeping a table for 10 on hold since we were a couple minutes late for the reservation. I thought that was a little much. No big deal, I was determined to have a good time. We decided to hang out at the bar and wait for the rest of our group to show up and then grab a table. As more folks started walking in, the host tapped me on the shoulder and said that she could get us a table near the bar. Sweet! Time to eat. I ordered the duckfat burger (medium) and truffle fries. The food was GREAT. The burger was cooked just bloody enough, and I wish I could order a gallon of the truffle fries. Prices were reasonable. Food and two Guinesses later, my bill came to about $25. The cool part was when they realized they had room outside in the beer garden, they asked us if we'd like to move outside. So we wound up having a few more drinks outside. The waitress we had inside was awesome. She separated all of our bills (without anyone of us asking...or at least I didn't hear anyone ask for separate checks), and she came to our outdoor table to give them to us. She was really helpful making sure we were ok with our drinks and making suggestions on the food/drinks. The waitress we had outside was not as good. She was running around to the other tables, and took a while to get back to us on our drinks. Other than the slow waitress outside, I thought it was a cool little beer garden. TVs, spacious seating, and a tiki-like atmosphere. The waitress we had inside and the food help give this place a higher ranking. Would've been a 4-star if we had the same service in the beergarden. I'd definitely go again. Wish they had a location in the city, but can see why they don't. Definitely an awesome neighborhood bar/grill!
(3)
Sarah R.
Duckfat is such a great little spot. It's very comfortable here, they have an awesome patio out back with plenty of tv's, great food and clean bathrooms. We've been coming here for over a year now, but have started popping in more and more often. Twice just last week. I love their food, and their specials are nothing less than amazing. I get made fun of for loving beets on a pretty regular basis, simply because I am less than 75 years old. So I saw they had a beet salad on the menu, I immediately ordered it. I thought it would be some greens and veggies with some sliced beets on top, like usual beet salads. Oh no, this was a plate of chopped beets, with delicious parmesan shavings on top. We've never gotten any item that has been sub-par. Their daily soup choices are pretty interesting as well. And you can't go wrong with their French Onion soup. Wednesdays is $5 margarita day. Get the cucumber margarita with salt. Great beer selection, great drink selection. I love Duckfat. Service has always been really good too, we usually sit at the bar, but had a table last time and the server was really great. Not too hoovery, just stopped by when ever we needed to order more stuff.
(4)
Janelle L.
If you read my reviews, you'll know that I'm not one to give out five stars easily. So four stars is really pretty good. My husband and I just got home from Duckfat, our first time. We arrived about 4:30 this afternoon, and there weren't too many people there. This was good, because the first time we went in it was packed (and honestly, I was really craving Skrine Chops) so we went elsewhere. Initially, I was very impressed with the decor- it's so strange to see Horan's so made-over! We sat in the bar area. I didn't realize right away that the other room was the main dining area. I understand that the layout of the restaurant before Duckfat moved in was not really made to accommodate a fancy dining place, so I get it. We seated ourselves, and a waitress was with us in a few minutes. I was impressed with her speed- until she opened her mouth. She sounded like she was repeating a script, and sounded insincere to the point of rudeness. It is very possible, though, that she was just having a bad day, because her demeanor certainly improved as our meal went on. I ordered the duck confit quesadillas as an appetizer, and the grilled chicken wrap with duckfat fries. My husband got a bowl of french onion soup and the Kobe burger, also with duckfat fries. I'm not much of a fan of duck, but ohmygoodness these quesadillas were SO GOOD. Chihuahua cheese, little pieces of julienne granny smith apple, and duck, drizzled with sweet chile sauce. I could have made a meal of just those- it was a huge portion for an appetizer. Those quesadillas probably make three of the four stars I'm giving! I've never had duckfat fries before, but they were very good. Hubby didn't think the dipping sauces were really anything special (we work with some really incredible chefs, so I think we're kind of hard to please sometimes) but he too was impressed with the fries. I personally liked the sauces, but found it strange that the pesto sauce seemed more garlicky than the garlic sauce. Good, though. Our main courses were decent. Mine was nothing special, and I didn't expect it to be, after all a wrap is a wrap and there's not much one can do with it. Pesto mayonnaise was yummy on it, though. My husband seemed to enjoy his burger, and he is a hard man to please when it comes to burgers. All in all, a good experience, and I'd probably go again- if only for those quesadillas.
(4)
Randy C.
duckfat more like duckFART lame food trying too hard poor execution only good parts are plenty of tvs and nice patio, outside of that zero wows. seems like the place for river forest snobs to try and be hip. never heard of a fat duck either.
(2)
Paul M.
Went here last night for my daughter's birthday dinner with her grandparents. Brought her (she is 6) and my 2.5 year old, too. Heard great things about this new spot in Forest Park, so we thought we'd try it. Came in through the bar area and I wanted to stop and have a pint. The bar is very welcoming, great flat screen TV's to watch a game and a general airy feel to the bar - lot's of open space. However, we sauntered through as we were with the kids and took our spot in the dining room. Where, by the way, I was also pleasantly surprised to find some big 60" HDTV's on the wall to watch the NBA playoffs while eating. We all loved our meals. I had the Chilean Sea Bass along with some specialty duckfat fries. My girls has the miniburgers and couldn't stop eating the fries. They really noticed the difference. They have a great kids menu but the best part is the Make Your Own Sundae for the kids. They loved it. Iced Cream from Brown Cow and toppings galore. The service was spot on and we even got a business card from our server in case we wanted to call ahead or book a party. Nice addition to the local scene.
(5)
Adam S.
My wife and I had dinner at Duckfat and had a very nice time. The place looks amazing, and is barely recognizable as the former Horan's. The duckfat burger was excellent and very tatsy, my wife had a sandwich served on an extremely tough piece of chibatta bread. She needed to use a fork and knife to eat it. The fries were good, nothing out of this world. The sauces served with them are very tatsy. I do miss Anne the waitress, but all in all it was a good expirence. Parking is tough!
(3)
Helen S.
I would actually like to give Duckfat 3 1/2 stars, but it's not allowed. The place is quite nice, especially on the patio (vast improvement over Horan's Snug). That place really sucked...BAD FOOD and SERVICE! The burgers are pretty good, but I'd like to suggest that they put the coleslaw on a separate plate. Your hands get pretty wet picking up the burger. The coleslaw is awesome;the beers are good. I also like the turkey chili. Would be nice if they had a BLT as good as the old Petersen's Ice Cream Parlour. I still miss that terribly. If anyone knows of a great BLT, please let me know.
(3)
J. L. S.
I went here with friends a couple of weeks ago on a Friday night. The place was decently busy with a really busy patio. Gorgeous, but no room for us. We dined inside which was cozy. I had a turkey burger which was just ok. I guess that's what I get for ordering a turkey burger at a joint like this. The truffle fries definitely saved the night. So GOOD. The duckfat fries on my friend's plate was ok, but as soon as I tasted the truffle fries I was hooked. They keep calling my name to go back..... but the waistline says not yet.... but soon! Good for a quick dinner out or hanging out with friends.
(3)
Deglazer Z.
I like Duckfat Tavern. Nice atmosphere and good location. The fries are done right and the beer is reasonably priced. The menu is a bit different - fancier than normal tavern food (e.g., duck confit sandwich, pomegranate bbq meatloaf). Unfortunately, I think the concept outstrips the execution. I still haven't found a menu item which really knocks my socks off. Frankly, I think they would be better off dropping some (not all) of the frou-frou stuff and focusing a bit more on some traditional fare which might be easier to deliver on consistently.
(4)
Beth B.
I had recently moved to the area and it was bf's B-Day and he decided on Duck Fat. I had a horrible time. I will note that I do not eat beef nor pork. Still, they should have something for everyone. I ordered the Turkey Burger with regular fries. The waitress was very short and while we were waiting for her, I overheard our neighboring table complain that the fish they had just received was off and were given a refund. The meal came and the pretzel bun my burger was on was HUGE. It was a meal in itself and horrible. How does someone make room for all that! The burger tasted strange almost earthy, I dont know what spices they used But I took a few bites and was done. We also ordered a spinach and cheese dip. It was all cheese I dont think I tasted any spinach and the cheese was nauseating. We finished off with desert which is normally my favorite, however we got the ice cream oreo cake slice and from prior experience in the food business- and with working taste buds new immediately that it had been sitting in the freezer uncovered and for too long. All horrible!
(1)
Kate D.
Wasn't sure what to expect but it was a cozy pub with good food and prices. Attentive service. Good place to watch the game!
(4)
Robin L.
I've been here twice - both times service was terrible and food was less than average. Sat outside in the beer garden with family on a busy Friday night and drank warm beer for close to 1.5 hours while we waited for 3 burgers. When we finally got our food, the famous duckfat fries were cold and tasted like plastic. This place would be a nice place to hang out since they have a decent beer garden, but food service is TERRIBLE.
(1)
mike b.
first time visit, the burger was outstanding, among the best i ever had, reminded me of a kuma's burger. place was clean and service was great, will go back often
(5)
Jena S.
Looooooooove it! This joint used to be Horan's Snug. The new owner has totally revamped it and it looks great. The food is fab, had the truffle fries and artichoke dip for appetizers and the shrimp pasta for dinner, raved about it to everyone who listen. My boyfriend had a chicken wrap and loved it. Everything was so good and not just "bar food" we even had dessert. Chocolate lava cake was awesome. Great service, too.
(5)
jackie s.
so I came here thinking duck fat fries, wow! Just like Hot Doug's...not. At best, they were decent enough but for 5 dollars an order, please. My daughter got a salad, it was Ok, not much salad dressing...big bowl of lettuce with a ketchup size amt of dressing.. Yes, I could have asked for more dressing, but the attitude of the server was not the best, and I did not want to bother her. Second to this, I got the duck confit sandwich, the bun was way hard, a softer bun would have been much better...it was like a hard ciabatta bun. Duck portion was ample, sauce was ok. Lastly, for all you dog lovers, I brought my service dog to dine with us outside, and upon entry to the restaurant, the owner said"what is a service dog ?"...I should have known at that point this was not going to be good. without disclosing my medical condition, of which I do not need to do, I was made to feel like like I was a lying person about my dog being a service animal( I do have appropriate documentation proving same) . Now I must set upr the scenario about the outdoor bar, about 5-6 quite loud/roudy guys watching footaball, of which I tolerated fine, as guys will be guys. But the real kicker came when the server approached me to tell me my dog was barking too much. Now I do not know what world she lives in, but guess what..dogs bark. she barked for about 3 minutes, trying to be louder than the guys at the bar...but it did not work..they were much louder. Needless to say, my experience was not good here..oh yeah, the bill was 36 bucks plus tip...way not worth this bar food or the arrogance of the server/owner...
(1)
Dan D.
I was really frustrated with my recent visit to duck fat. My 9 year old daughter was with me and we wanted to eat outside on their patio. I know they allow smoking on the patio but was sure we could find a table where that would be an issue. The 20 something hostess takes us to a table right near the bar where most people would be smoking. I ask her for another table and she sits us next to a table where there are diners with cigarette packs on the table. I had to tell her that I wanted a table near the sidewalk away from the smokers and she gave me a little attitude. Food was ok. Nothing great.
(2)
Patrick K.
Was fun up to the point when my friends and I moved outside and had the worst "service" from any waitress I've ever experienced. Didn't get her name but if you see an old blonde hag working the patio area, beware. The owner was a cool dude though.
(2)
Angela D.
Food was good (OMG fries were AMAZING) but the service was so remarkably awful we will never go back :( Had an appetizer, 2 drinks and a couple of burgers and the bill was a bit high but I swear we were there for 2 hours! When we got there the place was empty and the service was no better. By the time we were leaving (7ish) it was packed, outdoor patrons near us were smoking (seriously who still smokes anyway!), and it was so loud it wasn't even enjoyable anymore. Waitress kept disappearing for as much as 25 minutes and we had to hunt her down and flag down alternates just to get our bill so we could escape. So, as to the food, the duckfat fries were extremely delicious. The guacamole was just OK, and I don't even remember if the birgers we ordered were good. So considering what foodies we are, and what a good memory I normally have, they must have extremely meh. I was also suprised to see some homeless dude who kept passing by the outdoor area that was near the sidewalk but separated by a wrought iron fence, and he kept stopping to interrupt a couple of ladies trying to enjoy dinner and noone thought to ask him to leave. Once, OK, but the patrons ask you to leave and if you keep coming back someone should intervene! Anyway... What a bummer...
(2)
Lori G.
Im the handicapped informer a BIG fyi If you are in a wheelchair go in and ask the manager for the ramp for the door, If you are alone call first, The food was good duck fries or sweet potato fries both very good. Burgers and corned beef all good still want to try the coconut ice cream.Service was a bit slow maybe they will read this and take a hint.
(3)
Cathleen F.
We have only been to Duckfat a handful of times since late fall/winter hit. And although it just isn't the same as sitting outside in the amazingly awesome patio, it's still always a great time. We have somewhat become "regulars." The servers and friendly and helpful. Laura's our all-time favorite waitress. She pampers our son the moment we step inside and is always attentive to us. Although we hope to get her every time, of course we don't, and the other servers always friendly and attentive. No complaints. Can't wait for the patio to open this summer!
(4)
Michelle C.
My best friend and I decided to head to Madison Street on a Friday night for dinner and drinks. After scoping out the area, we decided on Duck Fat since it had the most inviting outdoor patio and seemed like a fun place. The service was adequate and the ambiance was good. There's a tiki-bar theme which is a little cheesy and gimmicky, considering that the bar didn't really need a theme at all. They had a pretty decent beer menu selection, including Goose Island's Matilda (which I love!). Their menu selection is also pretty good; a lot of variety and a lot of choices you wouldn't find at any other bar/pub around. My friend had a Duckfat burger which she raved about and loved (said it was the best she'd ever had) and since I'm a vegetarian watching my calorie intake, I opted for a boring chopped salad with salmon. Here's the thing: I realize pub food isn't supposed to blow you out of the water, but I was so bummed out with the salad that I almost wanted to send it back. I ate the salmon (which was overcooked) and I pushed around the wilted, colorless lettuce for a while, but the salad was a huge miss. I would definitely come back for drinks. I'd spend my money elsewhere on food, but on a summer's night, this is the place to be on Madison Street!
(3)
Christina G.
Right now this is my favorite place on the Madison "strip." Food is good--the grilled calamari is especially good. I think the avocado is made ahead of time though, because it came out really fast, which I'm not a fan of too much. But obviously burgers and duckfat fries are really good, as are the sweet potato fries. Also a good choice of beers, and some unique mojitos. And love the patio outside although both times I came the weather was not that good so we had to sit inside. However--I have gotten takeout here before and the takeout person on the phone, and then in person, was extremely abrupt on the phone and not very friendly in person, which I really don't care for. I would come here for dine-in service, but think I'll skip takeout from now on.
(3)
Linde P.
I ate here a few months ago with a group of friends on a suggestion from a coworker. It was love at first bite! I had the pot roast nachos and they were delish! I returned today and had the fish tacos, duck fat fries with three sauces (probably the best chipotle ketchup I've had so far), and I tried a bite of my friend's pot roast sliders. Everything was great! I always expect places that are known for their beer list to slack in the food department and this place is definitely an exception. They kept the famous Rueben sandwich from the Horan's menu too!! The next time people want to go out and drink I am suggesting Fat Duck! I am so tired of fried bar food.......
(4)
Dan H.
Solid beer selection, plenty of TVs throughout and haven't had a bad meal yet. Love the fish tacos, Fat Duck fries and the Kobe Beef burger.
(4)
MOMO T.
ephemere + duckfat fries + reuben w. truffle parm fries + march madness= how could anyone not be happy here?!?!? I have been coming here for 3 years now and am never disappointed. The staff is great and most of the waitstaff are very good at making suggestions. The GRILLED calamari is delish-fest and I dont even like calamari! I usually get the reubens but they have been getting smaller. Also suggest the beef brisket sandwich, the fish tacos, the kobe beef sliders, or the kobe beef burger on a pretzel roll with a fried egg. if the bacon caramel ice cream sundae is on special -- ORDER IT!! My neighborhood fave :)
(5)
Melissa T.
I'm thinking about the burger and fries I ate yesterday at 8am this morning, wishing I had saved half of it for today. 4 people - 3 burgers, 3 kinds of fries and an order of wings with the chef accommodating a request to mix the hot sauce and bbq sauce together (simple request, but I still appreciate the willingness to cater to the customer), and everything tasted delicious. I just love the duckfat burger with the melted brie and delicious caramelized red onions. Even the pretzel bun grew on me during this visit - although I stand by the fact that better buns exist for burger than pretzel buns - and my burger was cooked perfectly. A snafu occurred with our fries orders, but they fixed it promptly, and we ended up with an extra order of the delicious sweet potato fries in addition to one duckfat and one truffle order. More tasty fries - what a travesty. Overall, I think an upgrade on my review is due after such a delicious experience yesterday. 4 happy people = 4 happy stars
(4)
Amanda G.
It was common to visit this spot when it was Horan's many, many moons ago, but have not been here for a couple years. Holy surprise! Love the fact that the space got new owners and a makeover! No more dark and dingy and mediocre food and cocktails! The space is much more open and the color combo is quite appealing to the eye (maroon and gold). There are several craft beers and they sure know how to provide decent wines at decent prices! All beers, cocktails, and wines are slightly cheaper than the majority of Chi-town places (nice on the wallet). As for the food? Tried the truffle parmesan fries...yummy! Crispy fries with a hint of truffle oil and a whole bunch of parmesan cheese goodness! The only downside? The bartender moves a bit slow at times, even if it is not busy. I guess I just need to get to the bar when I have a few sips left! This may need to be the new friday (after work) hangout...!
(4)
Tony D.
Was looking for a Yelp review on "Duck Fat Tavern", but none could be found. Could I be the first to review this new bar/restaurant that had opened in Forest Park. Yep! Stop by, drink and tip well.
(4)
Chuck M.
My wife and I had dinner here last night and really enjoyed the food. I had the duck special and thought it was outstanding. Our server was courteous and quick. It was a nice respite on a Monday night. The price was certainly reasonable for two people. Try the sangria.
(4)
Alicia K.
I was taken here for an end-of-the-school-year dinner by a teacher, and all of us were very pleased with our experience. Items were a little pricey, but everything tasted great and the portions were huge so it was worth it. Service was pretty good, but it normally is when you're a big party since they know it had better be. ;] We all shared the NACHOS - yum! Lots of topping but the chips were not too soggy. Major plus. I had the DUCKFAT BURGER which has brie and bacon on it. Words cannot express how happy my mouth was to have had this experience. GET THIS BURGER, and get it medium rare. It was so juicy and just divine. Hubby had the MAC & CHEESE w/chicken. I would definitely recommend the mac & cheese, but skip the chicken. The mac was delicious -- they must use multiple cheeses, one of which is perhaps parmigiano reggiano? It sure as heck tasted like it in the best way. Who cares -- it was amazing. The chicken, on the other hand, was very dry. Skip adding the chicken. Basically, it's a great place for a burger and some beers with friends. Lots of big TV's tuned to various sports games. Try it some time.
(4)
HLynn E.
Soooooooo good!!! My husband and I stopped in here Saturday night on our way back to Chicago and had a great meal. We started off with the goat cheese appetizer which was super tasty. For dinner we ordered the duckfat burger (comes with duckfat fries) and the chicken mac & cheese. Both were amazing. You get three sauces with the fries, the pesto and garlic ones were our favorites. We ended up taking home a decent amount of food which we ate for dinner on Sunday. I'm typically pretty picky when it comes to left overs, and will just let my husband eat them, but everything tasted just as good reheated. The staff was wondeful as well - we were initally going to place an app order for the duckfat fries and our waitress suggested holding off on ordering the app until we decided what we wanted for dinner. Good call since our duckfat burger came with the fries! Also as we were stuffing our faces with the goat cheese dish a staff member (not our waitress) came by and noticed we were a few pieces of bread short to finish the dip. He immediately brought out some more bread without asking which was great! I'm not sure if it's worth the drive from the city to specifically go here, but a MUST if you're in the area.
(5)
Catie F.
Wish I could give this a 3.5. It's better than OK in terms of ambience especially if you sit outside on the patio. Good lighting and fun seating/bar area that makes you feel like you're on vacation. Waitstaff was friendly and attentive even on a busy night. I heard so much about the duck fat fries - they're supposed to be better than "regular" fries (and they cost more) but I really couldn't tell the difference. Didn't think they were anything spectacular besides the dipping sauces, which you don't get enough of. We tried the chicken pesto pizza with artichoke and sundried tomato. It was good, crispy, and cheesy. We also had side salads which were fairly boring and the balsamic dressing was creamy and white. I'm not quite sure how I felt about that. The other food on the table was the duck confit sandwich which my friend said was good (he finished it) and the pot roast sliders which also got good reviews. Overall good looking menu but definitely skip paying more for the fries and try one of the other interesting choices.
(3)
W S.
Duck fat has consistently good food, and weirdly seems to be able to cool anything. Great burgers, great Mexican food, great corned beef, meatloaf, salad and probably the best fries in town. I'm picky and have not been disappointed. Also, they have a good beer list and seem to put random great beers on their list for cheap. I had dogfish head 120ipa here, on tap, for $5. You will not find that deal at other Chicago bars, and in most cases you won't even find that beer.
(5)
John S.
Went to the Fat Duck with my sister on our way to the hawks game. Wanting to try duck fat fries and not have to wait in the line at hot dougs my sister did some research and found the fat duck. I must say I was quite impressed with both the service and food at the fat duck. We ordered the baked goat cheese for an appetizer and were served a nice large portion of cheese with plenty of pieces of bread to go with it. The goat cheese tasted great and went perfectly with the marinara sauce that was served with it. For dinner I had the Kobe burger and duck fat fries. Not a big fan of duck I was skeptical of the fries but after I got them was glad I went with them. The duck fat fries are amazing. They were fresh and the duck fat oil was much lighter then regular vegetable oil. The burger here was also great. Loved the pretzel bun and it was a great size. Over all really enjoyed my meal at the Fat Duck and feel we were given a lot to eat for the money.
(4)
Kim H.
I love coming here! Between the beer and the food I have quite a few favorites. The pot roast sandwich with horseradish is awesome! Turkey burger on a pretzel bun (add blue cheese) is great, and who could forget the duck fat fries! The only dish I wouldn't recommend would be the blackened tilapia... a bit over seasoned. Other than that I recommedn you check it out I will be back in there in the near future.
(4)
Jessica M.
I visited Duckfat after a day on the town shopping for a grilfriend's wedding dress. We had eaten a late lunch, but wanted to grab a quick cocktail and appetizer before heading home for the night. I had seen Duckfat on Food Network and thought it might be a nice place to visit. When we arrived I was surprised. I had expected an upscale restaurant with a classy bar and interesting menu items. However, it was more of a neighborhood hang out...dark and kinda yucky. We took a look at the menu and it looked promising, so we stayed and gave it a whirl. I had heard people rave about the Duckfat Fries (fried in Duckfat, of course). Outside of them being soggy when they arrived, with not-so-special dipping sauces, they weren't any different than other soggy/greasy french fries with boring dipping sauces. Think McDonald's fries that were fried about 45 minutes ago (not even as tasty and McD's). We also tried the Duck Confit Quesadillas. Another VERY greasy and not-so-flavorful dish. The cocktails that we enjoyed were glasses of Sangria, these were okay...a little over the top with the red wine...but drinkable. While I am in that area almost every weekend...I will probable not visit again.
(2)
Pat T.
I love it here. Great menu...friendly staff...bartenders are wonderful...and a dynamic patio....who could ask for more
(4)
Maris W.
Not at all impressed with the food but the service was very good. I've wanted to eat here for a while b/c it always seems busy. We ordered the duck confeit sandwich and BBQ brisket sandwich. The duck arrived barely warm with a very strange flavored sauce. The brisket arrived with 3 unidentified sauces - the white one was terrible, green totally tasteless and red one was like a chili flavored ketchup. Great concept for a cool neighborhood place that I will not make an effort to eat at again.
(2)
Ali R.
My husband and I went to Fatduck for dinner last night. He is a duck hunter and wanted to try the duck dishes. The menu looked good, so we figured we'd try it. When we arrived at the restaurant, it was moderately crowded, which I always take as a good sign. The hostess seated us promptly but was not at all friendly. When she showed us to our table we didn't even get "an enjoy your meal" or "your server will be right with you". She basically just plopped down the menus and walked away. OK... Our server was pretty good. She was attentive and nice. We started out with the duck confit quesadillas which were just ok.They were your standard bar quesadillas smothered in a sweet and sour chili sauce. I felt they could have been better if some freshness (salsa, quac, jalepenos or lettuce) had been included. Otherwise, they were very rich with nothing to balance the richness. My husband ordered the fat duck burger and I ordered the buffalo burger. First of all, the buffalo burger is buffalo meat, just an FYI and I would not recommend it. I've had buffalo burgers at other restaurants and this one was probably my least favorite. We both ordered our burgers medium and both of ours came out completely pink and raw on the inside. I am pregnant and cannot eat raw meat, so I sent mine back and asked for a ruben. The server was completely understanding and took the burger off our bill and did not charge us for the ruben. (She is the reason for the two stars, otherwise I would have given this place a one star!) My husbands burger was good, I took a small bite of the cooked end. The burger has brie, bacon and carmelized onions on it. The pretzel bread made the burgers really hard to eat, it kept slipping and sliding and you almost had to eat the burger with a kinife and fork. The redeeming quality of the meal was the duck fat fries. They were delicious, and you get three really nice dipping sauces, the garlic aioli was my favorite. Overall this restaurant is just OK. Compared to other restaurants in the area, I would definitely send a friend elsewhere and I dont think we will be going back unless it is just for a beer. In my opinion it is a little pricey for what you get.
(2)
Samantha K.
Duckfat or FatDuck?!?! Either way this local restaurant is Delicious! I do have my favorites off the menu... the Chopped Chicken Salad and/or the Fish Tacos, yummm! I do frequent the Margaritaville-like patio in the warmer months of the year. I love this patio and its vibe. The mixologist behind the bar knows their stuff! Get a French martini you wont be disappointed! If I could... I would... mixup the menu a little bit! Add and remove some sandwhiches or dishes. Shake it up! i've been going here for two years and I pretty much have the menu memorized! Keep me coming back for more with some new and exciting flavors!!
(3)
Guy L.
It's a bar/restaurant which has great food and great atmosphere. I love the FatDuck fries and the 3 sauces they give you for dipping but make sure you ask for them, they cook the fries in duck fat. I love the burgers at this place, they serve them on a pretzel roll. I usually get the Bacon Cheddar Burger but I have also tried their signature FatDuck Burger and the Fried Egg Burger. It comes with Brie cheese, apple wood smoked bacon and caramelized onions, I thought it was OK. The Fried Egg Burger is delicious! I love the taste of egg on the burger, it blends so perfectly. If you're getting this burger, I recommend adding some bacon to it too. I have had some of the appetizers as well. I tried the fried calamari (and the grilled version which tastes too chewy, stick with fried), chicken wings and the baked goat cheese which are all pretty good. The fish tacos are great. Probably my favorite appetizer there. Excellent selection of craft beers. This is my go to restaurant around the area, my friends and I come here to watch the Bears games all the time. If I want to have a burger and watch a game (or just have a burger), this is my bar.
(5)
Anne D.
Duckfat (or Fat Duck as they're now apparently called) gets a solid 4 from me. Excellent burgers (with a pretzel bun of course) and a pretty good beer selection. Truffle fries are one of my addictions and they have great parmesan truffle fries which fall somewhere in my top 3. The outdoor patio is wonderful in the summer and tented and heated in the winter, so you can still enjoy the patio vibe in the crummy weather. I have actually yet to sit inside and hope to do so soon! The Fat Duck is definitely a step above the other bars in Forest Park if you're in the mood for good food and a more relaxed atmosphere. I'm sure I'll be back soon!
(4)
Pizza L.
Visited Duck Fat for the first time and sat outside with friends. I was disappointed to say the least. The ambiance was great and loved the outdoor garden, BUT after being seated and getting our appetizer; Pot Roast Sliders (which were luke warm) waitress hadn't even given us plates or silverware prior to getting the food. I ordered the BLT salad which was basic and they brought it out with 2 of the 3 entrees we ordered???? One friend got the duck burger w/duck fries which he enjoyed...burger looked great. Wish I would have ordered that ..the duck fries tasted like regular fries. My friend & I ordered the meatloaf, I asked the waitress how it was, she said it was 'great'...it was horrible, even the mashed potatoes were subpar, and it was cold. She brought it out with my salad so I asked her to take it back and keep it warm. She forgot about me and I had to wait 20 min for her to bring my dish back. The mac & cheese was unimpressible as well. Very runny, not creamy as it should be. The service and food was horrible....If I went back, I would only order the BURGER!!!!!
(2)
Mary Ann C.
Second visit was just as great as our first. Sometimes this is not the case when you go on a different day and different time, but we were thrilled with our lunch yesterday. Our server was Laura (she has blonde hair), and she greeted us energetically at the door. During each phase of the meal, she was totally helpful and eager for us to enjoy the meal. Since we were eatting outside, she even let us enjoy every last second of our lunch before the skies opened up with pouring rain! Checking us out and wrapping up our food quickly. Even if the food was just average, the great staff would keep us coming back here, as they are really exceptional. But...the food is not average. The cuisine is creative and unique. Love the duck quesedillas (second time ordering them). My husband completely enjoyed the blackened tilapia (which came with the delicious and addictive duck fat fries), and I loved the pizza of the day (pesto and chicken). I finished my pizza a few hours later at home, as it was so fabulous. The outdoor patio and indoor dining areas are comfortable and pleasant! This is a true gem!
(5)
Sarah R.
Went here with a friend to get a drink. We got the Raspberry mojitos they were good and strong. We sat outside on the patio it was a little chilly outside. The waitress was attentive and always came by to check on us.
(2)
Cathleen H.
Mmmm...love me a burger on a pretzel bun! I will start with DF's highlights: the burger is delish - flavorful, juicy meat and fresh toppings. Try the Duckfat burger (Brie and cooked red onions). The truffle fries taste rich and dense with plenty of garlic and Parmesan. Food is served with a number of sauces, and menu has a nice array of burgers/sandwiches/salads. French onion soup was also good. Now, the negatives...I'm sad to say that every time I've ventured to Duckfat the service has been moderate at best. This past trip our waitress was completely absent. Our food was brought out by a different staff member, and our waitress didn't bother to accompany him to see if we needed anything. We did. Our drinks were empty and we needed a plate. Waited 10 minutes to track someone ELSE down to remedy this. Do I sound like a whiney Yelper?? I don't need top-of-the-line service, I just need service! The ambiance is also a little lacking, and the restaurant layout is a bit awkward. So, come with a hearty appetite for some filling fare, and an extra dose of patience & grace for the service, and you'll be set.
(3)
Joseph H.
I got the turkey club, it was standard. I actually ended up meeting an old friend here and they were sitting outside which was pretty nice in late May in Chicago. We drank PBR's, so I can't say if they have a great beer selection or not. So, overall I'd say this was a pretty decent joint. Our waitress was annoying though. A friend of mine from grade school had just got married and this chick could not stop talking about it. They live in the neighborhood, so I guess they know her. I don't care either way, she was annoying.
(3)
Brian F.
I really like this place for it's atmosphere, beer selection, and adventurous menu. Sadly, I think the food itself doesn't deliver on its promise. I've been here at least a half-dozen times and keep trying different menu items in the hope that I'll find a dish that I can get excited about French Onion Soup (meh), Sliders (one was good, the other two so-so), duck-fat fries (ok), duck-fat burger (yawn), crispy duck breast (overcooked and over-sauced), mac and cheese (pretty good), chocolate lava cake (no lava), and finally the duck confit quesadillas (oversauced). I am actually a big fan of duck fat in cooking. i make my own duck confit at home and my duck-fat burger is gobbled up by friends when I barbeque. (If anyone's curious it can be be bought at Paulina Market in Chicago.) I don't have a problem with the ingredients being used, in fact they are favorites of mine. So what are they doing wrong? I think the main problem lies in the balance of flavors. Take the Duck Confit Quesadillas. On it's own it is a great idea. Add some Granny Smith Apples for tartness and to cut some of the richness of the duck confit and cheese. So far so good. Then they smack you over the head with their Pineapple Sweet Chile Sauce which is drizzled over the food. The stuff is so incredibly sweet that having a little means you can't taste anything else. Many of the other dishes have similar problems. It's like they just try to get too fancy and the base flavors of the dish are lost in the noise.
(2)
Mike D.
Good food, Best beer garden on Madison street, and good beer selection .....I only dock a star because my favorite bar was Horan's, which is currently now Duckfat.
(4)
Steven L.
I love me some Duckfat. Even if it's no longer called Duckfat due to some conflict over the name (now called the Fat Duck) to me it shall always be Duckfat. Hands down one of the best burgers in the Chicagoland area. On my burger scale it ranks second only to the legendary Father's Office in Santa Monica, CA. Definitely check it out!
(5)
Joe C.
Good enough to go back, which for me is saying something. We had the buffalo burger, duck confit sandwich, duck fat fries, and sweet potato fries - all were very good! So if you're a local and looking for good food, great beer selection, and a laid back, unpretentious vibe - then this place and Poor Phil's (on Marion St.) are my 2 choices.... IMHO definitely better than Bar Louie, Kevils, etc. We'll be back for sure!
(4)
Ted S.
Found this gem after recently moving to Oak Park. It instantly became one of my favorites after having one of their burgers. Pretzels buns, crisp bacon, and cheddar make for the perfect burger. It also helps they offer truffle fries too. Ive been here four times now and the service has been great. Love the outdoor patio area which they convert to a heated patio area when it gets colder outside.
(5)
Yvonne O.
Oh Duck Fat. You make it so hard to like you. I can't blame you for the turn in your customer base to be 95% Trixies and Chicago Douchebags (half of whom bring their children in here to run in the aisles), but I can blame you for the inconsistent food. We came in for lunch and ordered a duck confit quesadilla to start - excellent. Then the entrees came. Thai Chicken Pizza and a Brisket sandwich. The Chicken not only tasted bad, but had a freezer-burn smell to it and there was no other real flavor to the whole pizza - which is so weird considering I could feel the heat of some spice on my tongue. The brisket was dry and flavorless, so the husband just ate the fries and pushed the meat around for a while. I wanted to save the meal, so we got the cocounut fried ice cream that was on special - so good! Beers here are also really good - they have Sophie and Matilda and specials all the time along with a rotating list of microbrews and seasonal offerings. I REALLY wish that they could get their food together and make things consistent so I could rate this higher, but when you are spending $75 on lunch, you can't expect me to overlook TWO bad entrees. The service is still outstanding - these servers truly love their jobs or are just very good at faking it, so that saves part of the experience!
(2)
Amy B.
I'm a bigger fan in the summer when the outside tiki-sports-bar is open. I love the duckfat fries with the dipping sauces. Actually, I've never had a bad meal here. The duck confit quesadillas are tasty and so are their burgers and flatbreads. But since it is November I probably will not be visiting for awhile (not that there is anything wrong with the inside, it's very nice! It's just more fun outside.)
(4)
Noelle C.
Saturday night around 6:30, the restaurant is empty yet the blond hostess with the black maxi dress chooses to seat us by the bathroom?! Are you stupid or kidding me? Absolutely not when the bar is effin empty and by the service they provide is understandable. Beer glass wa empty for a full 5 minutes before the bartender even acknowledged that the beer glass is empty. We practically had to beg to place an order. Will not be returning for the service. Burgers and fries were delicious, just wish the staff was as great as the food. And trust me, I run a bar, this bar needs a little commitment from the staff.
(2)
Franco B.
Do not underestimate the duckfat burger and fries. Man what a great combo, def get that if it's your first time! Great atmosphere and the service was great!
(4)
Tracy L.
I got really excited because they have parmesan truffle fries, but they're just ok...they start tasting really weird after a couple bites. I am a burger-judger for sure. My Kobe beef burger was medium, and it tasted mediocre, there could've been a lot more flavor potential in the burger. The bf got the duckfat fries and he said they were better than Hot Dougs, not soggy, and they came with 3 dipping sauces. My favorite was the aioli. There's also Mexican Pesto,and Chipotle Ketchup. He likes the ketchup. He got the beef brisket, but again it was tasteless. However, I do like the atmosphere, there's an outdoor seating area with heat lamps, and flat screen tv's. Indoors they have large flat screens in 2 separate rooms. Lots of seating space, and service is attentive.
(3)
Nada R.
So, it's called Duckfat(oh, now it's FatDuck?). Right, let's move on. We had drinks and snacks on a chilly Saturday night. Two hostesses helped seat us and get other members of our party together as they came in. We sat in the heated tent area, which was comfortable. Our server was very attentive and the atmosphere on the patio was perfect for conversation, especially considering that it was a Saturday night and there were a number of kids at neighboring tables. Drink prices were fair and the drinks were fine, but I noticed that the list (beer, wine and spirits alike) is pretty limited for a place with such a food menu. My sense is that the prices are quite high for what's on offer, too. $13 for a plate of grilled vegetables- squash, onions, carrots, mushrooms and no toasty bread- is exorbitant.
(3)
Mr G.
The Fries in the place our outstanding. I think the Truffle fires are better than the duck fat fries but both are over the top good. The burger is a great tasting burger but the name duckfat burger has nothing to do with it having duckfat in it its just thier signature burger. Its a great tasting burger but not inline to be one of the best Ive ever had but you shouldn't be disapponted knowing this. The fries is why you should come here. Beer Beer Beer. They have a great selection of microbrew on tap with a good variety. Good tv viewing at the bar. Fast service and good patrons. I wish I lived closer to this place.
(5)
Theresa C.
I've been coming to Duckfat almost once a week for several months. Dominican library students meet here for after class drinking and such. I like this place and overall have had good service, food and experiences at this bar. The real food is all very good, the burgers are juicy, the salads are fresh, I just had the pot roast nachos for the first time last night and oh man, they were awesome! The duck fat fries are actually pretty overrated, but I think things cooked with duck fat in general tend to be that way. The beer selection is good and sometimes they have season or special cocktails. There is 2.50 PBR tallboys everyday, WIN! Of all the places on this strip of Madison, this place is certainly one of the best.
(4)
Rachel P.
As I said, in most cases I'll give a restaurant a second chance, especially if a poor previous experience was driven by lousy service. In my follow up visit, the service was vastly improved and even the food seemed tastier. Our server was spot-on with the beer recommendations, and since we went there with a major jonesin' for some brewskies, my perception of old Duck Fat went up a couple notches when I took a deep, delicious sip of the import delight she had suggested. We split a crazy-rich 'dilla appetizer. Instead of the traditional queso cheese and jalepenos, etc, it had apples. Apples, I tell you. Yummy. Decadent. Way too much for a starter but appreciated all the same. I had a burger which was average but still, hit the spot when paired with the great beer. Even my 2 year old dug her dish - mac n' cheese - and was happy to see that the place came equipped with a prime selection of crayons and illustrated children's menu.
(4)
Andy M.
Enjoyed watching the NFC Championship game here. The TVs were all tuned in and so was the crowd, the sound could have been a little louder but it was nice that you could still hold a conversation. We did sit on the bar side, I think it was quieter on the dining room side. Ordered off of the appetizer menu and really enjoyed them all; Pot Roast Nachos, Duckfat Fries, quesadillas and sliders. $5 Bloody Mary's were also a hit. We will be back!
(4)
Alexa E.
Really chill bar with a great atmosphere. I've been here once several months ago, but I would love to stop in again. Apparently the food is pretty amazing, so I'll have to try that as well.
(4)
Andrea M.
My husband & I love this place. Great food & selection of beers!!
(5)
Leo I.
This is a busy and bustling sports bar with good food and great service. The tavern can get quite noisy, so this is not the spot for a romantic dinner, a business meeting, or granny's 85th -- would you really go to a sports bar on such occasions anyway? The place is great for catching up with friends and neighbors. The duck fries are good, though a bit soggy. Ditto for the truffle and parmesan fries. The sweet fries were rather dries -- the ones at Poor Phil's are better, I think. The burgers are finely prepared, grilled to order. The pretzel bun however was not as fresh as I would have expected. The draught beer selection is good but rather small. The Bloody Marys verge on the alcohol-free regime. The servers are friendly, funny, and quick. A definite return.
(3)
Christina R.
I lurve what they've done with this place! 100 extra bonus points for the revamped patio a la Margaritaville! What a great place to watch the Bears' games while it's still nice out! First, let me tell you about Duck Confit Quesadillas. Dear holy cheezus, these are delicious! The pineapple chile sauce brings in the sweet and the spicy and the duck is so rich, this could be a meal all by itself. But I can't resist a burger, and the Duckfat signature with brie, bacon and caramelized onions on a pretzel bun (from La Briola) was easily the best gourmet burger I've ever had. (Sorry Kuma's.) I could eat duckfat fries with every meal til my dying day, seriously, they're that good. There are quite a few items on the menu that I can't wait to try next time: truffle parmesan fries and the 4 cheese macaroni to name a few. Also noticed several vegetarian menu options and even a couple vegan entrees, very commendable Duckfat! As to whether this is a bar or restaurant, I would go with bar that serves really good food. You can bring your kids, but people will be smoking and drinking.
(5)
Mark W.
There are a few reasons i like Duckfat. The fact that it replaced Horan's, aka, the Black Hole, would have to top the list. Good transformation. Ive only had a few food items off the menu, but ive never been dissapointed. Their burgers are extra delish. Looove the Fries with real parmesan and truffle. Cheap drinks, great outdoor seating. Yep. Ive had a couple of visits where the service was so terrible i said id never come back.. But i always have been back. More times than not the wait staff is great. Just a few bad apples in there too.
(4)
Bobby D.
Not an entirely bad place, The Cream of Potato Bacon soup was great. The Tilapia wasn't bad. The Duckfat fries were pretty good. The Coconut fried ice cream was great, But couldn't eat the whole thing. Yet the negatives were the artichoke or spinach cream dip which was rather bland. Another minus was that one less than cordial waitress, Bordering on snotty. Yet the rest of the servers were pretty cordial.
(4)
Amanda H.
My father in law hosted a retirement party for my mother in law at Duckfat. I took a peek at that menu online b/c I was intrigued by the name. Actually, I should be honest...I was put off by the name and the fact that some of the menu choices were cooked in duck fat. It just doesn't appeal to me, in the least. It was pretty easy to find as I came straight from work, which is in Rosemont. Parking wasn't too easy, it's street metered parking, which was a pain...I'm a suburbanite, so I'm used to a private lot that's free. The restaurant had a nice outdoor patio area. There was a priviate room for the party which was nice. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality and yumminess of the food. We were served sliders, potroast sliders, mac and cheese, salad...my mouth waters just thinking about it! The place has an upscale bar feel with warm, dark woods and a casual feel. I would definitely go back to eat from the menu. It's located in a nice downtown area. It seems like a great place to catch a football game. I want to go back.
(3)
Katie M.
Love Duckfat. Pot Roast Nachos and Fish Tacos are amazing! The outdoor patio area is large and so much fun for margaritas in the summer time.
(5)
Joy S.
I finally went to check out Duck Fat because I was a Horan's regular, and loved the place. So seeing what it's become made me very sad. The staff was very snobby and everything was reeeeeally overpriced. So after taking a look at the prices on the food menu, we paid for our first round of beers and went over to Goldy Burger's where we got dinner for 3 for the price of ONE entree at Duck Fat.
(2)
Jane H.
The old Horan's Snug has been transformed, but they kept the very good corned beef sandwich. I sat out on the lovely patio today, which was great. I had the Duckfat Burger, which has brie and bacon. Delicious. It comes with the duckfat fries, which are really fried in duckfat. Delicious and they do taste different with the duckfat. They give you 3 aioli dipping sauces for the fries too, wonderful. The server Shawn was great, really knowledgeable about the food and made good recs. The pretzel bread bun on the burger is from Labriola, a local Italian bread company. The Duckfat Burger and fries is around $10, a great deal. They also have Labriola grind the meat for their burgers and use a local coffee company. They try to use local businesses, which is a big plus in my book. They also had good music playing, Luscious Jackson (throwback!), Beck, and Nora Jones. Check it out!
(5)
Sienna B.
Good drinks; great burgers and fries; good service; good times. Service is great and the patio is a nice place to have a few drinks in the summer. I'm hooked on the truffle fries.
(4)
Karen C.
To all those out there that enjoy PDA's, I beg you to NOT be so gross as to full on make-out at a table on the patio of a bar in clear view of not only the other patrons but also hapless passers-by. Now I realize this bar is on "The Strip" in Forest Park along with dozens of other bars, and that most people on The Strip are drunken buffoons, but that's no reason to lose yourself in someone else's mouth. It's just in poor taste. We had the joy of watching a couple attempt to devour each other face first on our visit. Lucky for us, we were well fed and in need of beer so we found it mostly funny. As for the bar itself, the new owner's have done a nice job of cleaning up the joint. The patio is lovely and makes for good people watching. It is smoker-friendly so if you have an issue with that, move your butt inside. Most bars on the strip that have outdoor areas are smoker-friendly, just like most of the potted plants along Madison are puke or pass-out friendly. All class people, all class. Anyway, our server was a riot. She was quick with the humor and the drinks, so it made for a good time. The bathrooms are FAR better kept than I remember them being and the overall clientele were well behaved (except for the gross face-sucking couple). Nothing overly fantastic but in better shape then several other bars in the area. I'd partake of the libations and outdoor seating again, and hopefully next time I won't have to view soft-core cannibalism.
(3)
B L.
Great food, ok beers, TERRIBLE service. Have been into Duckfat a few times. My first visit, while on a date, was great. We both got burgers, and, as our server advised, I got the parmesan and truffle fries. Drool-worthy. Server recognized my date from his own job, introduced himself, and bought us a round. While my first experience, while on a date, was fantastic - great service, fantastic food, and a complimentary drink - my other visits have been less than satisfactory. When I entered the bar with a group of girls, we were barely acknowledged. Our server seemed bothered each time we asked her for another round of drinks. When the hockey game ended that night, she seemed to assume we were going to leave. She dropped off our check, claiming we looked "antsy" and neglected to instruct us to go to the bar for further drinks. When I indicated to her that such instruction would be appreciated, she rolled her eyes! For the first time I can remember, I considered leaving a less than 20% tip. She has turned me off of the Duckfat craze and made me think twice about EVER going back in.
(2)
Greg F.
driving by this place you, like me, might get the impression their name is fat duck or duck fat. i'm sure they'd like you to think of them both ways at least 2 yrs i've wanted to try eating here and finally just did, largely on account of the french onion soup which i can't get enough of. but their menu as a whole had a number of interesting and tempting dishes. they have indoor, semi-indoor, and outdoors seating. everything arrived hot and tasted delicious, served in a eye-appealing fashion, plus the service and waitress laura in particular was superior. i'd've rated 5* but they're a tad over-priced. lastly their draft and craft beer list is long--perhaps longer than food menu--with labels i can't recall seeing elsewhere
(4)
Meg X.
Hooray! The best beer garden in town* is back! I've only had the fries and guacamole, but they were pretty good. Service is good. The place was packed the two times I went but the wait for an outdoor table was fewer than five minutes. Staff is friendly but parking can be a hassle. I didn't have any non-appetizer food but the stuff other people got looked & smelled delicious.
(4)
Andy M.
Another bar similar to Justin's on Southport. Nice great patio and respecful staff and good drinks. It is the first bar on strip of Madison and another place where they will jam the juke box making it difficult to watch a game. The food was bar average and nothing special. i imagine this is one of the better places in forest park in the summer just because of the size of their outdoor patio. Aside from that it is nothing better than what is down the street.
(4)
Alma K.
Nice atmosphere, attentive service and a menu that satisfies everyone in my family, from my foodie husband to my picky little kids to me...a sucker for a great burger on a pretzel roll and a draft beer on special. Good kids menu--and they'll bring out crayons and coloring sheets.
(4)
Marissa b.
the BF and I came here on a Friday night just to sit on the patio have a few drinks, so I thought it was odd that a bar had hostesses to seat people at 10pm, but whatever. So the waitress asked us if we were eating and brought menus, but we said no we were just here to have drinks... which for a bar, i wouldn't think comes as a strange request. We sat on the patio (it is a nice patio) for about 2 hours and the waitress came around twice. I think she was disappointed that we weren't ordering food or something. Well let me tell you, our tab would have been a lot bigger if you had come around more than twice. We ended up leaving because we didn't want to have to wait another 30-45 minutes for her to come around for the 3rd round. Overall, the patio is nice and the menu looks good, so I would give it another chance and come back to try some of the food, I just hope we get a better server, but from the previous reviews it doesn't seem like that will be happening.
(3)
Ron L.
Love the truffle fries and Kobe Beef truffle burger. I find myself comming back here to order this now and again. Service and atmosphere are good. Great place for good quick bar food.
(4)
Tay H.
Love this place!! I am a totally Duck Fat addict. The first week their patio opened, I went there four times in one week...although I realized my obsession and left after walking in the fourth time. I don't like fish tacos- but the ones here are awesome!! And the nachos are HUGE. The description doesn't say it, but they have pot roast (beef) on them. Very good... Might have to go there now...
(5)
Shain C.
A friend of mine swears by this place, so when I heard another friend was having a birthday drink here I figured I'd give it a try. The burger was good. The stroganoff (that I stole from my drunk, birthday friend) was very good. And the truffle fries were quite delicious. Service was attentive. The atmosphere was very nice. I will be back.
(4)
Kimberly W.
I really wanted to like this place, because to name a place "Duckfat," you've gotta be a little ballsy. We are new to the area and kept driving by, so today when we were downtown we took a peek at the menu. YUM! The specials looked delicious. They weren't busy and the hostess was very gracious when we asked where we could sit with our baby. We opted for the patio. Yes, some of the previous reviews are right--this is a bar. Their food is upscale bar food. I have no issues with that! Just give me good food and I don't care. Let's start with the good: The fries: YUM! The fry dipping sauces (which I also put on my burger): YUM! Okay, that about does it. On the other hand: We asked the server what she recommended and she told us that people were loving the chorizo/goat cheese dip appetizer (a special) and the Duckfat burger. We got both. They were... okay? Not gross or disgusting, just not fantastic. The burger wasn't very warm, wasn't very thick, and needed seasoning BADLY. (I put my fry dipping sauces on it to help.) The pretzel roll, while trendy, does not a gourmet burger make. The worst: My mojito sucked. I don't know why, because it wasn't busy, but the service was slow, both from the bar and the kitchen. The server was nice though. In this area, the competition is tough. With so many other options, we probably won't go back.
(2)
Mojo P.
The Kobe burger is better than the Duckfat burger, I think. The Kobe version keeps it simple - brilliant meat with crispy fried onions. Love the Duckfat burg (budget brie and bacon) but sometimes less is more. The crispy duckbreast is...OK. Too much port wine sauce. The port wine sauce needs to be condensed and reduced to make the flavor really pop, and instead of swimming in the sauce a good drizzling would work better. As it stands, the sauce is forgettable and adds nothing to the crispy duck breast. A simple tweak and they will have this nailed. The mashed potatoes were cold. Should have had the fries, huh? The servers are good kids. Attentive and polite. No bones to pick there. Does Duckfat serve bread or rolls? It would be nice to have something. I might have ordered another cocktail if you could have afforded some bread with the entree.
(3)
Max R.
I, along with many of my friends, was very excited when Duckfat first opened. It's always good to see improvement, and Duckfat is certainly an improvement over Horan's Snug (the previous establishment at this location). The first few visits for food and drink were very good, probably more along the 3.5 to 4 star level, but the last couple of visits I've noticed a deterioration in all phases. The quality of the staff needs improvement. Why is it that the establishments on Madison Street can't seem to figure out that attractive, friendly, clean and knowledgeable staff is essential to running a successful restaurant business (I think the only place that kind of gets it is O'Sullivans)? Duckfat is a perfect example of a place that looks nice and clean, but the staff's appearance brings the whole place down a couple of notches. The blackened tilapia sandwich we had for lunch yesterday wasn't really seasoned, but it was blackened, in that it was charred beyond recognition. The turkey club was meh. Overall, the quality seems to have dropped off since it first opened.
(2)
David A.
Great place to go for some beers/drinks with friends. They have a great Microbrew selection on rotation. They especially like having local breweries like Metropolitan, Three Floyds, etc. Food is pretty good. The Duckfat burger is must. They have a terrific outdoor space for the summer. In the winter the outdoor space gets a heated tented. Still a bit chilly but not unbearable.
(4)
amy t.
We had a kid-free Saturday and decided to make it a nice day-date. Headed over to Forest Park and purused some of the antique shops, then wandered into Duckfat and were so pleased with our choice! We opted out of the beer garden, as it was still pretty humid out, but the garden space looked great - spacious, comfy, bar out there. We ate at the bar - first off: Love the bar. There is a slanted armrest/lip on the edge of the bar. Perfect for bellying up and resting your forearms, very comfy. Super great. Second off, and this is brilliant: They have little bar tables that they give you, that fit over that handy armrest/lip to create a 12x18 inch space for you to put your plate to eat without having to reach over the lip to the bar surface. Obviously, after a couple beers, this was even more ingenious to me than i can possibly describe here. Third off: The food? Yum. They are way into pot roast here, which we thought was a little weird. Got some tasty pot roast sliders with horseradish sauce. YUM! Also got pot roast nachos (who would have thought?!) and they were great, too. Wanted to try their fries or parmesan fries, but that would have been a bit much, we decided. The food, plus maybe 6 or 7 beers (bud and miller lites) was about $40, and definitely filling for the two of us. Our bartender (don't know her name, blonde hair) was really great. Overall, can't wait to go back and try some of their other tasty treats. The bar area is really attractive, a nice space. We'll be back, for sure!
(4)
Jennifer W.
My boyfriend and I decided to stop in FatDuck last night. We were seated right away, and given menus. We ordered the Kobe burgers medium well with fries and two cokes. When we received the food, the burgers were still raw and the fries weren't hot. In my opinion, the food was overpriced and not that great.
Great food, late night menu, extremely attentive staff(for the most part) and the best beer list in Forest Park ? Hard to find fault here. I'll be back, and then back again.
(5)
Tristan C.
We went to this place on what was, unbeknown-st to us, apparently some sort of preemptive St. Patrick's Day parade celebration occasion. They seemed to have a special menu for it, and the atmosphere was accordingly fit for the occasion. The music was loud, the people in the bar area were drunk, and the patio tent seemed full. We ate in the second room at a table for 6, and were seated right away. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, and the other servers came by regularly to check for empty cups. Most of us ordered burgers, and we were all pleasantly surprised that they were served on a tasty pretzel bun. The duck fat fries were good, but not different, just good. I'd probably get the sweet potato fries if I go back. Some of us got 3 different sauces with our burgers, though I can't figure out the logic behind who got them and who didn't, and those were also good. I might go back some time. The bathroom could have been a little tidier.
(3)
Dug D.
had lunch at duckfat yesterday. I really like what they have done with the place. a major upgrade decor wise from the old Horans. like Tony D. said: its got that new smell. got the hot chicken wings and the pot roast sandwich with duckfat fries. Chicken wings: basic wings, nothing special. Franks Red Hot is the sauce and you can get that anywhere. have too much breading which when mixed with sauce becomes mushy quick Pot roast sandwich: pretty good. a bit dry. will order xtra sauce next time. flavor of meat was solid. Duck fries: now i'm not a fry person at all but these were the highlight of my lunch. very tasty. i will be returning as i am intrigued by the menu. duckfatgrill.org/index.h…
(3)
Jen A.
Any place with the word "duckfat" in its name will win over customers with discerning tastes in french fries right off the bat. The name of this place has been teasing me for the last six weeks before the restaurant even opened. I ate here last night with my husband and was not disappointed. The restaurant offers duckfat fries with three different sauces, including two delicious aioli dips. The fries were great-- and for those who want a more traditional (aka boring) potato, the restaurant also offers your standard fries and sweet potato fries. The gourmet burgers here were fantastic. I ordered the Duckfat Burger and my husband ordered the Buffalo burger. Pretzel bread makes for an incredible sandwich (ask any patron of Kuma's) and the toppings were also delicious-- I've never tried brie cheese on a burger, but I really must insist on it more often! Overall, Duckfat Grill is a great addition to the neighborhood. Sunday is a perfect night to go if you like attentive and friendly service-- great way to cap off a good weekend.
(4)
Jimmy J.
Best Beer/Burger spot in Oak Park/Forest Park/River Forest area.... Wide array of beer and menu choices... Pretzel Buns on Burgers are a must... and the Duckfat Fries are awesome (and healthier!)... Plenty of TVs... nice outside patio when the weather is right.... DO IT.
(5)
Jeanette G.
This is a great local pub that offers great food and drinks. I've been a number of times for both dinner and drinks and I always leave satisfied. The Kobe Beef Burger is delicious! I add American cheese. If a whole burger seems like too much, they also offer these in 3 piece sliders (although the sliders are more well done than I usually like my burgers). My friend swears by the DuckFat Burger, which comes with brie, smoked bacon, on a pretzel bun.... and don't forget the fries! Their signature duckfat fries come with three different dipping sauces, but their sweet potatoe fries are awesome too. I highly recommend, great for game days, date nights, or after work drinks!
(4)
Sara O.
If there were ever a french fry powerful enough to persuade you to toss that new low carb diet you're on.... this would be the fry. And it would not take much persuasion. One look at these fries, Duckfat fries to be exact, and you're in high carb heaven. Already the yummiest of all fries on their own, these fries come adorned with dipping sauces to kick some low carb ass. Don't be wary of the Mexican Pesto--sounds strange, but it's delish! And probably the only low carb thing on the menu so at least you can feel good about your dipping choice :) Yes, I wanted to try to low carb thing. But didn't really work out for me yesterday. Good news is I'm not even disappointed in myself!
(4)
Candice D.
Duck Fat has quickly become my favorite place on Madison Street in Forest Park for multiple reasons. Reason one their food is incredible, the first few times I went there I couldn't stop eating the Duck Fat Burger. I measure the quality of a place by the quality of the most standard items on the menu. If a place can't make a decent cheeseburger, how could it be trusted with anything else? Their burger leaves you beyond satisfied, just like all the options from their delicious menu, and from there it only gets better. Which leads me to number two, the staff is incredibly good. I can't even reference another place in the immediate area that has a staff so friendly and quick on the draw. They are like a well oiled machine. And although the owner keeps a watchful eye, the staff doesn't seemed stressed by his presence. On to reason three, Forest Park is quickly becoming a hub for twenty and thirty somethings who are looking for something other then the draw of the big city. Although Chicago is just in Forest Park's backyard, this tiny suburb holds its own. And although these age groups can be seen at the bar watching the game and enjoying a refreshing brew, the easy atmosphere is welcoming to families and groups of all ages. Heck, John Mahoney (the actor who played Fraizer's dad on TV) was just in there the other night. I could go on and on about Duck Fat but take my advice, test my theory about the burger and then come back and write your own review.
(5)
Ann S.
Bar food and booze. Standard. Service was very slow- and then shift changed and it was stellar! A decent place to catch up with friends.
(3)
Courtney R.
I live in Forest Park and though I regret not having gone to this restaurant when it was Horan's Snug I couldn't pass up Duck Fat after hearing all the great things. The food was exceptional. We started with the Guacamole appetizer. Had to be the truffle oil that made us want to lick the plate. The homemade chips were a good touch, but like the ones I make at home they can get chewy if not very fresh. My guest had the Crispy Duck - we were at Duck Fat after all - and I had the Salmon. Both were so delicious that we had to share. I only wish we had saved room for dessert! OK so here's the bad. We went outside for seating and waited by the bar. The bartender was so busy chitchatting with friends she had at the bar that one of the busboys took my drink order. I tried the cucumber margarita which was simply cheap margarita mix, tequila, and chopped up cucumbers. Yuk! Eventually the bartenders friends left so we were able to get our check. Clearly her tip was lacking. Our waiter was great. When he learned that I didn't like my drink he took it back to have the bartender make another one the right way (she was supposed to muddle cucumber in it). His recommendations were great and he was very attentive. I will definitely be back, but I'll order my drinks inside next time.
(4)
Nico s.
This place is one of the best places in you can get a drink in the river forest, oakpark area. I started visiting this establishment 1.5 years ago, and not every day but the staff are friendly, so are the patrons. This location has food for every pallet and complex foods and standard bar foods. The bartenders remember your name and drink, me personally if a bartender remembers my name they are getting tipped point blank, let alone drink preference. The bar is separated into 3parts, the front middle room which has great seating and tv's for the sports and the back room which is a patio. I love the back patio bar which is open year round, its warm in the wintertime and just right in the summer. The typical age group is mid-twenties to 40+ in this place the creep factor(creepy dudes) is very low which is good and the crowd in general come from all walks, blue collar, white collar, no collar. The drink selection here all have purpose in selection, you can get a great selection of IPA's and Micro Brews at a decent price, ask for Mike he is the Brew-master and will tell you of all its hoppiness. That is all I can write without spoiling the experience for all.
(5)
Anne K.
It was 90 degrees yesterday, but I didn't want to sit indoors due to the excessive airconditioning frenzy that seems to be all but too common in modern day Midwest restaurants. What are we? Chopped meat that may potentially go spoiled if not held in 50 degree refrigerated units? We took our seats in their patio. Very comfortable under a few trees and plentiful umbrellas. Anyway, I ordered a raspberry mojito and it was a fantastic choice with a grilled chicken salad. This place (from what I heard) is managed by same owners of the Ale House (still my favorite), but since the Ale House was out of comission due to a power outage, Duck Fat was the best alternative!
(4)
Jimmy N.
Duckfat is a pretty solid place. I can't say this place does anything different or unique from most of the other "tavern & grill" places you find around the area. I will mention a few things: 1. Bathrooms are clean. Solid. 2. I have yet to see an intoxicated person at this place. This is a good thing. That means you can come without the worry that some drunk bastard might want to pick a fight with you. Drink responsibly my friends. 3. Everytime I come here I get the Duckfat burger. I am a sucker for a good burger and this establishment sells a solid burger, which makes it a solid establishment. 1/2 pounder with brie and bacon, and good thick crispy bacon too. I order it medium rare everytime and everytime it comes out perfect and juicy. They give an adequate amount of brie. 4. They sell duckfat fries. Supposedly my friends Google'd duckfat and it's supposed to be a really healthy fat? Perhaps, but know you're eating a lot of it in the fries. The fries are a really good order if you appreciate duckfat fries or never had it before. Personally, I prefer their truffle fries and I think most people would agree they're better. 5. Drink prices are pretty standard. Common beers on tap. 6. Music is not too loud, which makes this a great place to take friends and have a drink and talk. I'd probably even take a date here if I were in the area. 7. Free parking lot across the street. ^_^ 8. Salads are huge. Some of my friends order them and no one ever finishes. The only reason I'm not giving this place 5 stars is that nothing about it blows me away. However, it's a very very solid place that I would recommend to anyone in the area and looking for a chill place to grab a drink and some food.
(4)
Marisa R.
Just love this place. Great service. Great food. Good beer selection. Make sure to pay the extra dollar or so and get the Fatduck french fries hmmm!
(5)
Michelle E.
I know that there are a lot of people on here stating that they were so glad to see Horan's taken over, but I actually liked the place... Granted, I had only been there once for Karaoke night, but I didn't think it smelled (though I am a smoker) and I thought it had a fun relaxing atmosphere. That being said, my thoughts on this place are that it's just so-so. The interior and decor is very modern and nice, although I could do without the million tvs they have in there. The music playing at the time that we went was all 80s. And not fun, dancing type 80s music either, just bad, easy listening type stuff. My husband said that the place went down a notch in his book just from that. I was drinking Summer Shandy bottles and he was drinking Miller Lite on tap. Mine was fine - cold enough and served with a lemon wedge. He eventually had to start getting bottles because his beer was coming to him warm. He ordered a standard cheeseburger on rye bread with regular fries. He asked for it to be well done, but it was a little pink inside. He didn't seem to mind though. I'm not a huge burger person, but I did take a bite and it seemed pretty bland to me. I ordered the crab cake appetizer special with a side of sweet potato fries. The appetizer was actually one large crab cake. It was pretty tasty - seasoned well with little bits of veggies in it, though I'm not sure it was worth $10. The sweet potato fries were good, though I wished they would have come with some kind of dipping sauce. I can't stand the thought of dipping sweet potato fries into regular old ketchup. I agree with another reviewer that stated the owners don't know if they want to be a bar or a restaurant. If I'm going to sit in a bar/grill type place to have a few beers and a simple bite to eat, I'd rather go Healy's where it's more open and airy, cheaper, and just feels like you're in that atmosphere that you planned to be in, if that makes sense. We may try the place again. I'm curious to check out the outdoor patio and maybe try some of the menu items that they are most known for, but until then, I think this place is just ok - nothing to get excited over.
(2)
Diana T.
My husband I and finally made it here although Duck Fat has been open for a bit now. The atmosphere is great, the food was DELICIOUS and we thought the prices were fair. They had an extensive beer selection, both draught and bottle, which was perfect for my husband. We had the pot roast nachos (EXCELLENT!!!). The flavor of the meat, combined with pickled jalapenos, cheese, guacamole, tomatoes and sour cream was to die for. I hate the fried egg burger on the delicious pretzel roll and my husband had a bacon cheeseburger. Both were excellent. We did have the duck fat fries, and enjoyed the three sauces that came with them, but I will say I did not find them to be anything special. I was expecting much more from what I had heard. But nevertheless, we were not disappointed and will be back again very soon! Oh, and they also have a great beer garden for those who enjoy that!
(4)
Kelly M.
I have been to Duck Fat 3 times in the last 6 weeks so that must speak to my thoughts on it! I had been to the same location when it used to be Horan's Snug and it is very impressive what Duck Fat did to make the space more modern and pleasant to be in. It also has a fantastic beer garden, spacious with tv's and bars out there as well. If the weather is nice, it is the place to be! Food wise they have a good menu with decadent items like french fries in truffle oil with Parmesan cheese. I highly recommend trying them - delicious! Their duckfat fries are also very good and come with 3 amazing dipping sauces. I have also had their organic green salad with pears and it is good and refreshing. The French onion soup is also enjoyable, not the best I have had, but nice. the nacho's - I think they are pot roast nachos or some other kind of beef, are delicious! My husband very much likes the Duck Confit sandwich and has gotten that 2 out of the 3 times we have been there. My brother in law loves the fish tacos. The flat bread pizza's are also very good - i have had the margarita. Their beer list is decent - very typical of bars in the area. They also seem to have nice cocktail specials. All and all Duck Fat is a great place for a casual meal and some drinks, inside or out!
(4)
Chris C.
WTG Duckfat (Fat Duck)! My biggest gripe about the place was the beer selection. When I last wrote about the place a few years ago, all they had were the typical Irish pub beers. Now since Thanksgiving they have a great selection on tap. Right now GI Christmas Ale and Rev Fitzmas and other seasonal brews. Bravo!
(5)
Jillian D.
yum! the turkey burger was a win with blue cheese on a pretzel bun. and the truffle fries...oh my god. well worth the extra calories!! if i am ever in the area again, i would definitely come back for those truffle fries alone...
(4)
Sherill M.
This place is cool. Nice little outdoor patio to eat dinner. But BEWARE there are nonstop mosquitos out there. You will have no peace and they do eat your food!!!! Duck fat burger and parmeasan truffle fries. Tastes pretty good and the pretzel bun was a nice touch. My meal was around $10. Not too bad for a summer dinner or afterwork spot. Oh, BTW our waitress was soooooo nice. Middle-aged white lady with long stringy hair, very adorable. Two thumbs up for the waitress, she rocked!
(4)
Scott D.
I used to come here 2x a week. The staff is good. Ambiance = good pub. The food, once good, has really taken a nose dive. My first bad meal was ignored (by me, bc I am not a complainer). So was the second. The third bad meal was with company, who insisted we say something. The manager responded appropriately. I gave it a last chance. I got a rare burger on a bun that was blood soaked and very greasy fries. Gross. Too bad. Used to be good. I'll grab a beer here but I'll never eat here again. Avoid. Seriously.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Suzanne Z.
If I ever become president, one of my first orders of business would be to outlaw iceberg lettuce- the white, flavorless, wilty crap that ends up sitting in my stomach like a brick much more than ever expected. I never use it at home. I love ordering salads when I go out, and am sometimes tricked by the "mixed greens" line that some salads boast, noting it to be all ice berg with two shreds of Romaine... UGH. JUST STOP. I came to FatDuck for a Monday Funday and was super impressed with the beautiful summer mango salad I ordered- look at all that dark green! Also, please note the mass amount of toppings that came with it. There was a healthy portion of grilled chicken, mango, avocado, fennel, tomato, all sprinkled with a light mango dressing- DELICIOUS. I would highly recommend it. My guy ordered their chicken giardinera sandwich and paid the extra to get the DuckFat fries, which I HAD to try. He loved his sandwich, although I thought it was a little small. The fries were plentiful, crispy, with a more mild flavor (I'm guessing due to the duck fat used). I liked them, and all the dipping options that came with them, but did not experience a life changing moment like some of my other yelpers. The bar itself is large, with ample indoor and outdoor seating, a decent beer and cocktail list, but service was a smidge slow. It wouldn't prevent me from coming back, by anymeans, especially after that rockstar salad!
(4)Kacie R.
I walk past this place every morning on my way to Starbucks but had yet to try it. Came here last Thursday after here such great things. Unfortunately the whole experience was underwhelming Positives: -great patio (ill be back for this alone) -apps were amazing...Parmesan fries And the baked goat cheese dip (LOVE) - the margarita was good and strong Negatives: -the entire entree menu left a lot to be desired as far as options -I got the duck fat burger....first complaint overlooked when I order something medium I don't want it well done. The burger says it has Caramelized onions but they tasted like they were almost pickled - the duck fat fries weren't anything special -service was a little slow but it was busy they appeared to be understaffed. Overall I'd return for drinks and apps on the patio but with all the restaurants in the area in not exactly rushing back
(3)Eric S.
Duckfat? Fatduck? I think the banners out front are drunk and/or confused. I certainly was towards the conclusion of my bar crawl that ended here last summer. From what I can recall, it was a decent time, although I was fairly sh*thoused, so who knows. All I know is, they had tons of solid beers on tap and a distinctly pub-like atmosphere. A second trip here involved a food order with drinks. I was hoppy (hah!) to see Bell's Oberon drafts, a personal favorite of mine. I got an order of the calamari and pepperoni pizza, neither of which was particularly noteworthy. Calamari is pretty standard at most places, and while the 'za tasted pretty good, it had a bitter aftertaste since they had burnt the cracker-thin crust. Service was fine, value was acceptable. I'd come back to sample more foodstuffs. + Begin tangent + Ever notice how weird, unappealing food items have a snazzy or innocuous name to make them more palatable? Because really, who in their right mind would eat deep-fried bull testicles? Crazy people, that's who. Or ranchers. But I might be willing to try a "Rocky Mountain Oyster". 'Escargot' has a nice, eloquent French connotation to it, since 'snails in butter sauce' is a hard pass. Not a single person would want to indulge in fried squid rings, but calamari? Sure, put me down for an order. + End tangent +
(4)Bridgette H.
I went here with a friend. I thought there would be a huge difference since the fries were cooked in duck fat but they actually just tasted the same. The food was good but not great. It was ordinary bar food nothing special.
(3)Kate H.
Burgers and fries are just average - didn't taste any different than any other burger or fries for the duck fat. Bar is just decent looking but service was excellent. Super friendly and attentive without being overwhelming. Really great selection of craft beers and ciders. Might come back for drinks but won't bother eating here again.
(3)Claudette H.
After passing this place several times over the course of 6 months, I decided I would try their food. I like the ambiance of the restaurant. When you walk in there is a bar and seating area. As you make your way to the other side, there is additional seat with better natural light and a outdoor dining area. It's much bigger than a patio. I chose to eat indoors and enjoy the natural light and AC. I ordered the fried egg burger with fresh cut fries. I ordered my burger well done but it came out medium well. It still was perfect. I really enjoyed it. The bun was soft and fit the burger perfectly. My fries seemed a little under done but they were seasoned perfectly. Along with the food came ketchup, chipotle mayo, and a green sauce (I can't remember what it was). I didn't like the green sauce to much. Just to touch on the parking-there is metered street parking in front of the restaurant and also side street parking. Overall, the food and atmosphere was great and I do plan on returning.
(5)Lizzy C.
Only 7 minutes walking distance from my home. I should have tried this place earlier. French fries is quite tasty. $2 for a small glass for beer is good too. I like that. Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA is the best. Rosa is light. Anti-hero is also very good. Bells Oracle Double IPA is too strong.
(5)Sabrina C.
I'm totally confused as to whether this place is called Fat Duck or Duck Fat, because signage at the restaurant says both. Confusion aside, however, this place is awesome. Have eaten inside in the dining room and outside on the patio. Both were nice but definitely prefer the patio when Chicagoland weather cooperates! Enough about ambiance. Which is good. Let's get to the food. Have tried a few things here now and loved all of them. The duck fat fries with dipping sauces are pretty damn awesome. Some are crispy, some are softer (I prefer softer fries myself) but all were freaking GOOD. The aioli they serve with it is my favorite of the three - there's also a spicy ketchup that's fab. Ok, so, what really compelled me to write this review was the Duck Fat burger. Bacon, brie and caramelized onions on a pretzel bun. Oh HELL. YES. And it comes with duck fat fries! My friend had the confit sandwich, which he loved - and he got smart and chose the truffled parm fries with his sandwich, which - next time - I am ALL OVER. They were so good I had a hard time keeping my hands out of his plate. (Um, I didn't try hard.) They offer several fry options - including sweet potato - which is pretty cool. The cocktails were good (we had mojitos on the first trip here) and the servers are fantastic. I love this place; can totally see myself becoming a regular.
(5)Katina S.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! I've been here so many times w/o writing a review. But this night I said I simply have to acknowledge this place for being so awesome!!!! First off the staff is number 1 bar none!!! Carrie was our waitress tonight and she was phenomenal. I shared the barbecue brisquette which was great. I love the truffle fries ordered a separately. The coleslaw was flavorful without boat loads of mayo. As a single mom I can have dinner with me and my 12 year old son or make it a night out with my friends. Fat ducks is a great bar!!!!
(5)Amanda W.
I am in love with Duck Fat (Fat Duck?) and come here all the time. The patio is great when the weather is nice and their burgers are top notch. But lets be real. I'm coming here for the duck fat fries. I could eat these fries every day and be so content.
(5)Karen G.
Very happy with this place. first went with my mom and as she's old- we can't sit at those high tables in the bar so glad they had a quieter area with low tables. Wanted to order a side of duck fat fries so my mom could try which my mom was like "why, they;re just fries". I insisted that ALL urban hipster posers eat this stuff and its very hip. Waitress came by- SUPER nice- talked me out of the fries , saying if you get a burger you can get them with it and my mom can try them without you guys having a huge mound of them. I agree. I get the burger- super good and so big I make 2 meals out of it. My mom gets the french onion soup, which shes says was great. Waitress comes back and says " i got you more fries cause I decided there wasn't enough for you 2 to really enjoy just from that burger side" and she gives us a huge plate of fries for free. Well- OK! And the fries were quite good and my mom can say she's a fake urban hipster now. In re to beer, yea, there's a craft list, but I really would have liked a bigger list... it was heavy on IPA... I actually know beers- unlike some urban hipsters posers and I had trouble deciding- not many ambers, wheat, just a ok saison, too hot for imperial stout. I guess its to be expected cause HIPSTERS LOVE HOP!
(4)Steph C.
This'll be a short review, since I only came to FatDuck for beers. The bar (and restaurant, I guess) was handsomely nondescript, or nondescriptly handsome, if either of those phrases makes sense. There was wood, there were stools, maybe there was a TV. The atmosphere was uninteresting but unobtrusive, and service was pleasant enough. My husband and I met a friend for a casual drink when we were staying in Elmwod Park, and it was a suitable venue for that purpose. The bar was pretty quiet on a Tuesday night, if not entirely dead. The beer list was solid. I think I had some kind of Goose Island beer, probably an IPA. I'd probably come back to FatDuck if I lived in the neighborhood. I have a place just like it back home that I don't love but visit constantly out of convenience. Serviceable bar, good beer and laid-back vibe. The kind of spot you'd forget right away if it weren't always showing up in your corner. Where you can always sit down without planning ahead and have a reliably good time.
(3)Chicago G.
Not sure what the hype about the duckfat fries is all about. They were greasy and soggy. Burger was just ok. My kids chicken tenders tasted like they were made with plastic parts and they were dripping with grease. Margaritas were from a terrible mix. There are a million other places to get good tasting food that is terrible for you. Skip it!
(1)Mike L.
I cannot believe the amount of places that lie about their kitchens being open for customers. Yes going to a bar is great, yes having a few drinks is nice, but when it comes to late-night snacks this place disappoints due to the sheer fact that it lies about its kitchen lateness
(1)Jamie D.
Service is always great, great beer selection, I have never been disappointed with the food. The burger with bbq, pineapple, and bacon is absolutely delicious!!! Highly recommend!!!
(5)Kelsey L.
My boyfriend and I moved to oak park about two months ago from the city. We've tried many of the restaurants around here and our favorite, by far, is this one. Their duck fat fries and dipping sauces are incredibly addictive! I always get the pizza as well and am never disappointed with this place. We go back at least once a week.
(5)Brianna L.
The outdoor patio is really nice. It was the perfect atmosphere for a nice chill Tuesday night. It was colorful, nicely lit with the roped lighting and made me long for Florida with the key west signage. I guess the patio colors are very Florida esque as well. The plan was to meet at Doc Ryans, but I saw the patio and lights and was like noooope, let's go here! So glad we did. They have a nice craft beer list. I'm a beer kinda girl for the most part so I enjoyed it. We tried 4 new beers between us. 1. A pumpkin ale. It was tasty. Just like pumpkin pie. 2. Lemon ginger radler best thing since sliced bread!! Get it you won't regret it. 3. Lagunitas a lil sumptin sumptin. Not for me it was a lil bitter 4. Honey, you're a blonde. Was a light refreshing taste. Had we not ventured in we would've been drinking the standard Heineken and bud light.
(4)Julia J.
I ordered take-out from FatDuck to bring to my mom and step-dad during a long say at nearby Loyola University hospital. It's not exactly right around the corner from there, but it was close enough that I could pick it up and it was still hot by the time I got to the room. We ordered the black bean chili which was really delicious, two of the grilled chopped chicken salads and the grilled chicken wrap. Everything traveled well, the fries with the wrap were good, and everything tasted fresh. Portions were large, and I would return here if I'm in the neighborhood.
(4)Tracy H.
This place is great. I've lived merely 3 blocks from it for more than 3 years but I've never stopped in. Silly me! My boyfriend and I dropped in Saturday evening during the St. Patrick's Day celebration. It was packed but we were easily able to get drinks while we waited. And the drinks were quite strong and reasonably priced. The shots though seemed very small to me. Maybe they were regular shot but they just seemed tiny, and for $6/shot I kinda was like, really? That said, everything else was great! I had a burger and fries and loved it. And it was $12 which seemed very good for the quality/size. The garlic sauce that came with the fries was addicting. Will be back! Our server/waitress was very good and nice.
(4)Alan D.
This is a local favorite of mine. Been here a handful of times and I usually wind up ordering the chicken giardinera sandwich with the duck fat fries. It's a great sandwich. The chicken parm is also worth ordering in my opinion. The staff is super friendly and always with a smile. This is a very comfortable atmosphere and a great staff. Will definitely keep going back.
(4)Nelson M.
Restaurant Review 10 dollar burger check! I would have to say that the burger is good, but not the best. The best bet for your dollar is the duckfat burger which comes with brie cheese, applewood smoked bacon, and carmelized onion. You don' t have to upgrade because it comes with duckfat fries already. The fries are fried in duck fat and offer a unique taste that is complemented well with the three dipping sauces (Roasted Garlic Aioli, Mexican Pesto, Chipotle Ketchup) with the last being the best. The burger was 1/2 lb of angus beef cooked to specs. Overall I was happy with my choice. Also there are daily drink specials so check the website. Pro- duckfat burger and duckfat fries, rich but low in saturated fat. Yummy Con- none Hidden deal- Daily drink specials
(4)Rob M.
Very solid place for beers and bar food with great outdoor seating for warm days. Ribs are good and most of the pub food filled menu is dependable. Duck fries are especially delicious.
(4)Lyndsey A.
Sit at the bar. Ask for Hannah. She's the best server! Hubby and I are big craft beer drinkers and she was happy to let us sample a few before making a decision. The food here is great and the service is excellent. They are happy to change the TV to whatever sports game you want. The atmosphere is fun and family friendly. Love this place!
(5)Melissa B.
A friend and I decided to check this place out because she thought I would enjoy it. I see why she thought that. It looks like a place I would normally fall in love with. We stood at the bar while the bartender talked and ignored us for so long that we actually almost just walked out. After finally getting a drink we just stood in the corner and noticed the odd vibe to the place. I think they are having an identity crisis. To be fair, we didn't order any food. Its possible that would make up for it. I doubt it. I also doubt we will head in again to find out. There are so many better options in the area.
(2)Leonard W.
I have a friend that lives a few blocks from here and LOVES this place..(clearly the 2stars shows how much I love this place) Been here four times.....and yet none of the food stands out to me besides the Duckfat fries (and that's not so much because they were good....they were....but when have crispy hot fries ever tasted bad?) I can just get some BG Fries from submarine tender (butter and garlic) a few blocks down. I would just bring a bunch of pals here for drinks to watch the game...but than again it's SEVERAL locations in the area I can do that
(2)Rob W.
My brother wanted to go here for his birthday and post Chicago Marathon celebration. The main reason was that we had a group of ten that wanted to watch the Bears game AND my brother is a big fan of their pot roast nachos and sliders. Here's how it all went... The biggest issue was securing a table - which it should NOT have been. My brother called ahead to try to reserve a table for ten, but they didn't take reservations. OK, so the next option was to have a friend who was not at the Marathon go early to try and get one set aside. Mind you, they have a main area, a second room and a covered patio area. When we called as we were leaving the Marathon, they told her that they might not be able to save a spot for us. Well we got there and the main bar was pretty full (though there were some tables in back), the middle room was 1/2 empty and the covered patio had plenty of space - which is where they seated us (along with all the families with little kids in the restaurant). I don't know why they made it sound as if it would be tough to seat us - that was unnecessary and disappointing. Our group ended up with a tab of more than $200 which while it wasn't huge for 10 people is still nothing to scoff at - and they should have figured that out in advance. Now - for the better news... the food overall was pretty good. The pot roast nachos that my brother raved about hit the spot. The chips that came with them were thin and low quality - the kind I'd never care to have - BUT - they were PERFECT for this dish. Our table shared two orders. I had a Bloody Mary which had a little pop to it and a slight sweet twist as well - loved it. Ordered a brisket sandwich on ciabatta bread with fries - that was good. My non-marathon brother ordered a confit sandwich on the same bread, he said he would have preferred not to have had the rosemary seasoning over the top of it. One person in out group ordered Mac & Cheese - came served in an iron skillet steaming hot and looking great - gotta try that next time. A couple of people also ordered the somewhat famous "duckfat fries". I must say that I couldn't detect much of a difference between those and the ordinary fried that came with my sandwich - other than the price of course! So overall the experience was good - other than the seating issue. I'll be back - especially for the Bloody Marys and the pot roast nachos.
(4)Jordan K.
We originally came for the duck fat fries and they were worth the entire trip. The burgers are good, but I have to take away a start for the pretzel buns. They absolutely ruin a burger. You can request brioche, but too many times I've had it come out with a pretzel bun. That said, prices are good, beer selection is great and the patio is a great time when the weather is good. This is one of our Madison Street staples.
(4)William Q.
Religious experience! Get out of job late and Googled a nearby place and I came out coming here. Why I didn't before? I ate a duck fat burger with a side of duck fat fries and a marzen beer(Founders). Everything was gooood. Starting with the service and ending up with the tasteful burger and fries. I can't stop eating those fries. Finally I found a worthy challenger to Kuma Burger. Kuma watch out!
(5)Rob L.
Really cool place. I had the duck fat confit (pulled duck) really good, texture of duck was different. Lots of draft beers. Little tight seating. Duck fat fries were good. I recommend it,
(4)Kate Z.
Been to Duckfat two or three times now and each time I was really glad I went. They're open late, as an added bonus. Nice bar area, solid beer/drink menu, and the best fried ice cream I've ever had (with gorgeous presentation, I might add). Service has always been great as well - friendly, timely, etc. The only criticism I have that is parking can be tricky but that's true of any business off Madison in that area.
(4)David B.
Good place for a burger and a beer in the summer time. Been here a couple times and never been disappointed. The beer selection is pretty decent with the likes of Three Floyds, Revolution and some other top notch brews. The food is good, yet pricey. The menu is fairly imaginative but it's kind of hit and miss. Like others have commented here the fries are just outstanding and the burgers are decent to. The beer garden is really the star of the show at this place. They really did a great job remodeling it after they bought the property from the previous establishment.
(4)Alyssa J.
The fries were GREAT and my burger was pretty good but we didn't have the best service. It was a Friday evening but it didn't seem too crowded; we were seated right away.
(3)Linh L.
Classier than I thought. The menu is extensive. We ordered... 1. Duck breast: Yum. I really liked it. This is one of the more expensive dishes which was $19. 2. Duck fat fries: This was nothing special. I think I prefer McDonald's fries. Please note, I'm not the person who raves over French fries. 3. Fish tacos: These are decent. They're not fantastic. 4. Banana pudding bread: The worst... Sorry. I felt like it could have been sliced and eaten with my coffee for breakfast. I would come back... Only for the duck breast. Plus, their menu is extensive from cheap to quality food. I have to try their other stuff.
(3)Dan H.
Burgers are excellent, and the duck fat fries served with a variety of sauces are amazing. I've had other items on their menu but always end up back at the Duckfat Burger. Solid beer selection, and the outdoor tiki bar a great summer spot.
(5)Rebeca M.
This place is great. Close to everything, fat duck will make your night. Good food, good music and fast service. Can't get much better than that!
(5)Nora C.
Went in for a late dinner on a Thursday, there were quite a few people there. First impression walking in is that it looks like your regular bar, has an older feel to it with lots of exposed wood. Looks like they open the patio up in the summer for outside seating which I will be back to check out. Ordered a flight of beers along with the fat duck fries and burger. All I have to say is that the fries are amazing. You have to stop here and try these fries! Service was good and waitress was very attentive.
(4)Heather D.
The signage is a little confusing when you first arrive because outside it says Duckfat, and inside everything is Fatduck, but that aside...they have really good food. Craftheads! This place serves craft beers! And I was lucky enough to arrive when Abita had their Strawberry Harvest beer available (i'm noticing its seasonal) I had the Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with the duck fat fries. It was delicious! I also recommend their calamari. The bar and tiki lounge area is pretty nice. The only lack of star is because our waitress took forever and a day to bring us our check. I thought when they usually ask if you would like anything else that was a nice indicator that we want our check. Other than that, I recommend this place for their food and brews.
(4)Erica D.
DuckFat (it's still DuckFat in my head, probably forever) is an ideal place to grab lunch or dinner. The location is really convenient, a block away from Harlem. I only grabbed food here a few times, mostly to go. I either would get a veggie wrap (very subpar) or a burger. The burgers and fries were good, however nothing that stood out to me. What I really like was their artichoke dip. It may have been all the drinks I was consuming that night, but man, that artichoke dip was amazing. My old roommates and I used to live two blocks away, and this is the place we celebrated our pre-21st birthday celebrations. We were poor and overly worked students who unfortunately had 21st birthdays fall on a Monday-Wednesday night. We would go to DuckFat at midnight, drink as much as we possibly could, and be home by 2:30am. The bartenders were always really nice, and so were the few people at the bar on an early weekday night. We always got free drinks, but I guess that's a given for being a group of females. tl;dr Duckfat food is subpar; my friends and I liked drinking here. The end.
(3)Kristen V.
When the inevitable apocalypse strikes, my butt will probably be here, along with other survivors of the zombie invasion of the western Chicago suburbs. As a Forest Park resident, I am here quite often. Unlike other bars on the Madison strip, Fat Duck serves excellent food. I am a massive fan of their Bleu cheese burger (must get the Pretzel bun!), their Pizza Magherita, and their Tilapia sandwich. A note: you wouldn't expect a bar that prides itself on burgers and beer to have excellent vegetarian options, but they do. I've had the veggie wrap before, and it was quite tasty. Most importantly, Fat Duck has a very impressive range of craft beers, many seasonal. Most bartenders and waiters are extremely knowledgeable about the beer, and this makes the experience all the better. Extremely crowded and crazy during Blackhawk games...but really, would you expect anything else from a Chicago bar with good food and tons of great beer?
(5)Phillip A.
Ate here today with my daughter. Not busy. Good service. Food spot on.We both had Burgers cooked to our liking.The winner is the Truffle fries. Can't find these in a lot of places. Good place in the western 'burbs.Drinks,food and tip came to around $42.00.Quality food.
(4)Thomas C.
A step above "bar" food, with a great outdoor courtyard and a diverse menu. The name keeps changing (now it'sback to Duckfat according to the sign outside) but whatever the name, it's a great place to check out, kid friendly, and have yet to have a bad meal here. Do try to duck quesadilla's, obviously the duckfat fries and all of the fish offerings are pretty good. Corned beef (this place was formerly Horan's and they have kept the corned beef) and Rueben were also tasty. Daughter loves the cheese pizza, I just love going.
(4)Smunsky T.
Yep the duck fries are good. Not orgasm good like some of these posts rave, but still above average. A little soggy and not very crispy. The ruben was delicious. No complaints. I went on a Friday around 5 and the place was packed by 630. Service was good enough. Waitress (Hanna) didn't give me a place setting. Not the end of the world. The fries come with 3 sauces. I liked the ketchup tasting one. The other two were downright wretched. Only had one pint. A three floyds blah blah. Whatever...it was tasty and fresh. Good enough that I will be back for sure.
(3)Liz S.
Well first of all her name is Melanie and she was a terrible waitress. It took forever for her to come back to our table. I myself am a waitress so I understand that when you're busy you're busy but our table and one other seemed to be the only she had. My drink sat empty for about 15 minutes the first time.. second time she was on it but it tasted terrible, third time it was perfect timing. But then it was time to get our check and time after time we tried getting her attention "Miss" "Excuse Me" things of that nature, and she would just walk right past. We finally spoke to a manager and got to voice our troubles and he seemed understanding. Overall I would go back because it was a great atmosphere, tons of TV's for games, and the duck fat fries are amazing.. just try to avoid this non-enthusiastic server.
(2)Tim B.
First Non 5 star review , I would be giving a 3.75 if that was allowed. 80% of the time the food is amazing. The beer selection is large and a craft lovers paradise . The last few time we ordered their famous duck fat fries that comes with gourmet sauces . The fries were blah and the sauces were... Ripe. Spoiled. My date and I never complain about food because we have worked in the food industry before and know things happen. The busboys are on top of their game, very hard working and always helpful, usually taking over for the servers ( even when not busy). We never see the same server more than twice, I assume they go through servers a lot because the service there can suck at times. The fried egg burger rules ( GET IT WITH BACON!) If I was rating it as a bar I would give infinite stars because the bar tenders rule and so does the selection.
(4)Amy A.
FatDuck, DuckFat- who cares?! My favorite place on Madison! Love the staff, bartenders (hugs to Laura & Mike) and the energy. The ONLY place to watch the Hawks play while simultaneously eating the best damn truffle fries- ever! Ridiculous shredded pork nachos are enough to feed a family of 4 and delicious! The reuben and any of their burgers are must haves and they always have interesting craft beers on tap (if you like that sorts thing). This was our first date place and always a favorite to return to on a Tuesday night or a Saturday afternoon with the kids.
(5)Eduardo C.
The baked goat cheese appetizer is a trend setter in my opinion. Nicely presented with hints of other seasonings and sauces, the goat cheese concoction with marinara sauce makes for an excellent appetizer. It is appropriately supplied with toasted garlic bread. As a goat cheese lover, I will definitely be back for more. I also tried the three mini burgers. They were hot, juicy, and savory, although in the late night menu they are not accompanied by fries. The service and attentiveness has also been spot on, even on busy nights, although I've heard that hasn't always been the case. I still have not tried the fat duck fries, but I'm sure it won't be long now. Depending on how the rest of my entree and drink experiences go, along with the atmosphere, I may award Fatduck five stars for my review update.
(4)Sarah S.
We went to duckfat for dinner. Had an overall good experience. The food was pretty good for bar food. We paid extra for the duck fat fries, but didn't really think they were that special. Will probably just go with regular fries next time. The service was just ok. Not that attentive, and food was slow to come out. We had beer, so that made it better. The restaurant is a lot bigger than it looks for the outside, so we got seated immediately. They also have a parking lot across the street which is really convenient on busy nights in forest park. Overall a good experience, and we will be back.
(4)Margaux D.
I can't say enough good things about this place. Part beautiful restaurant, part bar, it has everything you've ever wanted. The decor is very cozy and old-fashioned. Upon receiving the menu when I went this monday with my family, I immediately gravitated towards their extensive micro brew list. They have roughly fifteen behind the bar. You heard me. Fifteen. Coming from Rock Island, IL where you're lucky if you can find more than eight on a menu, I was shocked. And quite pleased. However, I was with my family so I couldn't order any. It was then that I spotted Delirium. My favorite beer. I decided I would go back the next day. Enter lunch: A beautiful cheeseburger on a pretzel bun, because I always go basic my first time at a joint. Everyone at our table loved their food, including my aunt who ordered mini-sliders (which also came on adorable little pretzel buns) with a side of soup. YUM. Anyways I went back the next day with a friend, at which time we ordered beer (thank God). We also got the Fried Calamari appetizer, which was out of this world. It's not hard to mess that one up, but the breading was light and actually stuck to the calamari rings. It came with a chipotle cocktail dipping sauce that was out of this world. I literally could have drank that on the side. Not really. That's disgusting. ANYWAYS... I had a pizza for lunch this time. They only have three on the menu: Classic Margharita, Pepperoni/Sausage and a Potato Bacon pizza. Being a glutton, I chose the latter of the three. It came with a white sauce, Peccorino Romano, parmesan, and mozzarella. Perf. Brett (the friend), ordered a truffle burger with duck fat fries. Get this, the burger actually had a beautiful slice of Brie on it, along with truffle oil and caramelized onions. If you want an explanation on why that seriously makes me melt, just let me know. Otherwise I'll let you imagine how beautiful it was. In fact, I was fine before I wrote this review and now I'm hungry and salivating like a Pavlov experiment.
(5)Bria D.
I was extremely disappointed with this place. I came during St. Patrick's day weekend. The place wasn't as nearly as crowed as some of the other places on Madison St. but the service still sucked! I ordered the duck fat burger and duck fat fries but my burger was cold! I had the waitress bring out another burger but she switched out my fries and the new batch of fries I was given were horrible; so she had to bring me new fries. When requested the bill I was given the WRONG one! it took the waitress another 15 minutes before she gave me the correct bill. Ugh, a waste of time, I will not be back, its a shame I had such high hopes for this place. P.S - DO NOT ORDER THE "SKITTLES" DRINK!
(1)Tony B.
Not more than 2 hours before writing this internet review, I sat on the premises of Fat Duck and paid monies for food, including: fried egg burger; sweet potato fries; goat cheese dip; a PBR. Others in my party ate: meatloaf, ribs, cheeseburger, truffle fries, chicken sandwich, fish and chips. They put the sporting event of our choice on the television and brought our food quickly. I am still digesting the food. The food and service were very good. Now we are watching A Muppets Christmas Carol.
(4)Magen R.
FatDuck can be described in one word: delicious! My sisters have been raving about FatDuck forever and I finally got to try it out this week. I was immediately impressed by the large beer garden that we were seated in. It was the perfect place to enjoy a balmy summer evening with some beers and good company. I ordered the pot roast sandwich on a pretzel bun with duck fat fries. Such a good choice! The pretzel bun was so fresh and the combination of the crispy onions, the horseradish and the pot roast was perfect. It's also worth mentioning that the pot roast was perfectly cooked. It was tender and juicy and came with a side of au jus. The duck fat fries belong in a category of their own. They came with three amazing dips (I am a huge dip lover). The garlic mayo combo was amazing but I was also pleasantly surprised by the pesto dip as well. A great side that's definitely worth the $1 upgrade! Our server was also amazing. He was consistently present and never let our beers empty without offering to bring us another. If you're in Forest Park on Madison Street FatDuck is definitely worth a trip.
(4)Aaron H.
I came here with a friend for lunch. We ordered the grilled calamari for an appetizer. Unfortunately, our waitress forgot to put the order in and it came out shortly before our entrees. It was still pretty tasty. For entrées, I ordered the Duck Confit Sandwich on a Pretzel Bun. I'll describe this as mouthwatering amazingness. In addition, I substituted Sweet Potato Fries in place of the regular fries. Those were equally as tasty. I'll be coming back for sure! I just wish our waitress would have put in the app order sooner.
(4)Maria G.
My future brother-in-law recommended this place to me and finally convinced me after having shied away from coming here in the past. I wanted to try the duck fat fries and the calamari and I did just that. Well, not gonna lie, I was disappointed. The fries needed to be crispier as they were limp and wimpy. The dipping sauces were good just wish the fries were done better. The calamari was the big letdown. It was a $10 plate of rubbery calamari and a small portion at that. No bueno! I also had the French onion soup and that was a little above average and my fiancé's chicken dish was tasty. All in all, I don't think I will be back unfortunately. I really wanted to like this place too..
(2)Sharon S.
Have been here quite a few times to watch the Blackhawks and the Bears. Good beer prices, food is good little pricey for bar food. Good duck fat fries. Staff is always friendly.
(4)Rebeca B.
I enjoyed Fat Duck. The service to me was an A+ the waitress was very honest and quick to get us what we needed. Even let us taste test a few items and drinks..pretty cool. I got the BBQ Pizza-not the best choice off the menu. My bad for selecting that over their burgers, my friends burger was delicious and cooked perfectly. My only complaint would be is that I got way overcharged.. which isn't cool. My bill was $54.00 and I left a $13.00 tip. After reviewing my bank statement I was charged $84.00 for the entire meal..meh.
(4)Claudia E.
Really disappointed in our trip out to this "gastropub" which really seemed more like a tavern. Came to visit on March 8 and the place was packed with st Patricks day patrons (mind u it's nine days early of the holiday) and the restaurant was serving a limited menu due to a "high volume" weekend. Not even sure what that means, as if this restaurant is not usually a busy place. The limited menu sucked but was hungry and ordered pot roast nachos which were completely lacking of taste and pot toast. Mostly layered in pico and sour cream, the amount of meat was laughable. While they did have a decent beer list, it's not a place I would recommend.
(2)Teresa S.
Understaffed and overpriced. When we walked in, no one was at the door to check us in. We wandered in looking for some seating, I asked a waitress where the outdoor seating was and she pointed towards the direction. Once we found the place and sat down a waitress finally came over with menus after 10minutes. We weren't sure if we were going to stay as it seemed like no one noticed we were there. Finally we are given menus, we pick our burgers, we order and asked about the duck fries and the waitress seemed annoyed by the question so we went with regular fries. Waitress never introduced herself. The food finally came after 35 minutes. Then we never saw the waitress again. We were sucking on ice in our cups as we never were asked if we wanted refills. My husband then wanted extra tomato slices in his burger. Oh no! He waited for 10 minutes! My son had finished his burger by the time my husband got his extra tomato slices. When they arrived the waitress practically threw it at him as she wanted to take the order of the people waiting to take there order near us. When we asked for the check it came quickly. We payed and left. No goodbye or come again. The atmosphere outside wasn't great. We sat in cheap lawn seats,near an iron gate along the side walk. The food was good definitely but we agreed that we've had better. The prices were not great for the quality of the food.
(2)Cintya P.
It was a nice Wednesday evening when a few of my girlfriends and I decided to grab a few bites to eat and a few drinks. We decided to hit Duckfat Tavern & Grill because of the nice patio area and it was a warm and cool Chicago evening. We ordered a mojito, a cucumber margarita and a strawberry margarita. The mojito tasted nothing but mint, the cucumber margarita had a weird vegetable only flavor with a odd tequila taste and the strawberry margarita was way too sweet to drink it all. Our least favorite appetizer that we got was the beet salad. The beets tasted like the cooks got them straight out of the can, chopped them up, poured some low budget balsamic vinegar and 3 pecans and a thin shaving of parmesan cheese and voila! Not so great if you ask me -__-.
(2)Rob H.
I'd give this place 4 stars but I had a couple bad experiences here, one was poor service and two was the bottom of my hamburger bun was soaked in raw hamburger juice. So if I discount those two experiences I would say overall this place has excellent burgers and fries & a nice selection of beer.
(3)Lauren H.
The food is always great! The staff is very welcoming and nice, especially the hostesses Jessica and Gianna! The key lime pie is awesome
(5)Deena H.
I am not sure why they don't have at least 4.5 stars. The food is excellent. You must try the duck quesadillas. The burgers are good. They have outdoor seating. Menu has a decent selection. The service is decent.
(4)Denise S.
I've been here several times now and I just can't give it more than the A-OK three stars. 1) I don't know why, but this place is ALWAYS busy...so busy, that I've never been able to sit in the damn dining room. I'm always stuck at a high table and chair where my feet are dangling and my back and hips are killing me (I have lupus)...stinks. 2) The food is okay. It's not bad...it's not superb, it's good. I've had stuff I didn't care for and stuff I like. I really like the Kobe burger with duck fat fries and I love the dipping sauces. 3) The parking stinks because it's right off Harlem Avenue and Madison Avenue is a strip of restaurants and bars so parking can be hard to find on weekends. We'll still be coming here in the hopes that I can eat my Kobe burger in the dining room one day!
(3)Layne S.
Service was good as can be expected at a bar. Waiter was good. Got sour cream instead of tartar sauce and waited a few minutes for a drink refill. Again. Not fine dining service, yet this is a bar... Food was really good other than side salad. Side salad was crap yet this is a bar menu. Salads are probably not a priority. I had the duck fat burger done medium. It was cooked medium. Better than some "fancy" restaurants. The flavor was great and the pretzel bun was great (I generally dislike dry, puffy pretzel rolls. This was a dense chewy roll.). The duck fat fries were the main reason I went. They didn't disappoint. Crispy and perfectly cooked and full of flavor. Dipping sauces were fine. Wife had the fish and chips. The fries were great and the texture of the fish was good, yet fish or batter could have been seasoned a bit more. Overall great experience. Til we left. We were walking back to our car and 2 hooligans riding their bikes on the sidewalk ran into us and then threatened to shoot us in the face for suggesting they were doing life wrong. So yeah that happened.
(4)Ellie K.
The four star review is for the service and adult beverages. I have never had a bartender/server that wasn't friendly and attentive... Even during the busiest timeS. I have only tried the fish tacos as far as food and I don't think I would have them again so minus a star there. Overall, good vibe and good people.
(4)James T.
When I want a drink, this is my go-to place. Things FatDuck has: A food menu where everything on it is delicious. Excellent rotating craft beer selection. Friendly staff who remember the names of their regulars. TVs that will show whichever game you came there to watch. Clean bathrooms. The ability to pour a Guinness the right way every time. A huge outdoor patio. Short wait times to get a table if your group has four people or fewer. An atmosphere appropriate for families as well as anyone just stopping in for a beer after work. Things FatDuck doesn't have: Loud music. Slow and/or surly service. A pool. Beer poured into plastic cups. The smell of urine and stale cigarettes. Dilapidated tables and shaky bar stools. Unicorns.
(5)Briggs A.
Friendly staff -- shout out to Mike -- incredible food from the pros in the kitchen and the best beer garden in FP. Highly recommend the burgers, duck wings and whatever is on the chalkboard.
(4)He K.
We liked this place a lot! We started our girls night with a dinner here, sitting in the outside area "Tiki Bar". We ordered the Burger and the fish tacos and both was delicious. Service is fast and friendly. This place is worth to try it our for sure :)
(4)Eric R.
Food is ok, greasy at times. Beer is acceptable. Outdoor patio is really the best part. Wait staff is ok at best. Prices are kinda high for what you get. Duckfat fries are pretty good though, and the burgers are passable
(3)E W.
This place is excellent. The burger is the best in the area (all the western suburbs I've had burgers in, Back Alley Burger in LaGrange is a close second, but the two are totally different). Their mac and cheese is pretty great too; as well as their cobb salad. Yar. The beer selection is fantastic and the bartender who selects said beers is often on hand and knows his shit. You can get small pours too (cheaper, three to five-ouncers). One of my favorite things about this place is one of the waitresses. She's a bespectacled blond woman and she is AWESOME. Always wicked personable and helpful. She is seriously one of the best waitresses I've ever had at a restaurant. I only wish I remembered her name. I'll add it once I figure it out. Check this place out and then go get some more drinks at one of the myriad bars just west of this place or some ice cream at Brown Cow (also just west). Good stuff. I love this place...really do.
(5)K S.
This place is my go to spot when I want to meet up with family or friends and have a nice meal. Most of the time we eat outside which they have a great area. Even when it's a tad bit chilly they have heaters outside. Im a fan of the pizza and the burgers are awesome. And if you dont get the duckfat fries..whats the point! However not a fan of their mac and cheese. They have am okay beer menu. Place is big and even if it seems crowded we never had to wait for a table. They only take reservations for parties of 5 or more. Last time we were here we did the free valet parking because there weren't any spots on the street. It is quicker just to park yourself.
(4)Melina D.
SERIOUSLY HATE THEIR SERVICE. My husband and I went there for dinner and literally had to leave. No one waited on us we sat there for ten minutes and the dining room had only two other tables. So upsetting because apparently their food is good. We wouldnt know! The waitresses simply just stared at us. Before we left, the hostess girls said no one wanted to take our table. The hostess girls were walking around chatting as were the waitresses. Really sad that your service sucked hardcore.
(1)Rosie M.
This is an update to my previous review. I will say I usually really like the food here but recently had a pretty crappy experience. I had friends coming into town so we made a reservation for 10. They accepted our reservation which was great. When we showed up they had us seated at 2 different tables of 5. I would think when I called to make the reservation they would have warned me they could not actually accommodate the party and would sit us separately. If we would have known this we would have gone somewhere else. I'm not sure what happened but the food ended up not being their best either. I probably won't go back anytime soon bc the manager was far from accommodating and basically said "too bad" regarding the whole situation which I think is bogus as a previous regular and a paying customer.
(3)Monika K.
my sister calls in an order for pickup. the girl says it will be ready in 15 minutes. she goes to get it and they tell her that they don't have an order for her and ask her if maybe it is under "Phil." umm... what?! then a girl says oops she wrote it down but forgot to do anything with it. we are in a hurry, hence why we placed the order ahead of time, but apparently it's more important for the girls there to chit chat then to actually do their jobs. my sister leaves and then gets a call from a guy there, who when she answers the first thing he says is "we f*cked up." excuse me? who is this? this is a professional way to treat this situation? she is too upset to talk so she gives me the phone and the guy tells me that he is going to send me a giftcard. he asks for my address and then says oh you live across the street? yup. and guess what? it has been over a week and i still have not received the giftcard.even if he sent it over via pigeons, i should have gotten it. way to go, fatduck! **Update: just to clarify, i got the giftcard on Monday, June 1st. It was postmarked 05/29 from Carol Stream. The incident occurred on Friday, 05/22 (not Monday, as commented by Danielle). Also on June 1st, I received an animated voicemail from Dennis at fatduck, screaming like a lunatic and stating that he has read my "lovely yelp review" and that i can "just throw away the giftcatd." If there was a way that I can attach the message to this review, believe me I would. funny how i never complained about the food (in fact, it's delicious), but rather about the service and rudeness of the staff, and then i continue to get harassed due to an honest review. as a professional adult woman, i will just have to shake my head and laugh this off.
(1)J.B. M.
My husband and I drove 1&1/2 hours to come here! What a great place! Our waiter Andrew was helpful and attentive, the food was great! Kobe beef burgers duck fat fries, truffle fries, duck Quesadilla were all delicious! They have a large selection of craft beers and ciders. Will definitely be back!
(5)Jill C.
Good food. Good drinks. Cute place. I thought it was gonna be expensive but really not 2 bad. My group and I had a nice time there. Thanks.
(4)Rosie D.
I love this place! It's my favorite neighborhood bar. It's really a gem. I remember when the place was a little Irish pub on the outskirts of the Forest Park bar scene and now it's really become an anchor in the community. Even though I really don't live in the area it's totally my go to spot when I'm entertaining guests from outta town, having a casual girls night out, or simply looking to catch the game. I've never gotten bad service. In fact there's one lady in there whose blond, kinda spazzy, and a lil older who I absolutely adore!! She's so much fun you can't help but to fall in love with her! And she knows her stuff!!! Of course I love the food! Everything is delicious. Next time you visit try the pot roast nachos. It's huge so plan on splitting with a friend and they are delicious!!!! Love love LOVE me some duckfat!!!
(5)Yvonne B.
I've wanted to try this place for such a long time and was tickled to finally have the opportunity. I gotta say, it was decent, but nothing super special. I mean, I'd compare it to Poor Phil's on S Marion in Oak Park. They both have laid-back, community bar personalities and distinctive characteristics. Poor Phil's has an outstanding beer selection whereas DuckFat has duck fat. Their fries really were delicious. The little stubs of fries we got were flavorful. It was fun to dip them in the three different sauces. Unfortunately, because they were so stubby, our fingers probably got as much of the sauce as the fies. I got the DuckFat burger and M got the pork chop special. The burger was good. It was cooked just as I requested, the toppings were fresh, and the flavor combinations were on point. I loved the brie and pretzel roll bun. I don't think it was my favorite burger, but half of it was surely satisfying. I took the other half home. M's pork chop special was not so good. She said that the pork was over cooked and the risotto was too salty. She was also unimpressed with their wine selection. She recognized several inexpensive bottles of wine that had exaggerated prices on the menu. She didn't like her first glass of wine at all (she didn't finish it) and she was barely content with her second. Our service was really just mediocre. I'm not sure what the deal was. Maybe they were understaffed. Maybe our server was new. I dunno. All I know was that it was stuffy warm inside and we were anxious to bounce outta there. Our bus boy was more personable and eager to please than our server. Although Duckfat wasn't really bad, it also wasn't anything great. I've definitely experienced better taverns in the area. It's worth trying at least once - maybe even twice.
(2)Marina V.
I am not a huge huge fan of pubs in the US, but this was an exception b/c the food was soooooo good!! We had kobe burgers for lunch. WOW!!! incredible... loved it!! Delicious bun too.... Next time I'm in Oak Park - i'll be back to DuckFat!!!
(5)Claire M.
I've eaten here a couple times but this par-tic-u-lar review is for this past Saturday night when I spent a couple of hours in the bar. One of my old coworkers was in town staying the night with me and I thought it'd be fun for us to wander up to Madison Street to catch up with each other over a few beverages. She ordered a coupla blue moons and I had this rather tasty microbrew called Unibroue Ephemere Green Apple. Or something. Holy god was it GOOD! I'm traditionally not a fan of beer. I had originally ordered a Rolling Rock but 3 minutes later was informed they don't have it. Not sure if they were out temporarily or if they never carried it. As fate may have it, the bartender handed me their drink menu and I frantically and desperately searched for something to order. My eye wandered over to the "microbrew" section and as my eyes skimmed the options, the words "green apple" caught my eye. I love green apples! I decided to try it. I'm seriously in love now. I don't usually go out just to drink much anymore and most of the bars on Madison are too loud and obnoxious for me but the couple times I have (tonight included) "Fatfuck" Duckfat whatever (it was actually Horan's the last time I was there for dedicated drinking) has been a lovely and suitable location. It will likely be my go-to place. And I've really got to learn more about this beer that I had... I never have luck when I randomly pick something off of a menu - until now I guess.
(3)Angela C.
I was tempted to give this place only three stars because of the poor service, the crap frozen drink from the bar and the overrated duck fat fries, but I ate their duck confit sandwich and had a foodgasm. I could give two sh!ts about those fries (still deep fried and greasy without a lot of extra flavor), but DAMN was that sandwich good! Do yourself a favor and share the fries with someone else and get that duck confit sandwich if you are someone that likes pineapple and spices with your BBQ or meats. I probably will go back at some point in the future just for that sandwich.
(4)C T.
Am sitting at the bar right now.... Ordered ice tea and she didn't offer me sugar. Ordered food to go, didn't ask how I wanted the meat cooked. She's been wayyyyy to busy chatting to her coworkers and all the male guests. Nice....but not really. Apparently it's also bring your kid and husband to work day (or entertain someone else's). Awesome.... but not really. The previous bartender Mary is really attentive and welcoming. Not this girl. Still hasn't checked on me or given me my check in the 20 minutes I've been here. I'm not seeing any of the managers I used to recognize. Staffing changes I assume?! I've been here several times before and the food is typically pretty good but the service is hit or miss. I'd rather spend $20 on takeout where the staff appreciates my business. Side note: been in restaurant industry over 15 yrs. Update: Ordered the porkchop special, it came with asparagus and au gratin potatoes. Granted it was to go, but the chop was dry but the sauce was good. The sides were ok but the potatoes were a little too sour for my liking. Other item have been great in the past.
(1)Rosanna L.
Decided to throw my brother a surprise birthday dinner and I wasn't sure as to where to go since we usually have a big gathering for birthdays. Got good reviews about this place from a friend and decided to try it out. They easily accomodate 15 of us in the outisde patio area, which they covered up, added some tables and plastic chairs and bam they extended their serving area. Our server was extremely helpful and friendly. She shared her opinion openly and honestly. (She doesn't like duck so she never tried it, but always receive great feedback about it) The food: we had a wide variety from calamari and nachos as starters to mac and cheese, roast duck, turkey burger, brisket, baby back ribs, and cavatappi pasta as entreees! *whew* Being us we always like to eat off of one another. Overall the reviews were mix from my family members, some enjoyed their dishes, some didn't. My review: the nachos are flavorful and tasty, having pot roast on top is definitely something different. The calamari was okay and the portion is extremely small. The baby back ribs were good, but the end part of it was extremely dry and rough. The brisket was very tasty and soft. The duck was decent, but the mash cinnamon sweet potatoes that they serve with it is extra delicious! The mac and cheese was extremely bland with no flavor. The duckfat fries you ask? Nothing special besides the sauce. Out of the three sauce the white one was the best the other two were okay. It really depends on what you like. Overall the experience was fun and the server was great, but the food just average.
(3)Matt M.
Low quality employees. Low brow establishment. Rude service, high prices, better options up and down Madison.
(1)Lola K P.
Typical bar atmosphere, pretty nice. Came in around 10pm on a weeknight since I got a sudden attack of the munchies, and was still having some laughs with friends. Some regulars were in attendance, pleasant ambiance. We split an order of truffle Parmesan fries and a sausage pizza, and I admit I wasn't expecting much, but they were both really good! Decent glass of red, others had beer. Service was ok.
(4)Chuck D.
Nice beer selection and good atmosphere for relaxing and watching the game with friends. Enough buzz in the place to keep the energy going but not so loud that you maintain a conversation.
(4)Suz M.
This is my local watering hole and it's really not bad. The food is fine (on the greasy side and a little expensive but really can be good) and the atmosphere is standard busy bar. I like the outdoor patio and I've never had rude service. Most of the servers are knowledgable about their beer and that's greatly appreciated. Saying that, sometimes their service is lacking (in terms of never coming back to your table) and while the food isn't bad it runs of the expensive side. They have some fancy add ons to regular bar fare that don't really justify the price. Also I hate to say it but their duck fat fries taste about the same as their regular fries. I visit this place frequently enough but I like to go drink there more than eat.
(3)Jenni E.
I really enjoyed this place when we stopped by on a Friday night for dinner and drinks. It is a great place to go if the weather is nice because they have a fantastic outdoor patio where you can enjoy watching people walk up and down Madison street while enjoying some great food and a nice drink. I will say that as someone who loves to try unique foods - this place was right up my alley. There were tons of things on the menu that I wanted to try, but I went with the Duckfat Burger because I felt like I really should try the signature item. I wasn't disappointed at all - it was actually one of the best burgers that I had ever had. The fries which apparently are cooked in duckfat were also amazing. There are lots of other things that I can't wait to try the next time I come here. The salad that my vegetarian friend ordered wasn't very good - so I am wondering what the have that is good for non-duck eaters. I don't like beer, but this seems like a good place to have one. I opted for a mojito and was very pleased.
(4)Nicole P.
I want to like you FatDuck, I really do. There is so much going for you, great location, easy parking, solid beer list, games on the multiple tv's...but you disappoint me, every time. This place is well trafficked, I am sure for the reasons I noted above, but the food is just meh. I have been here at least ten times and have probably ordered most everything on the menu. The burger buns come out cold, the lettuce is all iceburg, the spinach artichoke dip is watery, etc, etc. I hate to be critical but honestly, they could do better, they just don't have to because the places in Oak Park/Forest Park where you can go and grab a beer, eat a decent meal, and watch a game are limited. I have been going to Scratch recently and would honestly recommend this place. The food is all homemade, the burgers are great and the canned beers are better.
(2)Nichole C.
I'm still a fan of FatDuck, but I will say this: Looking back at my last review, I almost had the opposite experience as the last few visits. It seems like it's hit or miss on the food and the service, but the patio (yes, even in Chicago Winter [they put up a huge tent with heaters]) and the craft beer list still impress. The truffle Parmesan fries continue to be my Kryptonite but the fish and chips have changed (OR I was drunk enough last time that I didn't notice they were heavily breaded and crunchy...not my bag.). Either way, I would recommend this place for a nice pit stop to the city, a drink and appetizers with friends, or a night out with the man. If only for the fries and the beers...
(4)Jenny B.
I want to like FatDuck so much, but their service is so SLOW every time we've been. Food is good, prices are fair. The servers don't check back in with you, so you are constantly waiting for a drink or if something is wrong with your meal, you wait a very long time to have it fixed. The other night we ordered the kids menu Burger Sliders, and the burger size was pathetic....about 1/2 the size of the slider bun. Didn't even begin to fill up my 8 year old son. It's in my neighborhood and I like to support local business, but the slow service is a major downer.
(2)Robby K.
i'm sorry guys but this place is good and all, but def not great. u can get a better burger down the lock at Scratch kitchen that just opened. The drinks are probly the best thing here. i forget the specifics but i ordered a glass of Silver Tequila on the Rocks and i Tequila and it was 6$ or something like that. my GF likes there Martini's the Duck Fat fries are not that great. one time we had a dumb as rocks waitress. i pointed to a word on the menu that i couldn't pronounce and she's say's "Oh-lilly, its a french oil." in fact the word was Aioli. wow... idk, the gf is yelling across the house saying that this place is better than scratch, making unwarranted comments saying that the Duck Fat Mac and Cheese is better.. idk. smh.
(3)Stephen T.
Awesome first experience! Server was very nice and always attentive. Duck Fry's are a must!! I had the Chicken Mac and Cheese and it was INCREDIBLE! Awesome atmosphere, 10 or so large screen TV's. Amazing selection of craft brews. Very reasonable prices! Will come back, often!
(5)Frank H.
Great spot for a burger and beers or a meal friendly and professional. I highly recommend duck fat.
(5)Susie C.
I'm just as surprised with myself for giving a bar/grill a 5 stars, but it does deserve a 5 star! My husband and I originally wanted to go to a nice sit-down restaurant for dinner on a Friday night, but we couldn't get an early reservation and we were starving, so we hit up our local bar/grill. I heard lots of good things about this place, and I actually wanted a very casual, sit down place with lots of happy people around..since I've been mentally tired from work. When we came here, there were no wait. We were seated at an area that is normally outside of the restaurant but they put several tables inside a tent with heat ventilation. Very interesting setup. The atmosphere was nice..The blackhawks game and bulls game were on, so lots of sports fans were decked out in their jerseys rooting for Chicago teams! My husband and I started with their Duckfat fries. It came with three types of dipping sauce (ketchup, ranch, and some kind of green verde sauce). The duckfat fries were good.. I also had a turkey black bean chili with pico de gallo on top. It was really good. I dipped my fries on it. My husband ordered their chicken dumpling soup, which he said was pretty salty. Disappointed there. For our entree, I ordered the blackened tilapia sandwich. I read good reviews about it, and I am glad I did. IT IS SOOOOO GOOD! This is the best fish sandwich I've ever had. It has the yummy tilapia with cole slaw, honey mayo, and some other sauce. The bread was delicious, too! The bread isn't hot or anything, but the fish inside was. It came with a side of fries so I had their parmesan fries, which btw taste just like our duckfat fries minus the parmesan. My husband ordered their fried egg burger.. he said it was okay. He had regular fries...once again taste like the other fries we ordered. I like how they have all different types of fries, but in the end they all taste the same! Overall I REALLY love my tilapia sandwich. HANDS DOWN!! Duckfat, Fatduck..I'm not sure what this place is really called since they use this name interchangeably.
(5)Martha Z.
I tried their signature dish. I believe it was duck breast, spinach, and mashed sweet potatoes. I don't know if the sweet potatoes are supposed to be served at room temperature, but mine were definitely cold. Again, this was my first time there so I didn't question it. Maybe someone else can clarify if this dish is supposed to be a mixture of tastes and temperatures. Anyways, the cocktails were pretty good.
(3)Russ D.
We always have a great meal here. The Grilled Calamari appetizer is one of our favorites.
(4)Hannah A.
Through a twist of events, my husband and I ended up at FatDuck Tavern & Grill. We've always wanted to go, but have always argued ourselves away from that place for some dumb reason. I'm so glad we finally made it! They have a fun menu of elevated pub food and lots of craft beers. I had the duck confit quesadillas and my husband had the BBQ chicken flatbread. Both items were tasty. There were many items on the menu I want to return to try. I was in the mood for pumpkin beer ('tis the season!), and rather than choosing, I got a flight of all three varieties on the menu. I love this option!! My husband was driving and opted for a diet Coke. Our server (and supporting staff) were fantastic. His glass never ran empty as they brought refills with perfect timing. I liked the atmosphere a lot... Very comfortable, friendly, fun, and engaging. My husband and I are now big fans of this place and can't wait to return. VERY HAPPY TO FINALLY WALK THROUGH THEIR DOOR!
(4)Megan T.
They have a great selection of food. There fries are to die for! Highly recommend this place.
(4)Julie A.
I have been here many times, and each time its different. At first, I really liked it. The burger hit the spot. The next couple of times were just for drinks. The most recent time I ordered the ruben, which I don't recommend. Stick with the burger, or just the bloody mary and fries. Service is hit or miss, although this recent time is was severely lacking due to a private party.
(3)Leah E.
The food is great, the beer is great and the server is nice. However, it's ridiculous that only one person is bar tending as well as waiting on all of the tables (it was packed). Takes forever is an understatement.
(2)M W.
Great food and good service. The duckfat burger was amazing-I'd never had brie on a burger before. The fries were great, though I wish they had been a little longer. We also had the steak mac n cheese which was decent. The burger was definitely a hit.
(5)Tamera B.
This place was ok. That's about all I can say. I had the duckfat burger & fries. Both of which were ok. I would prefer a Five Guys burger over this one anyday. The fries were alright, not the best I've had and not the worst. I have no urge to visit Duckfat's again.
(3)Kimberly C.
I go back and forth about the Fat Duck. Sometimes I really like my meal, and other times, well, I just think I make a bad choice. Of course, in a perfect world, there would be no bad choices on a menu...but the world's not perfect...but these are my most favorite, almost no-fail choices: I love the Pot Roast Sliders, as long as they are served hot (which is 50% of the time). The beet salad is tasty, and rather large. The burgers are good, and the turkey burger actually has flavor (which is sometimes lacking in other restaurants), plus the burger toppings are plentiful and delicious! The artichoke dip is yummy, and the fish tacos are fine. But, my new favorite, can't-love-it-enough menu item is the Pomogranate BBQ Black Angus Meatloaf...Lordy, this is good. The sauce is tangy and the meat is moist and perfectly seasoned...and the portion is quite large. The best part is the kitchen is open late for those last minute before bed cravings :)
(4)Grace L.
We had pre-dinner snacks and beers on a Monday night. The beer selection is fine, and the duck fat fries are delicious (especially the dipping sauces!) albeit very greasy. The baked goat cheese was good and they even brought us a second round of bread to go with it. Our server was great but everyone else on staff seemed kind of depressed. Maybe just a bad case of the Mondays. Great bar for Chicago hockey fans--lots of people wearing jerseys and watching the game.
(3)Sumara K.
Oh, Fatduck/Duckfat, have you ever -really- decided on a name? So... after raving to my boyfriend about the stellar food, we took a trip down to Fatduck for some eats and the hawks game. Got our food fairly quick, it was good, our server, Melissa, was a total sweetheart, and soon after eating we decided to head outside to finish our drinks (and have a round or two more) outside on the patio. When we first went outside for a cigarette, we still had our tab open inside so we politely told the waitress outside we were okay with our drinks. After being outside for about an hour (and closing our tab inside so we could continue to have our drinks outside) it was pretty clear said waitress (not melissa btw, because she was super super nice, but some other old in the face blonde lady who's name i didnt get) had no intention of bothering to see if we needed anything. So one of our friends asked a busboy if he could order a drink, and kid said he'd get the waitress. She didn't show. When said old in the face blonde lady walked by towards a table of people she knew pretty well (unless waitresses normally gives out hugs and such?) we asked her for a drink and she said, no. go to the bar. uhm..... okay? why? and needless to say she threw a bitchfit of unnecessary and epic proportions. listen lady, im sorry asking you for a drink caused you to meltdown. but honestly, isnt that your job..............? the owner came out to talk to our friend, and he was a cool guy. however i doubt we''ll go back there due to The Blonde Kraken.
(2)Stefania G.
Been here twice and has been successfully each time! A little unhealthy but worth the calories!
(5)Jide F.
Awesome addition to Forest Park! The food at Duckfat is pretty good but I definitely prefer their drinks. The Duckfat fries are very flavorful and I really enjoy the sauces that come with it. I've also tried the corned beef sandwich and it wasn't anything special. The Duck Confit sandwich is surprisingly tasty. Nice, tender pulled duck topped with a spicy pineapple sweet chile sauce. The drinks at Duckfat definitely win me over. My favorite is the cucumber margarita: muddled cucumber with agave tequila. Very delicious! They also make a mean dirty martini. Overall I think Duckfat is great. The patio is spacious and perfect for the summer, the food is good and the drinks even better.
(4)Julie L.
Good food, good beer selection, good crowd and good place to watch a game.
(3)Mike K.
I had gone here for the 2nd time on 11/15/12.I had ordered a kobe beef burger with cheese & bacon.On the side I had their famous duckfat fries for an additional 95¢.The burger was very good, but slightly dry.I did like the pretzel bun that came with the burger. The fries come with 3 dipping sauces & were fantastic. They give you a fairly large amount of fries with the meal. My waiter was very attentive. Whenever I needed a refill on my drink he was there pretty quickly. Highly recommended.
(4)Jason P.
Good food! Big menu with a great variety! Always has a good crowd. The service is great even when they are unbelievable busy. I always enjoy going to this bar even for some drinks on the weekends.
(4)Bee M.
I came here for a "sister-date" when I was in town on holiday. I liked the idea of this place as we walked in, cute brew-pup atmosphere. We sat outside ( I have a baby and it was the best place in case he got loud- he slept the entire time.. phew).. and had great service. We both got margaritas ( I don't remember which, but they were delicious - and 6$ special.. happy hour I think?), she got sliders and I got a delicious yummy salad. We had a great experience. I don't much like fries, but these duckfat ones won me over with their sauces. They were crispy and delicious :)
(4)Kiara B.
This was my second time here great service, I had the Kobe burger, with truffle fries. My burger was dry, and I couldn't even taste the truffle oil on my burger, not to mention I also had to season my food. I feel like if I have to do that then I don't need to pay 13.00. Maybe I'll be back at later time when their chef can properly prepare a burger!
(3)Ted P.
Service was underwhelming and the food was just slightly better... Except for the DUCK FAT FRIES! **yum** The beer selection and patio space were definitely big pluses, but ultimately, the food was unexciting and the service made the food look good in comparison. Hence 3 stars.
(3)Karen Anne B.
All and all a better experience than what I was anticipating when I went here. I went in knowing that they didn't have a lot of veggie choices, but I was with a group and someone else picked so I was willing to deal. I ordered their veggie wrap. I hate, HATE, veggie wraps but wasn't in the mood for pizza or mac and cheese, so I got it anyway. It was actually good! Lots of spinach, with some other veggies and some balsamic dressing. It actually had flavor. I ordered the sweet potato fries as my side, they were some of the best I've had in a long time. I ordered a pot roast sammich to go for my husband. He said it was quite tasty. We were there early on a Sunday. They were pretty empty at that time. Our service was fast and the server was very friendly. The atmosphere was pretty nice. I can see Max R's point though, it'd be nice if the employees dressed a little nicer. My husband wants to check it out in person, and I'd willingly go back.
(4)Allison M.
We came here as a first stop on a bar crawl down Madison Street... They've got some good beers on tap, some good selection. I had a Bell's Amber Ale with my boyfriend, other people ordered some Harp lager, or Coronas. Some in our party also got food: a turkey club, a root beer float. Plenty of seating that can be moved around and adjusted as the party gets bigger through the night. Weirdly, though, the inside absolutely emptied out around 10, 10:30ish... Absolutely all of the other patrons were sitting outside, except for our group (yikes, maybe it was a hint?) A really good place to begin, where everyone can hear themselves think, and even speak... Plus lots of tv's with sports channels are always a good conversation-starter!
(3)Robin C.
Most of the night I enjoyed a lovely evening at their outside bar with excellent service from the bartender. Chatted it up with one of the co-owners. Then it all went horribly wrong when a guy sitting at the bar began verbally abusing the female bartender. It was unbelievable how this guy insulted not only the bartender but most Americans in general. The bartender refused to put up with it and actually left (good for her!). Was waiting for the co-owner to ask the guy to leave since he was standing there the whole time but instead when we confronted the co-owner with why we were leaving...he denied everything and acted like he was all confused as to what was going on. Seriously! As the owner you are going to continue to serve a patron who is spewing off the most vile derogatory comments about women and most Americans...he went on and on and on using foul language that can't be printed. As an owner you don't put up with that. I will never go back to a restaurant who allows the staff to be verbally abused by a patron and then continue to serve the jerk. And the diverse liberal residents of Oak Park and Forest Park shouldn't either as this co-owner who doesn't live locally allows a patron to insult ALL of us. There are plenty of other establishments in the area for us liberals to spend our money.
(1)mei s.
We tried this place for dinner the other night based on the reviews. My husband ordered the Kobe beef burger with parma truffle fries, I ordered the bacon cheese burger with duckfat fries, the kids had the Mac and cheese with bacon and we all shared the fish tacos as an appetizer. I thought the food was fine. But nothing outstanding. It's true, the duckfat fries did not taste any different than regular fries. the parmesan truffle fries were good though. the burgers were fine. i like pretzel bread. i would have liked it more, if it was not cold. they could have at least toasted it. and the mac and cheese was a little disappointing. very bland for having multiple cheeses. the fish tacos were good.
(2)Amy T.
I will admit the first visit was better then the second, but that could probably because we had a different waiter. The food is AMAZING and is lives all it's expectations for comfort food. You do not feel sluggish after eating it like you do when you normally eat heavy foods. Some food reconmendations: Kobe Beef Burger Sliders Mac and Cheese Fish Tacos and of course the Duckfat fries. Atmosphere- Casual, and friendly. Yes, it's a bar but does have seperate seating in the back which is great for families with kids or if you just want a quiter dinner. There's also seperate seating if you do not wish to sit at the bar. Price- Moderate. Not badly price and is affordable. If you want some comfort food, ready to kick back and relax, and go somewhere casual then Duckfat is the place. Plus it's affordable, how can you NOT turn that down?
(5)Mya A.
Dear Fat Duck--I was a fan of your food until tonight. The food was such a disappointment, we may never go back. I ordered the special "Almond Encrusted Fried Chicken". First, let me say that if you offer something as a special, I'm going to hold it to a higher standard, because you are presenting it as something you do very well. Second, your shake and bake pan fried mess is not fried chicken. Fried chicken should be crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Your chicken was a soggy, greasy, half burnt mess--that was almost inedible. Oh and don't even get me started on the corn, how you would call the sad two inches of corn you put on my plate corn on the cob, I have no idea. It wasn't even half an ear of corn, is corn so expensive that you can't even put an entire ear as a side? As a foodie type place, I would expect much better than something I could have made on my own stove top at the age of 12 with no training. Shame on you chef!
(1)CJ L.
Solid choice... Especially in the summer when they open the patio. I like the duck confit quesadillas and the unique burgers
(4)Maggie R.
So Yummy!! The fries are amazing!!! They were great with my daughter too.
(5)Peter H.
love the vibe here, some decent beer selection, the duck fat fries with their different dipping sauces are delicious.
(4)Tommaso S.
Had a beer with friends I like the ambiance. I will revisit for lunch and dinner.
(3)T T.
Good pub in a great location. I ordered the Soup Du Jour (mushroom soup), Crispy Duck Breast, a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon (Calina), and for dessert, the Raspberry Chocolate Lava Cake. Overall, it was a fine meal, in a nice atmosphere, and a pleasant, accommodating server. The food has room for improvement. The mushroom soup was delicious but could use some whole mushrooms as a contrast to the cream base. The duck breast was savory but not crispy. The side order of spinach was fantastic, but the cinnamon mashed potatoes were undesirable. The dessert was good but a bit too rich. The wine was just OK with the meal, but complemented the dessert wonderfully (though there was no raspberry that I could taste). The menu options are inviting, and I will definitely be back to try the duckfat fries, grilled vegetable plate, or a burger. The discerning beer selections look appealing, too; so, I'll be sure to order them on a future visit. While my review may read as very critical, I think this gastropub shows promise and hope they continue to strive to be the best. They are a welcome change to the neighborhood, and the food is anything but boring. No matter what your culinary tastes are, you should try this place at least once. 7/20/2010 RETURN TO DUCKFAT! Revisited this pub yesterday and decided to sit alfresco, which they dub the "Tiki Bar." The decor didn't reflect much of a tiki bar (more like Margaritaville) and not sure if they served tiki drinks (more like frozen margaritas), but I enjoyed sitting outside where there was good energy from the many seated patrons. This time I ordered a light meal, given the heat. I selected the house salad and an order of duckfat fries to share. Rounded out the meal with a shot of Jameson (funny detail: Jameson reads as Jamo on the bill). The house salad was a perfect portion with cool, crisp vegetables. My only criticism was the dressing. The menu stated balsamic vinaigrette. I was served something that looked like ranch or poppy seed dressing. I asked the server and he told me it was balsamic vinaigrette. I tried to substitute it with vinegar and oil and was told that there was none in the restaurant. I ate the given vinaigrette and wasn't a fan. The duckfat fries were amazing! Consistently seasoned and delicious enough to eat alone. The trifecta of sauces given for dipping were mediocre (the chipotle ketchup was mildly interesting), but I was happy to eat the fries sans sauce (and so was my partner). sure to be back soon.
(3)Ken L.
Yadda, yadda yadda... its bar food people and its good..... a lil sum for everyone, 3 stars no doubt but the atmosphere, beer selection and the continuous fabrication of a good.... no wait...... Great STIFF drink catapults it into FAN status.... or is that DRUNK status..... either way I have yet to be disappointed @ the good 'ol fatdux and not just because I'm a sucker for sweet potato fries mind you......
(4)Nina M.
Delicious duck fat fries--- the white dipping sauce is amazing!
(4)Mandy R.
I am a fan. I have been to Duck Fat three times now. The first time was last summer and we got to sit on the patio. Very nice to relax and enjoy the weather although like normal, there was a small wait to sit on the patio~ well worth it. I get the same thing every time, I nice juicy burger with sweet potato fries! The burger and sweet potato fries are delicious! I can't wait for some warmer weather to enjoy a cocktail and burger on the patio again! I have never had a problem with the service either. They do have free parking across the street.
(4)Kristina C.
It was good. Can't really say anything bad about the place, but on the other hand, nothing really stood out as wonderful either. They have a very nice beer selection and, though there are way to many t.v.'s for my liking, the rooms kept a nice coziness about them. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable about their offerings and made a wonderful beer suggestion (a porter). To be honest, we both had the Duckfat Burger, which was very good, but the patty appeared to be pre-formed, so I don't know if they use frozen patties or possibly use a press to form their own, and while the toppings and bun were delicious, the burger patty itself was pretty marginal. As for the famed 'duckfat fries'...they were tasty, but I don't really know what the big deal was. We are certainly going to go there again. Next time, we'll get something different and see how it does. The menu did look to offer some pretty tasty sandwiches and according to the waiter the salmon special was wonderful. So, do I recommend? Yes, but not in an overly excited "you have to go out of your way to try this place kind of way". I recommend it in more of a "yeah, sure, that place was pretty good" sort of way.
(3)L H.
Not only do you have a fabulous beer selection [yum pbr and seasonal beers!], ambiance and service, but your truffle fries and duck quesadilla are mouth watering! In an industry where quality and service is hit or miss, Duckfat is an excellent choice for dinner on the Madison strip in Fo Pa!
(4)Rebecca C.
Duckfat is excellent. The service is good, the mac n' cheese, burger's, and fries are all excellent forms of winter comfort food. Can't go wrong with this place.
(4)Patrick L.
I went to Duckfat on a Sunday evening for dinner during the summer. The outside patio was pretty busy, but we got in right away. The inside looked very slow. Outside, the patio is very quaint and fun. It almost has a vactionlike feel to it. I ordered the Kobe beef burger and thought it was ok. I ordered it medium but it came out pretty well done. The burger was very greasy and the flavor appeared to be lost in the pretzel roll it came on. A potato bun would have worked a bit better here. I ordered the duck fat fries along with the burger and was actually disappointed in those as well. They weren't warm and I was surprised that the didn't come out crispy. They were good, but nothing special. Overall, the food was decent, but I will most certainly come back for the patio. I wish I could say the same for the food. 2 stars
(2)billy s.
Great beer selection, awesome burgers and I love the 3x dips you get with your duck fat fries. It does get busy and lil bit crowded, but I always seem to get a seat. Free parking across the street (for now at least.) Family friendly, and the outside seating area is nice too. No complaints!
(4)Katie T.
We are regulars here and really enjoy pretty much everything about this place - the food, the drinks, the staff, the interior and the outside seating, too. Our favorite foods are the Duckfat burger (on a pretzel roll!), the Duckfat fries (which come with 3 delightful dipping sauces), the calamari, and my favorite: the fish and chips. I try the fish and chips nearly everywhere I go, and Duckfat is my favorite so far in the States. Additionally, they have a great beer menu, including Goose Island and Magner's Cider. Also, they have lots of TVs if you want to catch a game.
(5)Timothy D.
Dear Duck Fat - are you a restaurant or a bar? Please choose one. - Food menu says restaurant. - Over half the square footage dedicated to the bar area, the excessive number of flat screens and the lack of windows/natural light says bar! - Price of food and drinks says restaurant. The only way this place is going to survive is by finding its identity. I wouldn't recommend this place for just drinks b/c the drinks are too expensive, you can get a cheaper drink down the block at Healys or O'Sullivans. I wouldn't recommend this place for dinner b/c the bar atmosphere doesn't justify the price. I don't want to pay $50+ for dinner for two and sit at a hi-top table. There is very limited actual restaurant style seating. The negatives: - Service and food was terribly slow (maybe due to Friday night rush) - Waitress knew next to nothing about the menu. This is a big negative b/c the menu is way too big and too many choices. - Background music was absolutely atrocious and had nothing to do with the environment. It was a bunch of strangely eclectic songs which actually plays right into this place not knowing its identify. - Beer from the tap was warm and slightly flat The Positives: - Bathroom was nice, big and clean. Also had a flat screen which was not entirely a surprise. - Patio will be nice during the summer and probably what keeps this place in business for a period of time.....too bad Chicago has a 6 month winter. - Waitress was nice about splitting our bill (we had 8 people) The Food: - Pot Roast Nachos for appetizer....probably the highlight of the meal, but the chips got soggy fast. Maybe too much pot roast juice? - 3 of us had burgers, all were overcooked and a bit dry. Pretzel bun was a nice touch. - Girlfriend ordered the duck breast. Wasn't really duck breast but more just a few thin slices of duck meat. For $16+ I would have expected more duck meat and less mashed potatoes which were terrible and spiked with about half a cup of cinnamon, inedible. - Fries did not come close to living up to the hype. And my fries were shriveled and lukewarm by the time they got to me. This review might seem overly negative but it is in hope that someone from the Duck Fat actually reads this and does something to fix it. I have an interest in this place succeeding b/c I'm a homeowner just down the block. And I was so excited for Horan's (what a dump) to shut down. But, next time I walk down my block to find dinner at a reasonable price...I'll probably hit up Skrine Chops until Duck Fat gets sorted. Overall rating is 2.5 stars....I rounded up to 3 to be nice.
(3)Angela F.
Yes! Delicious food! Attentive Staff! Friendly and Accommodating Owner! Excellent Atmosphere! Great Fun! You Must Go!
(5)Bernie D.
Really disappointed. This place had so much potential, the location is really discrete, the decor and atmosphere were the right mix of upscale, but still just your run of the mill bar. Where they fell short was their menu, total disappointment. Bar food with no real selection and sub par specials. Because of the menu we only tried the Duckfat fries which were supposed to be the specialty. Duckfat fries = every other fry you've ever had. Nothing special at all. I probably wouldn't go back for food, but maybe for a beer at some point.
(2)B L.
Great patio. Servers very nice. But the Food stinks. OK for a beer on the patio in the summer, but that's about it.
(2)Adriana B.
The first time we ate here was a good experience. The patio is comfortable and the food was decent. It was the middle of the afternoon on a weekday...and the food and the service was good. The next time we went to watch the hawks game. There was a group of about 8 of us. We bought a bottle of vodka and a lot of food throughtout the game. Our bill was about 400. The last and final time we went was not so great. It was the last hawks game, and my bf and i went 2 hours beofre the game started to get a good table because there were going to be quite a few of us. When we got there, there was 2 tables outside seated. We requested to sit at a table in front of the tv. They told us it was reserved. I was very upset by this because as far as i was told, they didnt take reservations. Now they said they did for special events, parties of 5 or more. So the table sat there open for 2 HOURS. Then we asked if we could sit there if the people didnt come. The hostess told us it was being held for the owner. Now as somone who works in the restaurant industry, I felt this was ridiculous. The guest should always come first. The best table shouldnt be held for the owner. The owner should want the people who are spending money there to be happy. I mean, we only spent 400 the week before. Evantually, some people came and sat there. They didnt eat anything. they sat there drinking canned beer. The group of 6 people we were with sat at the bar. Well some of us did. Me and my bf shared a seat once our other friends started arriving, and some of them stood around behind us. Meanwhile the people behind us keep telling them not to block the tv (in a crowded bar). So it became annoying. I feel a customer should be appreciated better than this. We purposely went there early to get a good table. The icing on the cake was the bartenders. There personality was like a dry piece of toast. They didnt smile once. They werent friendly. When asked why they seemed upset, the girl said "I'm working." Well when I work, I act HAPPY even if I'm not. Nobody comes out to see some miserable bartenders. They seem annoyed while taking orders. They should have some experienced bartenders who can handle being busy without getting stressed out and taking it out on the patrons. Furthermore, not once did they ask me if I needed another drink when my glass was empty. I had to flag them down. When you're sitting at a bar, usually the bartender NOTICES when you need another drink. To say the least, I wont be returning here again. I'll go to restaurants where my business is appreciated, and I dont feel I'm bothering the bartenders to get a drink.
(1)James K.
Great beer selection and the food is a big step up from the typical bar fare.
(4)Stephanie G.
You might think that Forest Park has its fill of bars, but when this place opened it was a welcomed addition to Madison street. It's a great place to eat too. Everything I have tried here has been really good. While they say their duck fat fries are a favorite, you have got to try the sweet potato fries. They are the best I've ever had. In regards to the drinking crowd, it tends to cater to a slightly older following. Meaning, the place isn't filled with underage or early twenty-somethings. Huge outdoor patio too.
(4)Shannon A.
I cant say that we have ever gone to a restaurant 3 times in one week - until now! We love it... so close and really comfortable and tasty. Had the fish and chips, burgers and fish tacos! All incredible. The fish taco's were actually just OK, but my husbands Meatloaf and duck - also incredible. GO! Dine! oH wait - good Sangria too!
(5)Rachel F.
I love their hamburgers and duck fat fries. This is an excellent restaurant for people to go to with food allergies. I never eat fried food, but I am definitely not allergic to duck fat. It's great to be able to eat fries again.
(5)Ed O.
I have only been here two times, I had a salmon special one time and a signature burger with blue cheese another time. I am not well versed with what Duck Fat Fries are supposed to taste like, but these were hot and crisp so they passed in my book. My dinner partner, a vegetarian ordered the hummus, well you don't order hummus in a bar in Forest Park is the lesson learned here, as it was the most bland hummus she ever tasted. As an old-timer, I remember this place as "Horan's Snug" a dive bar with a decent corned -beef sandwich. I saw it on the menu and will be back to try it.
(3)Carl D.
I went to Duckfat for the first time last Saturday night. A couple of us ordered burgers and one ordered the chili. Everyone was satisfied with the food. I thought the Buffalo burger was quite tasty. I also tried the sweet potato fries which were pretty good. Beer prices were pretty standard for the area. The decor was done up quite nicely. My only complaint was that I ordered oil and vinegar for my salad dressing and they came back with a creamy balsamic instead. The barmaid didn't tell me they don't have oil and vinegar dressing. They really should have that as it is pretty standard. Anyway, overall it was a good experience and I will be back to try some of the other dishes.
(4)Amy L.
This place quickly became my new favorite in town. The blackened tilapia sandwich is the best fish sandwich I've ever eaten and the potato encrusted tilapia in the champagne sauce is fantastic. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable. Service is touch and go on timeliness but they have always been friendly. I definitely recommend this place.
(4)G w.
OMG .... noisy,noisy, noisy... in the back room. NO acoustics whatsoever!!! Ugh...+ add a loud large party, which makes it unbearalble. The owner needs to install something, pronto... to absorb the racket! Could not eat fast enough and get the heck out of there. Food was just ok.
(1)Lauren A.
Good place to stop in at for simple bar food. I think the duckfat fries are a little over rated, they taste like normal fries to me. Patio gets very crowded, if you like more low key dinning experience then it's better to sit inside.
(4)Justin G.
Had some food during the week. Wings are good like and similar to the Ale House in Oak Park and the duck quesadillas are good. Also had drink specials, unlike the Saturdays I went.
(4)Scott T.
Ok. So I went to Duckfat on a Weekday around 6pm. ambiance: right away I felt comfortable. It is dark and cozy with a good amount of flat screens. The first room is highlighted by the bar and bar tables. The second room was more of a dining area and then there is the outdoor patio with a bar outside...pretty awesome. Food: We had the Potroast Nachos. These were awesome. A large portion with a good amount of meat and toppings...really good. I also had the Duckfat Burger with Duckfat fries. The Burger was on a pretzel roll and cooked to perfection. It was really juicy and tasty. I would say above average. The Duckfat fries were good but with so much talk about them I don't think they lived up to the hype. Don't get me wrong they are really, really good but not oh my God this is the best fry I have ever had and I need more. I liked the fact they had a little bit of everything on the menu. From Burgers to Ribs, soups and salads to sandwich's all made a bit unique. Really good beer selection as well. Staff: pleasant but a bit slow. There was not a whole lot of people when I went and our service was a little on the slow side ie no water long time to come to table etc. they were nice though. I have been to every bar in Forest Park and Duckfat is one of the better ones. Really good food a good atmosphere and great drink selection. I will definitely go back. Total Tab: Appetizer, 2 Beers and two Burgers w/fries $40
(4)David K.
Food is good. Smoking in beer garden isn't. If you favor fresh air with your burger, don't sit outside.
(2)Joe G.
best place to eat in the area. one downside is that it gets very busy because it is the best place to eat. they actually have a unique menu. everything we've ever gotten there has been delicious. they have a great selection of brews albeit pricey. truffle fries are good stuff. burgers are really good, even mac and cheese was good and so are the fish tacos
(5)Mark M.
Good bar food plain and simple. Plus private patio. I was in a bad mood when we came to eat here and my mood was improved when I left. Nice, fun environment good food. It reminds me of some of the Lincoln Park/Lakeview sidewalk cafes.
(4)Dan C.
We just moved to the area and this was one of our first dining experiences. Overall, it was great. My wife had the Reuben and the meat was some of the best corned beef I've ever had. NO FAT! I had the Pot Roast sandwich which was also very good. Neither of us left a crumb behind. She opted to pay the extra $.95 for the "Duck Fat Fries". I guess they are healthier, but I tasted NO difference between those and my regular fries. We can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.
(4)Ms G.
Came here on a Sunday night with my husband and some friends to watch college basketball. We sat in the bar area, lots of TVS and high tables, but I saw there was another room connected to a big outside patio that seemed to attract families. The food was pretty good, though a bit pricey. I got the reuben, which was good but not great. There was lots of good corned beef, but little sauerkraut- and that's the best part! Their thousand island dressing, which I think is homemade, was excellent though. I liked that they offer you an option of many different types of fries- duck fat, sweet potato, parmesan... I got the sweet potato which were very good. My husband had the four cheese macaroni and cheese which came in a cast iron skillet. I had a taste and thought it was pretty good. Overall, it seems like a good place to come to watch a game or hang out with friends. I'd go back if I was in the area.
(3)Sara N.
If it were remotely reasonable, I would eat the fish tacos and sweet potato fries every day
(5)c d.
Went back on a busy Saturday night. The outdoor patio was very busy, as was the inside. The hostess predicted a 20 minute wait and was dead on with the timing. Our food took a really long time to come out, which was understandable being one of the first nice night and the crowds inside and out. Our waiter did a great job of keeping us informed and was very apologetic. At the end of the evening the manager acknowledge the delay as well and apologized. The honesty was refreshing. They compensated us with a round of drinks and a gift certificate. They handled it all perfectly! Cocktails: the margaritas are tasty and large for the price. I enjoyed the cucumber margarita. Food: The bacon macaroni and cheese was DELICIOUS! It is a huge portion too, good for splitting. Pot roast nachos were a thumbs up as well. We had great service on both visits, even considering the delay of the food. This will likely become a go to place for us!
(4)Pamela E.
Duckfat is a great addition to Forest Park's Madison Street. The food is soooooo good. However, many people I talk to have slight stomach aches after leaving, possibly due to not being used to duck fat? Or over-eating? The outside cabana area in the summer is the very best and the female bartender out there is great! She really knows what she's talking about. However, inside on a busy night the staff isn't as friendly.
(3)Kimberly H.
We planned a going away party at Duckfat for my friend last week, and it couldn't have been better! We reserved the covered section of the beer garden, and even though it was hot, there were ceiling fans to cool us off. Dennis, the manager, could not have been more accommodating. We brought a few decorations, and our friends brought some guitars and a drum set for acoustic music. He came around several times to check in with us and make sure everything was ok, even though I was the one worried we were overstepping our boundaries. Veronica, our server, was patient and helpful. We had about 10 more people come than we expected (30 all together), and she had no problem adding a few tables for us. She split up the tabs however people wanted, brought drinks and food out as people ordered it (even if it was just a beer or appetizer at a time) and kept track of where everything went perfectly. She also spotted an ice cream cake just as we were bringing it in, and swept it off to the freezer, no questions asked. I only had time to eat the just-right-spicy quesadilla and drink a few ice cold Summer Shandy's, but because the hospitality was so wonderful, I'm looking forward to going back for another great experience at duckfat!
(5)Erik N.
Drooled over the menu for quite some time before actually coming to Duckfat Tavern & Grill. I was so excited, I made my reservations for my group a couple of days in advance. I was running a little late, but a couple people from my group had arrived right at the time I made the reservation. I walk in the door and look around. It looked exactly what I thought it would from the pictures online. I was a little surprised to see a few people from my group sitting at the bar. I guess there was a snag w/ keeping a table for 10 on hold since we were a couple minutes late for the reservation. I thought that was a little much. No big deal, I was determined to have a good time. We decided to hang out at the bar and wait for the rest of our group to show up and then grab a table. As more folks started walking in, the host tapped me on the shoulder and said that she could get us a table near the bar. Sweet! Time to eat. I ordered the duckfat burger (medium) and truffle fries. The food was GREAT. The burger was cooked just bloody enough, and I wish I could order a gallon of the truffle fries. Prices were reasonable. Food and two Guinesses later, my bill came to about $25. The cool part was when they realized they had room outside in the beer garden, they asked us if we'd like to move outside. So we wound up having a few more drinks outside. The waitress we had inside was awesome. She separated all of our bills (without anyone of us asking...or at least I didn't hear anyone ask for separate checks), and she came to our outdoor table to give them to us. She was really helpful making sure we were ok with our drinks and making suggestions on the food/drinks. The waitress we had outside was not as good. She was running around to the other tables, and took a while to get back to us on our drinks. Other than the slow waitress outside, I thought it was a cool little beer garden. TVs, spacious seating, and a tiki-like atmosphere. The waitress we had inside and the food help give this place a higher ranking. Would've been a 4-star if we had the same service in the beergarden. I'd definitely go again. Wish they had a location in the city, but can see why they don't. Definitely an awesome neighborhood bar/grill!
(3)Sarah R.
Duckfat is such a great little spot. It's very comfortable here, they have an awesome patio out back with plenty of tv's, great food and clean bathrooms. We've been coming here for over a year now, but have started popping in more and more often. Twice just last week. I love their food, and their specials are nothing less than amazing. I get made fun of for loving beets on a pretty regular basis, simply because I am less than 75 years old. So I saw they had a beet salad on the menu, I immediately ordered it. I thought it would be some greens and veggies with some sliced beets on top, like usual beet salads. Oh no, this was a plate of chopped beets, with delicious parmesan shavings on top. We've never gotten any item that has been sub-par. Their daily soup choices are pretty interesting as well. And you can't go wrong with their French Onion soup. Wednesdays is $5 margarita day. Get the cucumber margarita with salt. Great beer selection, great drink selection. I love Duckfat. Service has always been really good too, we usually sit at the bar, but had a table last time and the server was really great. Not too hoovery, just stopped by when ever we needed to order more stuff.
(4)Janelle L.
If you read my reviews, you'll know that I'm not one to give out five stars easily. So four stars is really pretty good. My husband and I just got home from Duckfat, our first time. We arrived about 4:30 this afternoon, and there weren't too many people there. This was good, because the first time we went in it was packed (and honestly, I was really craving Skrine Chops) so we went elsewhere. Initially, I was very impressed with the decor- it's so strange to see Horan's so made-over! We sat in the bar area. I didn't realize right away that the other room was the main dining area. I understand that the layout of the restaurant before Duckfat moved in was not really made to accommodate a fancy dining place, so I get it. We seated ourselves, and a waitress was with us in a few minutes. I was impressed with her speed- until she opened her mouth. She sounded like she was repeating a script, and sounded insincere to the point of rudeness. It is very possible, though, that she was just having a bad day, because her demeanor certainly improved as our meal went on. I ordered the duck confit quesadillas as an appetizer, and the grilled chicken wrap with duckfat fries. My husband got a bowl of french onion soup and the Kobe burger, also with duckfat fries. I'm not much of a fan of duck, but ohmygoodness these quesadillas were SO GOOD. Chihuahua cheese, little pieces of julienne granny smith apple, and duck, drizzled with sweet chile sauce. I could have made a meal of just those- it was a huge portion for an appetizer. Those quesadillas probably make three of the four stars I'm giving! I've never had duckfat fries before, but they were very good. Hubby didn't think the dipping sauces were really anything special (we work with some really incredible chefs, so I think we're kind of hard to please sometimes) but he too was impressed with the fries. I personally liked the sauces, but found it strange that the pesto sauce seemed more garlicky than the garlic sauce. Good, though. Our main courses were decent. Mine was nothing special, and I didn't expect it to be, after all a wrap is a wrap and there's not much one can do with it. Pesto mayonnaise was yummy on it, though. My husband seemed to enjoy his burger, and he is a hard man to please when it comes to burgers. All in all, a good experience, and I'd probably go again- if only for those quesadillas.
(4)Randy C.
duckfat more like duckFART lame food trying too hard poor execution only good parts are plenty of tvs and nice patio, outside of that zero wows. seems like the place for river forest snobs to try and be hip. never heard of a fat duck either.
(2)Paul M.
Went here last night for my daughter's birthday dinner with her grandparents. Brought her (she is 6) and my 2.5 year old, too. Heard great things about this new spot in Forest Park, so we thought we'd try it. Came in through the bar area and I wanted to stop and have a pint. The bar is very welcoming, great flat screen TV's to watch a game and a general airy feel to the bar - lot's of open space. However, we sauntered through as we were with the kids and took our spot in the dining room. Where, by the way, I was also pleasantly surprised to find some big 60" HDTV's on the wall to watch the NBA playoffs while eating. We all loved our meals. I had the Chilean Sea Bass along with some specialty duckfat fries. My girls has the miniburgers and couldn't stop eating the fries. They really noticed the difference. They have a great kids menu but the best part is the Make Your Own Sundae for the kids. They loved it. Iced Cream from Brown Cow and toppings galore. The service was spot on and we even got a business card from our server in case we wanted to call ahead or book a party. Nice addition to the local scene.
(5)Adam S.
My wife and I had dinner at Duckfat and had a very nice time. The place looks amazing, and is barely recognizable as the former Horan's. The duckfat burger was excellent and very tatsy, my wife had a sandwich served on an extremely tough piece of chibatta bread. She needed to use a fork and knife to eat it. The fries were good, nothing out of this world. The sauces served with them are very tatsy. I do miss Anne the waitress, but all in all it was a good expirence. Parking is tough!
(3)Helen S.
I would actually like to give Duckfat 3 1/2 stars, but it's not allowed. The place is quite nice, especially on the patio (vast improvement over Horan's Snug). That place really sucked...BAD FOOD and SERVICE! The burgers are pretty good, but I'd like to suggest that they put the coleslaw on a separate plate. Your hands get pretty wet picking up the burger. The coleslaw is awesome;the beers are good. I also like the turkey chili. Would be nice if they had a BLT as good as the old Petersen's Ice Cream Parlour. I still miss that terribly. If anyone knows of a great BLT, please let me know.
(3)J. L. S.
I went here with friends a couple of weeks ago on a Friday night. The place was decently busy with a really busy patio. Gorgeous, but no room for us. We dined inside which was cozy. I had a turkey burger which was just ok. I guess that's what I get for ordering a turkey burger at a joint like this. The truffle fries definitely saved the night. So GOOD. The duckfat fries on my friend's plate was ok, but as soon as I tasted the truffle fries I was hooked. They keep calling my name to go back..... but the waistline says not yet.... but soon! Good for a quick dinner out or hanging out with friends.
(3)Deglazer Z.
I like Duckfat Tavern. Nice atmosphere and good location. The fries are done right and the beer is reasonably priced. The menu is a bit different - fancier than normal tavern food (e.g., duck confit sandwich, pomegranate bbq meatloaf). Unfortunately, I think the concept outstrips the execution. I still haven't found a menu item which really knocks my socks off. Frankly, I think they would be better off dropping some (not all) of the frou-frou stuff and focusing a bit more on some traditional fare which might be easier to deliver on consistently.
(4)Beth B.
I had recently moved to the area and it was bf's B-Day and he decided on Duck Fat. I had a horrible time. I will note that I do not eat beef nor pork. Still, they should have something for everyone. I ordered the Turkey Burger with regular fries. The waitress was very short and while we were waiting for her, I overheard our neighboring table complain that the fish they had just received was off and were given a refund. The meal came and the pretzel bun my burger was on was HUGE. It was a meal in itself and horrible. How does someone make room for all that! The burger tasted strange almost earthy, I dont know what spices they used But I took a few bites and was done. We also ordered a spinach and cheese dip. It was all cheese I dont think I tasted any spinach and the cheese was nauseating. We finished off with desert which is normally my favorite, however we got the ice cream oreo cake slice and from prior experience in the food business- and with working taste buds new immediately that it had been sitting in the freezer uncovered and for too long. All horrible!
(1)Kate D.
Wasn't sure what to expect but it was a cozy pub with good food and prices. Attentive service. Good place to watch the game!
(4)Robin L.
I've been here twice - both times service was terrible and food was less than average. Sat outside in the beer garden with family on a busy Friday night and drank warm beer for close to 1.5 hours while we waited for 3 burgers. When we finally got our food, the famous duckfat fries were cold and tasted like plastic. This place would be a nice place to hang out since they have a decent beer garden, but food service is TERRIBLE.
(1)mike b.
first time visit, the burger was outstanding, among the best i ever had, reminded me of a kuma's burger. place was clean and service was great, will go back often
(5)Jena S.
Looooooooove it! This joint used to be Horan's Snug. The new owner has totally revamped it and it looks great. The food is fab, had the truffle fries and artichoke dip for appetizers and the shrimp pasta for dinner, raved about it to everyone who listen. My boyfriend had a chicken wrap and loved it. Everything was so good and not just "bar food" we even had dessert. Chocolate lava cake was awesome. Great service, too.
(5)jackie s.
so I came here thinking duck fat fries, wow! Just like Hot Doug's...not. At best, they were decent enough but for 5 dollars an order, please. My daughter got a salad, it was Ok, not much salad dressing...big bowl of lettuce with a ketchup size amt of dressing.. Yes, I could have asked for more dressing, but the attitude of the server was not the best, and I did not want to bother her. Second to this, I got the duck confit sandwich, the bun was way hard, a softer bun would have been much better...it was like a hard ciabatta bun. Duck portion was ample, sauce was ok. Lastly, for all you dog lovers, I brought my service dog to dine with us outside, and upon entry to the restaurant, the owner said"what is a service dog ?"...I should have known at that point this was not going to be good. without disclosing my medical condition, of which I do not need to do, I was made to feel like like I was a lying person about my dog being a service animal( I do have appropriate documentation proving same) . Now I must set upr the scenario about the outdoor bar, about 5-6 quite loud/roudy guys watching footaball, of which I tolerated fine, as guys will be guys. But the real kicker came when the server approached me to tell me my dog was barking too much. Now I do not know what world she lives in, but guess what..dogs bark. she barked for about 3 minutes, trying to be louder than the guys at the bar...but it did not work..they were much louder. Needless to say, my experience was not good here..oh yeah, the bill was 36 bucks plus tip...way not worth this bar food or the arrogance of the server/owner...
(1)Dan D.
I was really frustrated with my recent visit to duck fat. My 9 year old daughter was with me and we wanted to eat outside on their patio. I know they allow smoking on the patio but was sure we could find a table where that would be an issue. The 20 something hostess takes us to a table right near the bar where most people would be smoking. I ask her for another table and she sits us next to a table where there are diners with cigarette packs on the table. I had to tell her that I wanted a table near the sidewalk away from the smokers and she gave me a little attitude. Food was ok. Nothing great.
(2)Patrick K.
Was fun up to the point when my friends and I moved outside and had the worst "service" from any waitress I've ever experienced. Didn't get her name but if you see an old blonde hag working the patio area, beware. The owner was a cool dude though.
(2)Angela D.
Food was good (OMG fries were AMAZING) but the service was so remarkably awful we will never go back :( Had an appetizer, 2 drinks and a couple of burgers and the bill was a bit high but I swear we were there for 2 hours! When we got there the place was empty and the service was no better. By the time we were leaving (7ish) it was packed, outdoor patrons near us were smoking (seriously who still smokes anyway!), and it was so loud it wasn't even enjoyable anymore. Waitress kept disappearing for as much as 25 minutes and we had to hunt her down and flag down alternates just to get our bill so we could escape. So, as to the food, the duckfat fries were extremely delicious. The guacamole was just OK, and I don't even remember if the birgers we ordered were good. So considering what foodies we are, and what a good memory I normally have, they must have extremely meh. I was also suprised to see some homeless dude who kept passing by the outdoor area that was near the sidewalk but separated by a wrought iron fence, and he kept stopping to interrupt a couple of ladies trying to enjoy dinner and noone thought to ask him to leave. Once, OK, but the patrons ask you to leave and if you keep coming back someone should intervene! Anyway... What a bummer...
(2)Lori G.
Im the handicapped informer a BIG fyi If you are in a wheelchair go in and ask the manager for the ramp for the door, If you are alone call first, The food was good duck fries or sweet potato fries both very good. Burgers and corned beef all good still want to try the coconut ice cream.Service was a bit slow maybe they will read this and take a hint.
(3)Cathleen F.
We have only been to Duckfat a handful of times since late fall/winter hit. And although it just isn't the same as sitting outside in the amazingly awesome patio, it's still always a great time. We have somewhat become "regulars." The servers and friendly and helpful. Laura's our all-time favorite waitress. She pampers our son the moment we step inside and is always attentive to us. Although we hope to get her every time, of course we don't, and the other servers always friendly and attentive. No complaints. Can't wait for the patio to open this summer!
(4)Michelle C.
My best friend and I decided to head to Madison Street on a Friday night for dinner and drinks. After scoping out the area, we decided on Duck Fat since it had the most inviting outdoor patio and seemed like a fun place. The service was adequate and the ambiance was good. There's a tiki-bar theme which is a little cheesy and gimmicky, considering that the bar didn't really need a theme at all. They had a pretty decent beer menu selection, including Goose Island's Matilda (which I love!). Their menu selection is also pretty good; a lot of variety and a lot of choices you wouldn't find at any other bar/pub around. My friend had a Duckfat burger which she raved about and loved (said it was the best she'd ever had) and since I'm a vegetarian watching my calorie intake, I opted for a boring chopped salad with salmon. Here's the thing: I realize pub food isn't supposed to blow you out of the water, but I was so bummed out with the salad that I almost wanted to send it back. I ate the salmon (which was overcooked) and I pushed around the wilted, colorless lettuce for a while, but the salad was a huge miss. I would definitely come back for drinks. I'd spend my money elsewhere on food, but on a summer's night, this is the place to be on Madison Street!
(3)Christina G.
Right now this is my favorite place on the Madison "strip." Food is good--the grilled calamari is especially good. I think the avocado is made ahead of time though, because it came out really fast, which I'm not a fan of too much. But obviously burgers and duckfat fries are really good, as are the sweet potato fries. Also a good choice of beers, and some unique mojitos. And love the patio outside although both times I came the weather was not that good so we had to sit inside. However--I have gotten takeout here before and the takeout person on the phone, and then in person, was extremely abrupt on the phone and not very friendly in person, which I really don't care for. I would come here for dine-in service, but think I'll skip takeout from now on.
(3)Linde P.
I ate here a few months ago with a group of friends on a suggestion from a coworker. It was love at first bite! I had the pot roast nachos and they were delish! I returned today and had the fish tacos, duck fat fries with three sauces (probably the best chipotle ketchup I've had so far), and I tried a bite of my friend's pot roast sliders. Everything was great! I always expect places that are known for their beer list to slack in the food department and this place is definitely an exception. They kept the famous Rueben sandwich from the Horan's menu too!! The next time people want to go out and drink I am suggesting Fat Duck! I am so tired of fried bar food.......
(4)Dan H.
Solid beer selection, plenty of TVs throughout and haven't had a bad meal yet. Love the fish tacos, Fat Duck fries and the Kobe Beef burger.
(4)MOMO T.
ephemere + duckfat fries + reuben w. truffle parm fries + march madness= how could anyone not be happy here?!?!? I have been coming here for 3 years now and am never disappointed. The staff is great and most of the waitstaff are very good at making suggestions. The GRILLED calamari is delish-fest and I dont even like calamari! I usually get the reubens but they have been getting smaller. Also suggest the beef brisket sandwich, the fish tacos, the kobe beef sliders, or the kobe beef burger on a pretzel roll with a fried egg. if the bacon caramel ice cream sundae is on special -- ORDER IT!! My neighborhood fave :)
(5)Melissa T.
I'm thinking about the burger and fries I ate yesterday at 8am this morning, wishing I had saved half of it for today. 4 people - 3 burgers, 3 kinds of fries and an order of wings with the chef accommodating a request to mix the hot sauce and bbq sauce together (simple request, but I still appreciate the willingness to cater to the customer), and everything tasted delicious. I just love the duckfat burger with the melted brie and delicious caramelized red onions. Even the pretzel bun grew on me during this visit - although I stand by the fact that better buns exist for burger than pretzel buns - and my burger was cooked perfectly. A snafu occurred with our fries orders, but they fixed it promptly, and we ended up with an extra order of the delicious sweet potato fries in addition to one duckfat and one truffle order. More tasty fries - what a travesty. Overall, I think an upgrade on my review is due after such a delicious experience yesterday. 4 happy people = 4 happy stars
(4)Amanda G.
It was common to visit this spot when it was Horan's many, many moons ago, but have not been here for a couple years. Holy surprise! Love the fact that the space got new owners and a makeover! No more dark and dingy and mediocre food and cocktails! The space is much more open and the color combo is quite appealing to the eye (maroon and gold). There are several craft beers and they sure know how to provide decent wines at decent prices! All beers, cocktails, and wines are slightly cheaper than the majority of Chi-town places (nice on the wallet). As for the food? Tried the truffle parmesan fries...yummy! Crispy fries with a hint of truffle oil and a whole bunch of parmesan cheese goodness! The only downside? The bartender moves a bit slow at times, even if it is not busy. I guess I just need to get to the bar when I have a few sips left! This may need to be the new friday (after work) hangout...!
(4)Tony D.
Was looking for a Yelp review on "Duck Fat Tavern", but none could be found. Could I be the first to review this new bar/restaurant that had opened in Forest Park. Yep! Stop by, drink and tip well.
(4)Chuck M.
My wife and I had dinner here last night and really enjoyed the food. I had the duck special and thought it was outstanding. Our server was courteous and quick. It was a nice respite on a Monday night. The price was certainly reasonable for two people. Try the sangria.
(4)Alicia K.
I was taken here for an end-of-the-school-year dinner by a teacher, and all of us were very pleased with our experience. Items were a little pricey, but everything tasted great and the portions were huge so it was worth it. Service was pretty good, but it normally is when you're a big party since they know it had better be. ;] We all shared the NACHOS - yum! Lots of topping but the chips were not too soggy. Major plus. I had the DUCKFAT BURGER which has brie and bacon on it. Words cannot express how happy my mouth was to have had this experience. GET THIS BURGER, and get it medium rare. It was so juicy and just divine. Hubby had the MAC & CHEESE w/chicken. I would definitely recommend the mac & cheese, but skip the chicken. The mac was delicious -- they must use multiple cheeses, one of which is perhaps parmigiano reggiano? It sure as heck tasted like it in the best way. Who cares -- it was amazing. The chicken, on the other hand, was very dry. Skip adding the chicken. Basically, it's a great place for a burger and some beers with friends. Lots of big TV's tuned to various sports games. Try it some time.
(4)HLynn E.
Soooooooo good!!! My husband and I stopped in here Saturday night on our way back to Chicago and had a great meal. We started off with the goat cheese appetizer which was super tasty. For dinner we ordered the duckfat burger (comes with duckfat fries) and the chicken mac & cheese. Both were amazing. You get three sauces with the fries, the pesto and garlic ones were our favorites. We ended up taking home a decent amount of food which we ate for dinner on Sunday. I'm typically pretty picky when it comes to left overs, and will just let my husband eat them, but everything tasted just as good reheated. The staff was wondeful as well - we were initally going to place an app order for the duckfat fries and our waitress suggested holding off on ordering the app until we decided what we wanted for dinner. Good call since our duckfat burger came with the fries! Also as we were stuffing our faces with the goat cheese dish a staff member (not our waitress) came by and noticed we were a few pieces of bread short to finish the dip. He immediately brought out some more bread without asking which was great! I'm not sure if it's worth the drive from the city to specifically go here, but a MUST if you're in the area.
(5)Catie F.
Wish I could give this a 3.5. It's better than OK in terms of ambience especially if you sit outside on the patio. Good lighting and fun seating/bar area that makes you feel like you're on vacation. Waitstaff was friendly and attentive even on a busy night. I heard so much about the duck fat fries - they're supposed to be better than "regular" fries (and they cost more) but I really couldn't tell the difference. Didn't think they were anything spectacular besides the dipping sauces, which you don't get enough of. We tried the chicken pesto pizza with artichoke and sundried tomato. It was good, crispy, and cheesy. We also had side salads which were fairly boring and the balsamic dressing was creamy and white. I'm not quite sure how I felt about that. The other food on the table was the duck confit sandwich which my friend said was good (he finished it) and the pot roast sliders which also got good reviews. Overall good looking menu but definitely skip paying more for the fries and try one of the other interesting choices.
(3)W S.
Duck fat has consistently good food, and weirdly seems to be able to cool anything. Great burgers, great Mexican food, great corned beef, meatloaf, salad and probably the best fries in town. I'm picky and have not been disappointed. Also, they have a good beer list and seem to put random great beers on their list for cheap. I had dogfish head 120ipa here, on tap, for $5. You will not find that deal at other Chicago bars, and in most cases you won't even find that beer.
(5)John S.
Went to the Fat Duck with my sister on our way to the hawks game. Wanting to try duck fat fries and not have to wait in the line at hot dougs my sister did some research and found the fat duck. I must say I was quite impressed with both the service and food at the fat duck. We ordered the baked goat cheese for an appetizer and were served a nice large portion of cheese with plenty of pieces of bread to go with it. The goat cheese tasted great and went perfectly with the marinara sauce that was served with it. For dinner I had the Kobe burger and duck fat fries. Not a big fan of duck I was skeptical of the fries but after I got them was glad I went with them. The duck fat fries are amazing. They were fresh and the duck fat oil was much lighter then regular vegetable oil. The burger here was also great. Loved the pretzel bun and it was a great size. Over all really enjoyed my meal at the Fat Duck and feel we were given a lot to eat for the money.
(4)Kim H.
I love coming here! Between the beer and the food I have quite a few favorites. The pot roast sandwich with horseradish is awesome! Turkey burger on a pretzel bun (add blue cheese) is great, and who could forget the duck fat fries! The only dish I wouldn't recommend would be the blackened tilapia... a bit over seasoned. Other than that I recommedn you check it out I will be back in there in the near future.
(4)Jessica M.
I visited Duckfat after a day on the town shopping for a grilfriend's wedding dress. We had eaten a late lunch, but wanted to grab a quick cocktail and appetizer before heading home for the night. I had seen Duckfat on Food Network and thought it might be a nice place to visit. When we arrived I was surprised. I had expected an upscale restaurant with a classy bar and interesting menu items. However, it was more of a neighborhood hang out...dark and kinda yucky. We took a look at the menu and it looked promising, so we stayed and gave it a whirl. I had heard people rave about the Duckfat Fries (fried in Duckfat, of course). Outside of them being soggy when they arrived, with not-so-special dipping sauces, they weren't any different than other soggy/greasy french fries with boring dipping sauces. Think McDonald's fries that were fried about 45 minutes ago (not even as tasty and McD's). We also tried the Duck Confit Quesadillas. Another VERY greasy and not-so-flavorful dish. The cocktails that we enjoyed were glasses of Sangria, these were okay...a little over the top with the red wine...but drinkable. While I am in that area almost every weekend...I will probable not visit again.
(2)Pat T.
I love it here. Great menu...friendly staff...bartenders are wonderful...and a dynamic patio....who could ask for more
(4)Maris W.
Not at all impressed with the food but the service was very good. I've wanted to eat here for a while b/c it always seems busy. We ordered the duck confeit sandwich and BBQ brisket sandwich. The duck arrived barely warm with a very strange flavored sauce. The brisket arrived with 3 unidentified sauces - the white one was terrible, green totally tasteless and red one was like a chili flavored ketchup. Great concept for a cool neighborhood place that I will not make an effort to eat at again.
(2)Ali R.
My husband and I went to Fatduck for dinner last night. He is a duck hunter and wanted to try the duck dishes. The menu looked good, so we figured we'd try it. When we arrived at the restaurant, it was moderately crowded, which I always take as a good sign. The hostess seated us promptly but was not at all friendly. When she showed us to our table we didn't even get "an enjoy your meal" or "your server will be right with you". She basically just plopped down the menus and walked away. OK... Our server was pretty good. She was attentive and nice. We started out with the duck confit quesadillas which were just ok.They were your standard bar quesadillas smothered in a sweet and sour chili sauce. I felt they could have been better if some freshness (salsa, quac, jalepenos or lettuce) had been included. Otherwise, they were very rich with nothing to balance the richness. My husband ordered the fat duck burger and I ordered the buffalo burger. First of all, the buffalo burger is buffalo meat, just an FYI and I would not recommend it. I've had buffalo burgers at other restaurants and this one was probably my least favorite. We both ordered our burgers medium and both of ours came out completely pink and raw on the inside. I am pregnant and cannot eat raw meat, so I sent mine back and asked for a ruben. The server was completely understanding and took the burger off our bill and did not charge us for the ruben. (She is the reason for the two stars, otherwise I would have given this place a one star!) My husbands burger was good, I took a small bite of the cooked end. The burger has brie, bacon and carmelized onions on it. The pretzel bread made the burgers really hard to eat, it kept slipping and sliding and you almost had to eat the burger with a kinife and fork. The redeeming quality of the meal was the duck fat fries. They were delicious, and you get three really nice dipping sauces, the garlic aioli was my favorite. Overall this restaurant is just OK. Compared to other restaurants in the area, I would definitely send a friend elsewhere and I dont think we will be going back unless it is just for a beer. In my opinion it is a little pricey for what you get.
(2)Samantha K.
Duckfat or FatDuck?!?! Either way this local restaurant is Delicious! I do have my favorites off the menu... the Chopped Chicken Salad and/or the Fish Tacos, yummm! I do frequent the Margaritaville-like patio in the warmer months of the year. I love this patio and its vibe. The mixologist behind the bar knows their stuff! Get a French martini you wont be disappointed! If I could... I would... mixup the menu a little bit! Add and remove some sandwhiches or dishes. Shake it up! i've been going here for two years and I pretty much have the menu memorized! Keep me coming back for more with some new and exciting flavors!!
(3)Guy L.
It's a bar/restaurant which has great food and great atmosphere. I love the FatDuck fries and the 3 sauces they give you for dipping but make sure you ask for them, they cook the fries in duck fat. I love the burgers at this place, they serve them on a pretzel roll. I usually get the Bacon Cheddar Burger but I have also tried their signature FatDuck Burger and the Fried Egg Burger. It comes with Brie cheese, apple wood smoked bacon and caramelized onions, I thought it was OK. The Fried Egg Burger is delicious! I love the taste of egg on the burger, it blends so perfectly. If you're getting this burger, I recommend adding some bacon to it too. I have had some of the appetizers as well. I tried the fried calamari (and the grilled version which tastes too chewy, stick with fried), chicken wings and the baked goat cheese which are all pretty good. The fish tacos are great. Probably my favorite appetizer there. Excellent selection of craft beers. This is my go to restaurant around the area, my friends and I come here to watch the Bears games all the time. If I want to have a burger and watch a game (or just have a burger), this is my bar.
(5)Anne D.
Duckfat (or Fat Duck as they're now apparently called) gets a solid 4 from me. Excellent burgers (with a pretzel bun of course) and a pretty good beer selection. Truffle fries are one of my addictions and they have great parmesan truffle fries which fall somewhere in my top 3. The outdoor patio is wonderful in the summer and tented and heated in the winter, so you can still enjoy the patio vibe in the crummy weather. I have actually yet to sit inside and hope to do so soon! The Fat Duck is definitely a step above the other bars in Forest Park if you're in the mood for good food and a more relaxed atmosphere. I'm sure I'll be back soon!
(4)Pizza L.
Visited Duck Fat for the first time and sat outside with friends. I was disappointed to say the least. The ambiance was great and loved the outdoor garden, BUT after being seated and getting our appetizer; Pot Roast Sliders (which were luke warm) waitress hadn't even given us plates or silverware prior to getting the food. I ordered the BLT salad which was basic and they brought it out with 2 of the 3 entrees we ordered???? One friend got the duck burger w/duck fries which he enjoyed...burger looked great. Wish I would have ordered that ..the duck fries tasted like regular fries. My friend & I ordered the meatloaf, I asked the waitress how it was, she said it was 'great'...it was horrible, even the mashed potatoes were subpar, and it was cold. She brought it out with my salad so I asked her to take it back and keep it warm. She forgot about me and I had to wait 20 min for her to bring my dish back. The mac & cheese was unimpressible as well. Very runny, not creamy as it should be. The service and food was horrible....If I went back, I would only order the BURGER!!!!!
(2)Mary Ann C.
Second visit was just as great as our first. Sometimes this is not the case when you go on a different day and different time, but we were thrilled with our lunch yesterday. Our server was Laura (she has blonde hair), and she greeted us energetically at the door. During each phase of the meal, she was totally helpful and eager for us to enjoy the meal. Since we were eatting outside, she even let us enjoy every last second of our lunch before the skies opened up with pouring rain! Checking us out and wrapping up our food quickly. Even if the food was just average, the great staff would keep us coming back here, as they are really exceptional. But...the food is not average. The cuisine is creative and unique. Love the duck quesedillas (second time ordering them). My husband completely enjoyed the blackened tilapia (which came with the delicious and addictive duck fat fries), and I loved the pizza of the day (pesto and chicken). I finished my pizza a few hours later at home, as it was so fabulous. The outdoor patio and indoor dining areas are comfortable and pleasant! This is a true gem!
(5)Sarah R.
Went here with a friend to get a drink. We got the Raspberry mojitos they were good and strong. We sat outside on the patio it was a little chilly outside. The waitress was attentive and always came by to check on us.
(2)Cathleen H.
Mmmm...love me a burger on a pretzel bun! I will start with DF's highlights: the burger is delish - flavorful, juicy meat and fresh toppings. Try the Duckfat burger (Brie and cooked red onions). The truffle fries taste rich and dense with plenty of garlic and Parmesan. Food is served with a number of sauces, and menu has a nice array of burgers/sandwiches/salads. French onion soup was also good. Now, the negatives...I'm sad to say that every time I've ventured to Duckfat the service has been moderate at best. This past trip our waitress was completely absent. Our food was brought out by a different staff member, and our waitress didn't bother to accompany him to see if we needed anything. We did. Our drinks were empty and we needed a plate. Waited 10 minutes to track someone ELSE down to remedy this. Do I sound like a whiney Yelper?? I don't need top-of-the-line service, I just need service! The ambiance is also a little lacking, and the restaurant layout is a bit awkward. So, come with a hearty appetite for some filling fare, and an extra dose of patience & grace for the service, and you'll be set.
(3)Joseph H.
I got the turkey club, it was standard. I actually ended up meeting an old friend here and they were sitting outside which was pretty nice in late May in Chicago. We drank PBR's, so I can't say if they have a great beer selection or not. So, overall I'd say this was a pretty decent joint. Our waitress was annoying though. A friend of mine from grade school had just got married and this chick could not stop talking about it. They live in the neighborhood, so I guess they know her. I don't care either way, she was annoying.
(3)Brian F.
I really like this place for it's atmosphere, beer selection, and adventurous menu. Sadly, I think the food itself doesn't deliver on its promise. I've been here at least a half-dozen times and keep trying different menu items in the hope that I'll find a dish that I can get excited about French Onion Soup (meh), Sliders (one was good, the other two so-so), duck-fat fries (ok), duck-fat burger (yawn), crispy duck breast (overcooked and over-sauced), mac and cheese (pretty good), chocolate lava cake (no lava), and finally the duck confit quesadillas (oversauced). I am actually a big fan of duck fat in cooking. i make my own duck confit at home and my duck-fat burger is gobbled up by friends when I barbeque. (If anyone's curious it can be be bought at Paulina Market in Chicago.) I don't have a problem with the ingredients being used, in fact they are favorites of mine. So what are they doing wrong? I think the main problem lies in the balance of flavors. Take the Duck Confit Quesadillas. On it's own it is a great idea. Add some Granny Smith Apples for tartness and to cut some of the richness of the duck confit and cheese. So far so good. Then they smack you over the head with their Pineapple Sweet Chile Sauce which is drizzled over the food. The stuff is so incredibly sweet that having a little means you can't taste anything else. Many of the other dishes have similar problems. It's like they just try to get too fancy and the base flavors of the dish are lost in the noise.
(2)Mike D.
Good food, Best beer garden on Madison street, and good beer selection .....I only dock a star because my favorite bar was Horan's, which is currently now Duckfat.
(4)Steven L.
I love me some Duckfat. Even if it's no longer called Duckfat due to some conflict over the name (now called the Fat Duck) to me it shall always be Duckfat. Hands down one of the best burgers in the Chicagoland area. On my burger scale it ranks second only to the legendary Father's Office in Santa Monica, CA. Definitely check it out!
(5)Joe C.
Good enough to go back, which for me is saying something. We had the buffalo burger, duck confit sandwich, duck fat fries, and sweet potato fries - all were very good! So if you're a local and looking for good food, great beer selection, and a laid back, unpretentious vibe - then this place and Poor Phil's (on Marion St.) are my 2 choices.... IMHO definitely better than Bar Louie, Kevils, etc. We'll be back for sure!
(4)Ted S.
Found this gem after recently moving to Oak Park. It instantly became one of my favorites after having one of their burgers. Pretzels buns, crisp bacon, and cheddar make for the perfect burger. It also helps they offer truffle fries too. Ive been here four times now and the service has been great. Love the outdoor patio area which they convert to a heated patio area when it gets colder outside.
(5)Yvonne O.
Oh Duck Fat. You make it so hard to like you. I can't blame you for the turn in your customer base to be 95% Trixies and Chicago Douchebags (half of whom bring their children in here to run in the aisles), but I can blame you for the inconsistent food. We came in for lunch and ordered a duck confit quesadilla to start - excellent. Then the entrees came. Thai Chicken Pizza and a Brisket sandwich. The Chicken not only tasted bad, but had a freezer-burn smell to it and there was no other real flavor to the whole pizza - which is so weird considering I could feel the heat of some spice on my tongue. The brisket was dry and flavorless, so the husband just ate the fries and pushed the meat around for a while. I wanted to save the meal, so we got the cocounut fried ice cream that was on special - so good! Beers here are also really good - they have Sophie and Matilda and specials all the time along with a rotating list of microbrews and seasonal offerings. I REALLY wish that they could get their food together and make things consistent so I could rate this higher, but when you are spending $75 on lunch, you can't expect me to overlook TWO bad entrees. The service is still outstanding - these servers truly love their jobs or are just very good at faking it, so that saves part of the experience!
(2)Amy B.
I'm a bigger fan in the summer when the outside tiki-sports-bar is open. I love the duckfat fries with the dipping sauces. Actually, I've never had a bad meal here. The duck confit quesadillas are tasty and so are their burgers and flatbreads. But since it is November I probably will not be visiting for awhile (not that there is anything wrong with the inside, it's very nice! It's just more fun outside.)
(4)Noelle C.
Saturday night around 6:30, the restaurant is empty yet the blond hostess with the black maxi dress chooses to seat us by the bathroom?! Are you stupid or kidding me? Absolutely not when the bar is effin empty and by the service they provide is understandable. Beer glass wa empty for a full 5 minutes before the bartender even acknowledged that the beer glass is empty. We practically had to beg to place an order. Will not be returning for the service. Burgers and fries were delicious, just wish the staff was as great as the food. And trust me, I run a bar, this bar needs a little commitment from the staff.
(2)Franco B.
Do not underestimate the duckfat burger and fries. Man what a great combo, def get that if it's your first time! Great atmosphere and the service was great!
(4)Tracy L.
I got really excited because they have parmesan truffle fries, but they're just ok...they start tasting really weird after a couple bites. I am a burger-judger for sure. My Kobe beef burger was medium, and it tasted mediocre, there could've been a lot more flavor potential in the burger. The bf got the duckfat fries and he said they were better than Hot Dougs, not soggy, and they came with 3 dipping sauces. My favorite was the aioli. There's also Mexican Pesto,and Chipotle Ketchup. He likes the ketchup. He got the beef brisket, but again it was tasteless. However, I do like the atmosphere, there's an outdoor seating area with heat lamps, and flat screen tv's. Indoors they have large flat screens in 2 separate rooms. Lots of seating space, and service is attentive.
(3)Nada R.
So, it's called Duckfat(oh, now it's FatDuck?). Right, let's move on. We had drinks and snacks on a chilly Saturday night. Two hostesses helped seat us and get other members of our party together as they came in. We sat in the heated tent area, which was comfortable. Our server was very attentive and the atmosphere on the patio was perfect for conversation, especially considering that it was a Saturday night and there were a number of kids at neighboring tables. Drink prices were fair and the drinks were fine, but I noticed that the list (beer, wine and spirits alike) is pretty limited for a place with such a food menu. My sense is that the prices are quite high for what's on offer, too. $13 for a plate of grilled vegetables- squash, onions, carrots, mushrooms and no toasty bread- is exorbitant.
(3)Mr G.
The Fries in the place our outstanding. I think the Truffle fires are better than the duck fat fries but both are over the top good. The burger is a great tasting burger but the name duckfat burger has nothing to do with it having duckfat in it its just thier signature burger. Its a great tasting burger but not inline to be one of the best Ive ever had but you shouldn't be disapponted knowing this. The fries is why you should come here. Beer Beer Beer. They have a great selection of microbrew on tap with a good variety. Good tv viewing at the bar. Fast service and good patrons. I wish I lived closer to this place.
(5)Theresa C.
I've been coming to Duckfat almost once a week for several months. Dominican library students meet here for after class drinking and such. I like this place and overall have had good service, food and experiences at this bar. The real food is all very good, the burgers are juicy, the salads are fresh, I just had the pot roast nachos for the first time last night and oh man, they were awesome! The duck fat fries are actually pretty overrated, but I think things cooked with duck fat in general tend to be that way. The beer selection is good and sometimes they have season or special cocktails. There is 2.50 PBR tallboys everyday, WIN! Of all the places on this strip of Madison, this place is certainly one of the best.
(4)Rachel P.
As I said, in most cases I'll give a restaurant a second chance, especially if a poor previous experience was driven by lousy service. In my follow up visit, the service was vastly improved and even the food seemed tastier. Our server was spot-on with the beer recommendations, and since we went there with a major jonesin' for some brewskies, my perception of old Duck Fat went up a couple notches when I took a deep, delicious sip of the import delight she had suggested. We split a crazy-rich 'dilla appetizer. Instead of the traditional queso cheese and jalepenos, etc, it had apples. Apples, I tell you. Yummy. Decadent. Way too much for a starter but appreciated all the same. I had a burger which was average but still, hit the spot when paired with the great beer. Even my 2 year old dug her dish - mac n' cheese - and was happy to see that the place came equipped with a prime selection of crayons and illustrated children's menu.
(4)Andy M.
Enjoyed watching the NFC Championship game here. The TVs were all tuned in and so was the crowd, the sound could have been a little louder but it was nice that you could still hold a conversation. We did sit on the bar side, I think it was quieter on the dining room side. Ordered off of the appetizer menu and really enjoyed them all; Pot Roast Nachos, Duckfat Fries, quesadillas and sliders. $5 Bloody Mary's were also a hit. We will be back!
(4)Alexa E.
Really chill bar with a great atmosphere. I've been here once several months ago, but I would love to stop in again. Apparently the food is pretty amazing, so I'll have to try that as well.
(4)Andrea M.
My husband & I love this place. Great food & selection of beers!!
(5)Leo I.
This is a busy and bustling sports bar with good food and great service. The tavern can get quite noisy, so this is not the spot for a romantic dinner, a business meeting, or granny's 85th -- would you really go to a sports bar on such occasions anyway? The place is great for catching up with friends and neighbors. The duck fries are good, though a bit soggy. Ditto for the truffle and parmesan fries. The sweet fries were rather dries -- the ones at Poor Phil's are better, I think. The burgers are finely prepared, grilled to order. The pretzel bun however was not as fresh as I would have expected. The draught beer selection is good but rather small. The Bloody Marys verge on the alcohol-free regime. The servers are friendly, funny, and quick. A definite return.
(3)Christina R.
I lurve what they've done with this place! 100 extra bonus points for the revamped patio a la Margaritaville! What a great place to watch the Bears' games while it's still nice out! First, let me tell you about Duck Confit Quesadillas. Dear holy cheezus, these are delicious! The pineapple chile sauce brings in the sweet and the spicy and the duck is so rich, this could be a meal all by itself. But I can't resist a burger, and the Duckfat signature with brie, bacon and caramelized onions on a pretzel bun (from La Briola) was easily the best gourmet burger I've ever had. (Sorry Kuma's.) I could eat duckfat fries with every meal til my dying day, seriously, they're that good. There are quite a few items on the menu that I can't wait to try next time: truffle parmesan fries and the 4 cheese macaroni to name a few. Also noticed several vegetarian menu options and even a couple vegan entrees, very commendable Duckfat! As to whether this is a bar or restaurant, I would go with bar that serves really good food. You can bring your kids, but people will be smoking and drinking.
(5)Mark W.
There are a few reasons i like Duckfat. The fact that it replaced Horan's, aka, the Black Hole, would have to top the list. Good transformation. Ive only had a few food items off the menu, but ive never been dissapointed. Their burgers are extra delish. Looove the Fries with real parmesan and truffle. Cheap drinks, great outdoor seating. Yep. Ive had a couple of visits where the service was so terrible i said id never come back.. But i always have been back. More times than not the wait staff is great. Just a few bad apples in there too.
(4)Bobby D.
Not an entirely bad place, The Cream of Potato Bacon soup was great. The Tilapia wasn't bad. The Duckfat fries were pretty good. The Coconut fried ice cream was great, But couldn't eat the whole thing. Yet the negatives were the artichoke or spinach cream dip which was rather bland. Another minus was that one less than cordial waitress, Bordering on snotty. Yet the rest of the servers were pretty cordial.
(4)Amanda H.
My father in law hosted a retirement party for my mother in law at Duckfat. I took a peek at that menu online b/c I was intrigued by the name. Actually, I should be honest...I was put off by the name and the fact that some of the menu choices were cooked in duck fat. It just doesn't appeal to me, in the least. It was pretty easy to find as I came straight from work, which is in Rosemont. Parking wasn't too easy, it's street metered parking, which was a pain...I'm a suburbanite, so I'm used to a private lot that's free. The restaurant had a nice outdoor patio area. There was a priviate room for the party which was nice. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality and yumminess of the food. We were served sliders, potroast sliders, mac and cheese, salad...my mouth waters just thinking about it! The place has an upscale bar feel with warm, dark woods and a casual feel. I would definitely go back to eat from the menu. It's located in a nice downtown area. It seems like a great place to catch a football game. I want to go back.
(3)Katie M.
Love Duckfat. Pot Roast Nachos and Fish Tacos are amazing! The outdoor patio area is large and so much fun for margaritas in the summer time.
(5)Joy S.
I finally went to check out Duck Fat because I was a Horan's regular, and loved the place. So seeing what it's become made me very sad. The staff was very snobby and everything was reeeeeally overpriced. So after taking a look at the prices on the food menu, we paid for our first round of beers and went over to Goldy Burger's where we got dinner for 3 for the price of ONE entree at Duck Fat.
(2)Jane H.
The old Horan's Snug has been transformed, but they kept the very good corned beef sandwich. I sat out on the lovely patio today, which was great. I had the Duckfat Burger, which has brie and bacon. Delicious. It comes with the duckfat fries, which are really fried in duckfat. Delicious and they do taste different with the duckfat. They give you 3 aioli dipping sauces for the fries too, wonderful. The server Shawn was great, really knowledgeable about the food and made good recs. The pretzel bread bun on the burger is from Labriola, a local Italian bread company. The Duckfat Burger and fries is around $10, a great deal. They also have Labriola grind the meat for their burgers and use a local coffee company. They try to use local businesses, which is a big plus in my book. They also had good music playing, Luscious Jackson (throwback!), Beck, and Nora Jones. Check it out!
(5)Sienna B.
Good drinks; great burgers and fries; good service; good times. Service is great and the patio is a nice place to have a few drinks in the summer. I'm hooked on the truffle fries.
(4)Karen C.
To all those out there that enjoy PDA's, I beg you to NOT be so gross as to full on make-out at a table on the patio of a bar in clear view of not only the other patrons but also hapless passers-by. Now I realize this bar is on "The Strip" in Forest Park along with dozens of other bars, and that most people on The Strip are drunken buffoons, but that's no reason to lose yourself in someone else's mouth. It's just in poor taste. We had the joy of watching a couple attempt to devour each other face first on our visit. Lucky for us, we were well fed and in need of beer so we found it mostly funny. As for the bar itself, the new owner's have done a nice job of cleaning up the joint. The patio is lovely and makes for good people watching. It is smoker-friendly so if you have an issue with that, move your butt inside. Most bars on the strip that have outdoor areas are smoker-friendly, just like most of the potted plants along Madison are puke or pass-out friendly. All class people, all class. Anyway, our server was a riot. She was quick with the humor and the drinks, so it made for a good time. The bathrooms are FAR better kept than I remember them being and the overall clientele were well behaved (except for the gross face-sucking couple). Nothing overly fantastic but in better shape then several other bars in the area. I'd partake of the libations and outdoor seating again, and hopefully next time I won't have to view soft-core cannibalism.
(3)B L.
Great food, ok beers, TERRIBLE service. Have been into Duckfat a few times. My first visit, while on a date, was great. We both got burgers, and, as our server advised, I got the parmesan and truffle fries. Drool-worthy. Server recognized my date from his own job, introduced himself, and bought us a round. While my first experience, while on a date, was fantastic - great service, fantastic food, and a complimentary drink - my other visits have been less than satisfactory. When I entered the bar with a group of girls, we were barely acknowledged. Our server seemed bothered each time we asked her for another round of drinks. When the hockey game ended that night, she seemed to assume we were going to leave. She dropped off our check, claiming we looked "antsy" and neglected to instruct us to go to the bar for further drinks. When I indicated to her that such instruction would be appreciated, she rolled her eyes! For the first time I can remember, I considered leaving a less than 20% tip. She has turned me off of the Duckfat craze and made me think twice about EVER going back in.
(2)Greg F.
driving by this place you, like me, might get the impression their name is fat duck or duck fat. i'm sure they'd like you to think of them both ways at least 2 yrs i've wanted to try eating here and finally just did, largely on account of the french onion soup which i can't get enough of. but their menu as a whole had a number of interesting and tempting dishes. they have indoor, semi-indoor, and outdoors seating. everything arrived hot and tasted delicious, served in a eye-appealing fashion, plus the service and waitress laura in particular was superior. i'd've rated 5* but they're a tad over-priced. lastly their draft and craft beer list is long--perhaps longer than food menu--with labels i can't recall seeing elsewhere
(4)Meg X.
Hooray! The best beer garden in town* is back! I've only had the fries and guacamole, but they were pretty good. Service is good. The place was packed the two times I went but the wait for an outdoor table was fewer than five minutes. Staff is friendly but parking can be a hassle. I didn't have any non-appetizer food but the stuff other people got looked & smelled delicious.
(4)Andy M.
Another bar similar to Justin's on Southport. Nice great patio and respecful staff and good drinks. It is the first bar on strip of Madison and another place where they will jam the juke box making it difficult to watch a game. The food was bar average and nothing special. i imagine this is one of the better places in forest park in the summer just because of the size of their outdoor patio. Aside from that it is nothing better than what is down the street.
(4)Alma K.
Nice atmosphere, attentive service and a menu that satisfies everyone in my family, from my foodie husband to my picky little kids to me...a sucker for a great burger on a pretzel roll and a draft beer on special. Good kids menu--and they'll bring out crayons and coloring sheets.
(4)Marissa b.
the BF and I came here on a Friday night just to sit on the patio have a few drinks, so I thought it was odd that a bar had hostesses to seat people at 10pm, but whatever. So the waitress asked us if we were eating and brought menus, but we said no we were just here to have drinks... which for a bar, i wouldn't think comes as a strange request. We sat on the patio (it is a nice patio) for about 2 hours and the waitress came around twice. I think she was disappointed that we weren't ordering food or something. Well let me tell you, our tab would have been a lot bigger if you had come around more than twice. We ended up leaving because we didn't want to have to wait another 30-45 minutes for her to come around for the 3rd round. Overall, the patio is nice and the menu looks good, so I would give it another chance and come back to try some of the food, I just hope we get a better server, but from the previous reviews it doesn't seem like that will be happening.
(3)Ron L.
Love the truffle fries and Kobe Beef truffle burger. I find myself comming back here to order this now and again. Service and atmosphere are good. Great place for good quick bar food.
(4)Tay H.
Love this place!! I am a totally Duck Fat addict. The first week their patio opened, I went there four times in one week...although I realized my obsession and left after walking in the fourth time. I don't like fish tacos- but the ones here are awesome!! And the nachos are HUGE. The description doesn't say it, but they have pot roast (beef) on them. Very good... Might have to go there now...
(5)Shain C.
A friend of mine swears by this place, so when I heard another friend was having a birthday drink here I figured I'd give it a try. The burger was good. The stroganoff (that I stole from my drunk, birthday friend) was very good. And the truffle fries were quite delicious. Service was attentive. The atmosphere was very nice. I will be back.
(4)Kimberly W.
I really wanted to like this place, because to name a place "Duckfat," you've gotta be a little ballsy. We are new to the area and kept driving by, so today when we were downtown we took a peek at the menu. YUM! The specials looked delicious. They weren't busy and the hostess was very gracious when we asked where we could sit with our baby. We opted for the patio. Yes, some of the previous reviews are right--this is a bar. Their food is upscale bar food. I have no issues with that! Just give me good food and I don't care. Let's start with the good: The fries: YUM! The fry dipping sauces (which I also put on my burger): YUM! Okay, that about does it. On the other hand: We asked the server what she recommended and she told us that people were loving the chorizo/goat cheese dip appetizer (a special) and the Duckfat burger. We got both. They were... okay? Not gross or disgusting, just not fantastic. The burger wasn't very warm, wasn't very thick, and needed seasoning BADLY. (I put my fry dipping sauces on it to help.) The pretzel roll, while trendy, does not a gourmet burger make. The worst: My mojito sucked. I don't know why, because it wasn't busy, but the service was slow, both from the bar and the kitchen. The server was nice though. In this area, the competition is tough. With so many other options, we probably won't go back.
(2)Mojo P.
The Kobe burger is better than the Duckfat burger, I think. The Kobe version keeps it simple - brilliant meat with crispy fried onions. Love the Duckfat burg (budget brie and bacon) but sometimes less is more. The crispy duckbreast is...OK. Too much port wine sauce. The port wine sauce needs to be condensed and reduced to make the flavor really pop, and instead of swimming in the sauce a good drizzling would work better. As it stands, the sauce is forgettable and adds nothing to the crispy duck breast. A simple tweak and they will have this nailed. The mashed potatoes were cold. Should have had the fries, huh? The servers are good kids. Attentive and polite. No bones to pick there. Does Duckfat serve bread or rolls? It would be nice to have something. I might have ordered another cocktail if you could have afforded some bread with the entree.
(3)Max R.
I, along with many of my friends, was very excited when Duckfat first opened. It's always good to see improvement, and Duckfat is certainly an improvement over Horan's Snug (the previous establishment at this location). The first few visits for food and drink were very good, probably more along the 3.5 to 4 star level, but the last couple of visits I've noticed a deterioration in all phases. The quality of the staff needs improvement. Why is it that the establishments on Madison Street can't seem to figure out that attractive, friendly, clean and knowledgeable staff is essential to running a successful restaurant business (I think the only place that kind of gets it is O'Sullivans)? Duckfat is a perfect example of a place that looks nice and clean, but the staff's appearance brings the whole place down a couple of notches. The blackened tilapia sandwich we had for lunch yesterday wasn't really seasoned, but it was blackened, in that it was charred beyond recognition. The turkey club was meh. Overall, the quality seems to have dropped off since it first opened.
(2)David A.
Great place to go for some beers/drinks with friends. They have a great Microbrew selection on rotation. They especially like having local breweries like Metropolitan, Three Floyds, etc. Food is pretty good. The Duckfat burger is must. They have a terrific outdoor space for the summer. In the winter the outdoor space gets a heated tented. Still a bit chilly but not unbearable.
(4)amy t.
We had a kid-free Saturday and decided to make it a nice day-date. Headed over to Forest Park and purused some of the antique shops, then wandered into Duckfat and were so pleased with our choice! We opted out of the beer garden, as it was still pretty humid out, but the garden space looked great - spacious, comfy, bar out there. We ate at the bar - first off: Love the bar. There is a slanted armrest/lip on the edge of the bar. Perfect for bellying up and resting your forearms, very comfy. Super great. Second off, and this is brilliant: They have little bar tables that they give you, that fit over that handy armrest/lip to create a 12x18 inch space for you to put your plate to eat without having to reach over the lip to the bar surface. Obviously, after a couple beers, this was even more ingenious to me than i can possibly describe here. Third off: The food? Yum. They are way into pot roast here, which we thought was a little weird. Got some tasty pot roast sliders with horseradish sauce. YUM! Also got pot roast nachos (who would have thought?!) and they were great, too. Wanted to try their fries or parmesan fries, but that would have been a bit much, we decided. The food, plus maybe 6 or 7 beers (bud and miller lites) was about $40, and definitely filling for the two of us. Our bartender (don't know her name, blonde hair) was really great. Overall, can't wait to go back and try some of their other tasty treats. The bar area is really attractive, a nice space. We'll be back, for sure!
(4)Jennifer W.
My boyfriend and I decided to stop in FatDuck last night. We were seated right away, and given menus. We ordered the Kobe burgers medium well with fries and two cokes. When we received the food, the burgers were still raw and the fries weren't hot. In my opinion, the food was overpriced and not that great.
(2)Katrina B.
So I had been here for drinks a few months ago, and thought it was a cute place but just ate here for the first time. The booze is priced about the same as anywhere else on Madison St. The bathrooms were spotless, and the décor is done really nicely for a restaurant/bar. They have a nice patio/beer garden and most of the tables have umbrella's which is certainly nice. We both ordered burgers, my boyfriend got the duckfat burger and myself the cheeseburger with duckfat fries. Their burgers are pretty tasty...they have pretzel buns and are kind of a kuma-knock off. The duckfat burger was totally better then my burger, it came with brie cheese and apple-wood smoked bacon. Their fries (which are fried in duckfat) were also very good but left both of our stomachs turning a bit. Our service was excellent, and I would totally stop here again for a burger.
(4)D. R.
Great food, late night menu, extremely attentive staff(for the most part) and the best beer list in Forest Park ? Hard to find fault here. I'll be back, and then back again.
(5)Tristan C.
We went to this place on what was, unbeknown-st to us, apparently some sort of preemptive St. Patrick's Day parade celebration occasion. They seemed to have a special menu for it, and the atmosphere was accordingly fit for the occasion. The music was loud, the people in the bar area were drunk, and the patio tent seemed full. We ate in the second room at a table for 6, and were seated right away. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, and the other servers came by regularly to check for empty cups. Most of us ordered burgers, and we were all pleasantly surprised that they were served on a tasty pretzel bun. The duck fat fries were good, but not different, just good. I'd probably get the sweet potato fries if I go back. Some of us got 3 different sauces with our burgers, though I can't figure out the logic behind who got them and who didn't, and those were also good. I might go back some time. The bathroom could have been a little tidier.
(3)Dug D.
had lunch at duckfat yesterday. I really like what they have done with the place. a major upgrade decor wise from the old Horans. like Tony D. said: its got that new smell. got the hot chicken wings and the pot roast sandwich with duckfat fries. Chicken wings: basic wings, nothing special. Franks Red Hot is the sauce and you can get that anywhere. have too much breading which when mixed with sauce becomes mushy quick Pot roast sandwich: pretty good. a bit dry. will order xtra sauce next time. flavor of meat was solid. Duck fries: now i'm not a fry person at all but these were the highlight of my lunch. very tasty. i will be returning as i am intrigued by the menu. duckfatgrill.org/index.h…
(3)Jen A.
Any place with the word "duckfat" in its name will win over customers with discerning tastes in french fries right off the bat. The name of this place has been teasing me for the last six weeks before the restaurant even opened. I ate here last night with my husband and was not disappointed. The restaurant offers duckfat fries with three different sauces, including two delicious aioli dips. The fries were great-- and for those who want a more traditional (aka boring) potato, the restaurant also offers your standard fries and sweet potato fries. The gourmet burgers here were fantastic. I ordered the Duckfat Burger and my husband ordered the Buffalo burger. Pretzel bread makes for an incredible sandwich (ask any patron of Kuma's) and the toppings were also delicious-- I've never tried brie cheese on a burger, but I really must insist on it more often! Overall, Duckfat Grill is a great addition to the neighborhood. Sunday is a perfect night to go if you like attentive and friendly service-- great way to cap off a good weekend.
(4)Jimmy J.
Best Beer/Burger spot in Oak Park/Forest Park/River Forest area.... Wide array of beer and menu choices... Pretzel Buns on Burgers are a must... and the Duckfat Fries are awesome (and healthier!)... Plenty of TVs... nice outside patio when the weather is right.... DO IT.
(5)Jeanette G.
This is a great local pub that offers great food and drinks. I've been a number of times for both dinner and drinks and I always leave satisfied. The Kobe Beef Burger is delicious! I add American cheese. If a whole burger seems like too much, they also offer these in 3 piece sliders (although the sliders are more well done than I usually like my burgers). My friend swears by the DuckFat Burger, which comes with brie, smoked bacon, on a pretzel bun.... and don't forget the fries! Their signature duckfat fries come with three different dipping sauces, but their sweet potatoe fries are awesome too. I highly recommend, great for game days, date nights, or after work drinks!
(4)Sara O.
If there were ever a french fry powerful enough to persuade you to toss that new low carb diet you're on.... this would be the fry. And it would not take much persuasion. One look at these fries, Duckfat fries to be exact, and you're in high carb heaven. Already the yummiest of all fries on their own, these fries come adorned with dipping sauces to kick some low carb ass. Don't be wary of the Mexican Pesto--sounds strange, but it's delish! And probably the only low carb thing on the menu so at least you can feel good about your dipping choice :) Yes, I wanted to try to low carb thing. But didn't really work out for me yesterday. Good news is I'm not even disappointed in myself!
(4)Candice D.
Duck Fat has quickly become my favorite place on Madison Street in Forest Park for multiple reasons. Reason one their food is incredible, the first few times I went there I couldn't stop eating the Duck Fat Burger. I measure the quality of a place by the quality of the most standard items on the menu. If a place can't make a decent cheeseburger, how could it be trusted with anything else? Their burger leaves you beyond satisfied, just like all the options from their delicious menu, and from there it only gets better. Which leads me to number two, the staff is incredibly good. I can't even reference another place in the immediate area that has a staff so friendly and quick on the draw. They are like a well oiled machine. And although the owner keeps a watchful eye, the staff doesn't seemed stressed by his presence. On to reason three, Forest Park is quickly becoming a hub for twenty and thirty somethings who are looking for something other then the draw of the big city. Although Chicago is just in Forest Park's backyard, this tiny suburb holds its own. And although these age groups can be seen at the bar watching the game and enjoying a refreshing brew, the easy atmosphere is welcoming to families and groups of all ages. Heck, John Mahoney (the actor who played Fraizer's dad on TV) was just in there the other night. I could go on and on about Duck Fat but take my advice, test my theory about the burger and then come back and write your own review.
(5)Ann S.
Bar food and booze. Standard. Service was very slow- and then shift changed and it was stellar! A decent place to catch up with friends.
(3)Courtney R.
I live in Forest Park and though I regret not having gone to this restaurant when it was Horan's Snug I couldn't pass up Duck Fat after hearing all the great things. The food was exceptional. We started with the Guacamole appetizer. Had to be the truffle oil that made us want to lick the plate. The homemade chips were a good touch, but like the ones I make at home they can get chewy if not very fresh. My guest had the Crispy Duck - we were at Duck Fat after all - and I had the Salmon. Both were so delicious that we had to share. I only wish we had saved room for dessert! OK so here's the bad. We went outside for seating and waited by the bar. The bartender was so busy chitchatting with friends she had at the bar that one of the busboys took my drink order. I tried the cucumber margarita which was simply cheap margarita mix, tequila, and chopped up cucumbers. Yuk! Eventually the bartenders friends left so we were able to get our check. Clearly her tip was lacking. Our waiter was great. When he learned that I didn't like my drink he took it back to have the bartender make another one the right way (she was supposed to muddle cucumber in it). His recommendations were great and he was very attentive. I will definitely be back, but I'll order my drinks inside next time.
(4)Nico s.
This place is one of the best places in you can get a drink in the river forest, oakpark area. I started visiting this establishment 1.5 years ago, and not every day but the staff are friendly, so are the patrons. This location has food for every pallet and complex foods and standard bar foods. The bartenders remember your name and drink, me personally if a bartender remembers my name they are getting tipped point blank, let alone drink preference. The bar is separated into 3parts, the front middle room which has great seating and tv's for the sports and the back room which is a patio. I love the back patio bar which is open year round, its warm in the wintertime and just right in the summer. The typical age group is mid-twenties to 40+ in this place the creep factor(creepy dudes) is very low which is good and the crowd in general come from all walks, blue collar, white collar, no collar. The drink selection here all have purpose in selection, you can get a great selection of IPA's and Micro Brews at a decent price, ask for Mike he is the Brew-master and will tell you of all its hoppiness. That is all I can write without spoiling the experience for all.
(5)Anne K.
It was 90 degrees yesterday, but I didn't want to sit indoors due to the excessive airconditioning frenzy that seems to be all but too common in modern day Midwest restaurants. What are we? Chopped meat that may potentially go spoiled if not held in 50 degree refrigerated units? We took our seats in their patio. Very comfortable under a few trees and plentiful umbrellas. Anyway, I ordered a raspberry mojito and it was a fantastic choice with a grilled chicken salad. This place (from what I heard) is managed by same owners of the Ale House (still my favorite), but since the Ale House was out of comission due to a power outage, Duck Fat was the best alternative!
(4)Jimmy N.
Duckfat is a pretty solid place. I can't say this place does anything different or unique from most of the other "tavern & grill" places you find around the area. I will mention a few things: 1. Bathrooms are clean. Solid. 2. I have yet to see an intoxicated person at this place. This is a good thing. That means you can come without the worry that some drunk bastard might want to pick a fight with you. Drink responsibly my friends. 3. Everytime I come here I get the Duckfat burger. I am a sucker for a good burger and this establishment sells a solid burger, which makes it a solid establishment. 1/2 pounder with brie and bacon, and good thick crispy bacon too. I order it medium rare everytime and everytime it comes out perfect and juicy. They give an adequate amount of brie. 4. They sell duckfat fries. Supposedly my friends Google'd duckfat and it's supposed to be a really healthy fat? Perhaps, but know you're eating a lot of it in the fries. The fries are a really good order if you appreciate duckfat fries or never had it before. Personally, I prefer their truffle fries and I think most people would agree they're better. 5. Drink prices are pretty standard. Common beers on tap. 6. Music is not too loud, which makes this a great place to take friends and have a drink and talk. I'd probably even take a date here if I were in the area. 7. Free parking lot across the street. ^_^ 8. Salads are huge. Some of my friends order them and no one ever finishes. The only reason I'm not giving this place 5 stars is that nothing about it blows me away. However, it's a very very solid place that I would recommend to anyone in the area and looking for a chill place to grab a drink and some food.
(4)Marisa R.
Just love this place. Great service. Great food. Good beer selection. Make sure to pay the extra dollar or so and get the Fatduck french fries hmmm!
(5)Michelle E.
I know that there are a lot of people on here stating that they were so glad to see Horan's taken over, but I actually liked the place... Granted, I had only been there once for Karaoke night, but I didn't think it smelled (though I am a smoker) and I thought it had a fun relaxing atmosphere. That being said, my thoughts on this place are that it's just so-so. The interior and decor is very modern and nice, although I could do without the million tvs they have in there. The music playing at the time that we went was all 80s. And not fun, dancing type 80s music either, just bad, easy listening type stuff. My husband said that the place went down a notch in his book just from that. I was drinking Summer Shandy bottles and he was drinking Miller Lite on tap. Mine was fine - cold enough and served with a lemon wedge. He eventually had to start getting bottles because his beer was coming to him warm. He ordered a standard cheeseburger on rye bread with regular fries. He asked for it to be well done, but it was a little pink inside. He didn't seem to mind though. I'm not a huge burger person, but I did take a bite and it seemed pretty bland to me. I ordered the crab cake appetizer special with a side of sweet potato fries. The appetizer was actually one large crab cake. It was pretty tasty - seasoned well with little bits of veggies in it, though I'm not sure it was worth $10. The sweet potato fries were good, though I wished they would have come with some kind of dipping sauce. I can't stand the thought of dipping sweet potato fries into regular old ketchup. I agree with another reviewer that stated the owners don't know if they want to be a bar or a restaurant. If I'm going to sit in a bar/grill type place to have a few beers and a simple bite to eat, I'd rather go Healy's where it's more open and airy, cheaper, and just feels like you're in that atmosphere that you planned to be in, if that makes sense. We may try the place again. I'm curious to check out the outdoor patio and maybe try some of the menu items that they are most known for, but until then, I think this place is just ok - nothing to get excited over.
(2)Diana T.
My husband I and finally made it here although Duck Fat has been open for a bit now. The atmosphere is great, the food was DELICIOUS and we thought the prices were fair. They had an extensive beer selection, both draught and bottle, which was perfect for my husband. We had the pot roast nachos (EXCELLENT!!!). The flavor of the meat, combined with pickled jalapenos, cheese, guacamole, tomatoes and sour cream was to die for. I hate the fried egg burger on the delicious pretzel roll and my husband had a bacon cheeseburger. Both were excellent. We did have the duck fat fries, and enjoyed the three sauces that came with them, but I will say I did not find them to be anything special. I was expecting much more from what I had heard. But nevertheless, we were not disappointed and will be back again very soon! Oh, and they also have a great beer garden for those who enjoy that!
(4)Kelly M.
I have been to Duck Fat 3 times in the last 6 weeks so that must speak to my thoughts on it! I had been to the same location when it used to be Horan's Snug and it is very impressive what Duck Fat did to make the space more modern and pleasant to be in. It also has a fantastic beer garden, spacious with tv's and bars out there as well. If the weather is nice, it is the place to be! Food wise they have a good menu with decadent items like french fries in truffle oil with Parmesan cheese. I highly recommend trying them - delicious! Their duckfat fries are also very good and come with 3 amazing dipping sauces. I have also had their organic green salad with pears and it is good and refreshing. The French onion soup is also enjoyable, not the best I have had, but nice. the nacho's - I think they are pot roast nachos or some other kind of beef, are delicious! My husband very much likes the Duck Confit sandwich and has gotten that 2 out of the 3 times we have been there. My brother in law loves the fish tacos. The flat bread pizza's are also very good - i have had the margarita. Their beer list is decent - very typical of bars in the area. They also seem to have nice cocktail specials. All and all Duck Fat is a great place for a casual meal and some drinks, inside or out!
(4)Chris C.
WTG Duckfat (Fat Duck)! My biggest gripe about the place was the beer selection. When I last wrote about the place a few years ago, all they had were the typical Irish pub beers. Now since Thanksgiving they have a great selection on tap. Right now GI Christmas Ale and Rev Fitzmas and other seasonal brews. Bravo!
(5)Jillian D.
yum! the turkey burger was a win with blue cheese on a pretzel bun. and the truffle fries...oh my god. well worth the extra calories!! if i am ever in the area again, i would definitely come back for those truffle fries alone...
(4)Sherill M.
This place is cool. Nice little outdoor patio to eat dinner. But BEWARE there are nonstop mosquitos out there. You will have no peace and they do eat your food!!!! Duck fat burger and parmeasan truffle fries. Tastes pretty good and the pretzel bun was a nice touch. My meal was around $10. Not too bad for a summer dinner or afterwork spot. Oh, BTW our waitress was soooooo nice. Middle-aged white lady with long stringy hair, very adorable. Two thumbs up for the waitress, she rocked!
(4)Scott D.
I used to come here 2x a week. The staff is good. Ambiance = good pub. The food, once good, has really taken a nose dive. My first bad meal was ignored (by me, bc I am not a complainer). So was the second. The third bad meal was with company, who insisted we say something. The manager responded appropriately. I gave it a last chance. I got a rare burger on a bun that was blood soaked and very greasy fries. Gross. Too bad. Used to be good. I'll grab a beer here but I'll never eat here again. Avoid. Seriously.
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