Finn McCool’s
1941 E Algonquin Rd, Schaumburg, IL, 60159
Finn McCool’s Menu
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Address :
1941 E Algonquin Rd
Schaumburg, IL, 60159 - Phone (847) 303-5100
- Website https://www.finnmccoolschicago.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Music : Live
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Mon, Thu, Fri
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Sarah H.
The only reason I'm giving 2 stars is because I usually stop by here for St. Patrick's day and it's pretty fun with the tent and all, and the foods pretty decent. So I suggested to my friends we go there last night for drinks. Big mistake. Our waitress (Renee) provided nothing even close to good service. The place was super slow, yet it took 15min (and having to ask her twice) just to get us water. Then she asked us if we could pay our bill before we were done because she "wanted to go home". However, when she left us the bill, it was for all the wrong food, which she laughed and said "it must be some food from my other table." Brought the bill back, once again charging us for things we didn't order. Finally (3rd times a charm) got the bill right and we paid. She said she would Introduce us to our new waitress, then informed us she was also leaving, but she would put more drink orders in for us. Brought our drinks with another bill! Then we had to start a tab at the bar because she was off shift. The bar tab, for the same order was a smaller bill then ordering it through the waitress?? So we had to pay 3 bills for the night. Absolutely annoying to have to pay 3 bills for a dinner and a few cocktails. I used to think this place was fun, but I don't think I'll be back... And I wouldn't recommend going here unless your going to sit at the bar. Avoid the waitresses at all costs.
(2)Steven D.
It's was late, we were hungry. Thought we try something new, never been to Finn's before. After waiting a few minutes to be served, the cook, bartender and bar back were awesome !!! All three made us feel welcome and at home. Like we were old friends. Tom, the cook, prepared the best buffalo wings. We also had the cheese curds and soft pretzle, those were good fillers, but the wings are "TOP SHELF" Thersa, the bartender, poured a perfect pint of black and tan. The Guinness beer is very fresh and I look forward to having another. The bar back remained courteous and was busy, still took time to always check on us. (sorry I don't remember his name). Keep up the great job and thanks again for everything. Steve and Kristen.
(5)Malina G.
My boyfriend and I have come here quite frequently since we've moved to the area, and the service is always a hit or miss. If you're fortunate enough to be served by Tom, who works in the evenings, you'll receive nothing short of exceptional service - he's willing to cook even after the kitchen is "closed," he'll make you awesome drinks and comp you without question if you've been stuck waiting. He's an excellent, personable, and attentive bartender, cook, and server, and every night that he's there, I have a fantastic experience. Things are much different during the afternoons and nights when Tom isn't there. Some waitresses are personable on occasion, but they have a tendency to be incredibly slow. During the day (around 3-4pm), on at least three occasions, the waitress was so slow that it took fifteen minutes for us to receive water, and an hour and a half for our entire visit, which consisted of two drinks and some appetizers. During the evenings when it's a bit more busy, waitress/bartenders can be rather negligent, observed having side conversations and paying more attention to preferred patrons. They won't serve food after 11:00pm, and the drinks they make have been syrupy in my experience. The food is good, and the drinks are a hit or miss. There isn't that extensive of a beer selection, which definitely loses some points with me since there's a high chance that the mixed drinks will be less than satisfactory. Overall, it's a mediocre sports bar - there's plenty of televisions and seating (although your service will be exponentially slower if you don't sit by the bar). If you come by, check to see if Tom is working. He's the primary reason we return.
(3)Amber P.
I have been in the business since I was 5. With that being said sevice was horrible. Manager tries to save it by giving us a terrible deal. Anyways I was over it until I got home with my to go food. The sticker on the mashed potatoes. Yes I said sticker on the bag, dates July 17th, it is July 23rd. Yes, never again.
(1)Sean H.
This place used to be good..... I used to frequent this place when I worked in the area. Thus last wednesday we went out there to have some beer and a reuben. A Tall glass of beer is no longer in a glass but a plastic mug....what am I 12? No...I like my beer in a frosty glass not a plastic one. They must have lost their chef because the reuben was awful..the corn beef was so dry and tough like some untrained person made it. Very disappointed. This place was once great and now it is not.
(1)C W.
After giving another try it was awesome. Nicole was on the spot. After our lunch, we mentioned our experience from the last time and she guessed who we were from our yelp review. She apologized for our bad experience and was very professional. Personally thank you for her demeanor for handling customers and accountability. We will be back because of Nicole. Thank you for your awesome service and caring about Finn McCools!
(5)Sue T.
Cozy, friendly atmosphere for a cold winter's day--fireplace, high-top tables, lots of dark wood, sports screens. Food is hearty comfort-style. The French onion soup had a rich dark broth and plenty of gooey melted cheese on top. The meatloaf was a huge portion of fine-grained meat formed into a hard brick and cooked to death, topped with a sweet red bbq sauce and a few sad-looking green peas. Meatloaf can be tender, juicy and delicious; this wasn't. The mashed potato side had corn and jalapenos mixed in, which was ok. Service was great.
(3)Mick B.
A group of our friends met at Finn McCool's in Schaumburg for the NFL playoffs and the Hawks game. I understand that this is a sports bar and not a gourmet restaurant, but nearly everyone in our party commented on how bland the food that we ordered was. On top of that, our service was below par- we would ask for things such as silverware or condiments several times and in most cases we ended up getting them for ourselves from the waitress station or other tables. In defense of the wait staff- the place was crowded and they only had 2 people waiting tables. I don't understand why on a Sunday when a team with a local following is fighting for a spot in the Super Bowl that there wasn't more staff assigned to work by the management. Even one more waitress would have made a huge difference. Lots of TV's for watching sports- but the one nearest to where we were seated had a serious burn-in on the screen that was distracting while trying to watch the hockey game. Tip: There are menus for Moretti's (nearby) and you can call in an order and they will deliver to your table. This might be the way to go to avoid the meh food served here.
(2)Sasha F.
I visited McCools on a Wednesday night and it was a great, fun and lively place. The bartenders are personable, nice and want to serve you a good drink. There's a few regulars who hang out here which makes the place feel homey. In addition to a couple of gin and tonics, I ordered their pretzel and cheese curds - each $4 after 9pm - and both were very tasty! Overall this is a great low key bar where anyone of any age can go for a good drink and food.
(5)Matt I.
Went there after a work function. Friday night, 10:30 and the place was empty. Server was not very friendly, and from what I could tell lacked any people skills and then when we asked to order food, she said the kitchen was closed. On the menu it says they serves apps till close. Sever girl said the kitchen was closed. WTF. We had a second server take over the table and she was much nicer. Much happier to give my tip to the second girl. This is a place reminds me of a place that should be on Bar Rescue. Not impressed. If you are going to be any type of server, you better smile and have some interaction with people that are willing to part with their money. I wish people would have listened to me when I suggested Stadium.
(1)Real D.
The worst excuse for food I have found anywhere. Pathetic service. Small wonder hardly anyone was in there on a Saturday night. This place deserves to go out of business. Help it along by NOT going there. AVOID.
(1)Mike K.
Great little Irish style eatery. Nice beer selection. And the appetizer and meal selection was perfect for a night out with a group to watch some sports
(5)Christopher F.
Staff was very inattentive to our table. Rarely cane to check on us one of the people in our party went to the bartender to get some hot sauce. Our server and the bartender saw her standing there and just continued their conversation. one of the other patrons got her attention but she still didn't come over. Food was great but the service was awful.
(2)Beatriz T.
I usually go to the one down in the Viagra Triangle, but this one is pretty much the same thing. Just a typical bar. I went on a Wednesday night which was trivia night. Place wasn't super packed and there was a loud bunch at the bar playing along with trivia, but they were cool and just having fun and I like to see that. Table Toppers full of frosty Blue Moon for only 20 bucks...can't beat that and the Cobb Salad was HUGE and it tasted good. Me and a friend shared it and there was still plenty left over. If you sign up online at their website they send you a $10 off coupon. Definitely would take the drive out to Scahumburg again to come here to hang out.
(4)Coleen A.
Finn, you get one star for your average bar food. Everything else just blows. The only thing remotely Irish about this place is the name Finn and the half-way decent Black and Tan. Season your sweet potato fries properly and you might've eeked out a second star, but barely. We had to ask our space-case waitress at least twice about EVERYTHING - silverware, condiments, refills, the check. And apparently the I'm-so-short-I-can't-reach-the-top-shelf-but-my-Âbig-mouth-makes-up-for-it bartender isn't allowed to cash us out. He knew I was pissed at the sh!tty service from our waitress and was covering for her. Whatever, I'll be at Lincoln Whiskey Kitchen for the next round!
(1)Joshua W.
Fun night life here. They really put on a show in the late night. The drinks were reasonable and the atmosphere was relaxed and full of animated young people. I grabbed a bite of food before the night club opened and it was pretty legit too. Great place.
(4)Trent F.
We stopped for lunch one day and my wife enjoyed the fish and chips so much we had to go back. That first visit was good, service was good, food came quick, server was attentive to our party of 9. But since then we have gone back 4 times in the evening for dinner. those 4 times the service was poor and the server was not attentive at all. The last visit after getting our initial drinks and food, we never saw our server again. No drink refills or asked if we needed anything, we had to get another server to get our bill so we could leave. Seemed like a nice place at first, but I would not recommend going in the evening.
(2)Mike F.
Stopped off here after a day at the Museum of Science and Industry. Found it on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Beer selection decent, food selection decent and prices were reasonable for Chicagoland. Food was good and tasty, son had the breakfast (which you can order all day long). I had a wrap. Portions were good. It looked like three servers covered the seating area, the bar and the patio. If it had been busier, they would have been in trouble. No complaints, would return.
(4)Paul S.
Mrs. S and a friend and I usually go here for lunches on weekends, so our experience may differ from the nighttime crowds. At any rate, as a lunch place, Finn McCool's nails it; the staff has always been fantastic in my experience. We've never had to send an order back, and the food is amazingly cheap--and of better than good quality (especially for the price). The beer selection is better than most, and the drinks are quite reasonable; even with a beer or two for one of us and soft drinks for the other two, it's rare that we top a $40 lunch tab for the table. My only complaint is they've taken a few of my old favorite things off the menu, namely mac `n' cheese. Definitely try the hot pretzels with cheddar sauce & the cheese curd appetizers. I like the homemade crispy potato chips alongside most lunch entrees. The Angry SOB burger needs a little extra Sriracha to be a heat-seeker's dream [they don't stock ghost peppers, unfortunately], but it's good beef & respectably spicy as-is. Their burgers are quite substantial, good quality & sell for less than Five Guys', so that's always a good bet. Mrs. S usually goes for the French Onion Soup or the Inside-Out Grilled Cheese. All in all, it's a great & enjoyable lunch for amazingly little money, and it's kinda become our go-to informal weekend lunch spot.
(5)Nick M.
Big time disappointment. Went to play trivia on Wednesday, but the Blackhawks game took precedence. Because of that, the game was played during intermissions at a lightning pace. All in all, we played for about 20 minutes in 2 hours. Then after the game was done, the trivia guy took another 30 minute break to eat and chat. We left before the game ended. Food wise - expect pub food, no better and no less. Cheap drinks on the weekdays was a bonus. Won't be back.
(2)michael w.
Stopped in on my way home to wet my whistle after a day of running around. Just the right size, not too big, not too small. The weathered exterior looks like something that was plucked up out of Ireland and dropped in Schaumburg. Our initial bartender (guy) had a terrific first impression with my wife when he carded her, well done sir. The place seemed lively enough, games on the screens, $3.50 Leini Octobers, what's not to like? We were not there long at all but enjoyed ourselves and kind of wish we had one around the corner from home. Tip - this is obviously not a real irish bar but it does a good enough job that it will suffice for Schaumburg. Unlike some newer "irish bars" that capitalize on a theme alone with nothing irish about them outside of the cheesy decor. Not sure what the event was outside of football, but the ladies streaming in the place on a Sunday evening as we were leaving were dressed to kill something, what, I am not sure. Tip - if I were a single dude in Schaumburg, it probably would not hurt to park yourself in here for a bit because the fish seemed hungry (at least on this night) and who knows, you might get lucky.
(4)Dorothy P.
A bunch of my coworkers wanted to hit up Finn McCool's for a birthday lunch recently, and since I'd never been, I figured what the hay. I drive by this place all.the.time, but I've never ventured in, mostly because it always sounded to me like a cheesy Irish theme bar, and I'm not Irish (didn't even get to eat my Lucky Charms when I was a kid). Upon setting foot into the restaurant, I came to the realization that it IS a cheesy Irish themed restaurant/bar (at least my expectations were on par). They have typical bar food and a large assortment of drinks. I decided to go go the safe route and get the grilled cheese with tomato and bacon, because it's pretty hard to screw up a grilled cheese, AND this one promised cheese on the outside and on the inside. I do love me some cheese. In an attempt to health-ify my lunch in the slightest bit, I opted for a side salad instead of chips or fries. When I asked for Italian dressing, I got a semi-dirty look and was told they don't have ITALIAN dressing; they have BALSAMIC...oops. The grilled cheese was everything my stomach could imagine, and the salad was pretty tasty too. The portions were big enough that I barely finished half the sandwich, and like a good little girl, I finished my salad and took the other half of the grilled cheese home for later. All in all, if you're looking for the type of Irish bar that only an American could dream up, Finn McCool's your Huckleberry. For as good as the grilled cheese turned out to be, I just might be back for more.
(3)Allison R.
Smells..bar is sticky..glasses were dirty... Oranges were old/dry... Ignored by the bartender.. Food was sub par... Will not be returning.
(1)Gunner W.
i like this place. I had an Angry SOB burger, it was spicy and burned my already winter chapped lips. They have good specials. The bartending ladies are very friendly, I highly recommend this place any time of day.
(5)Stacey W.
Worse service, long waits. Waitress had no brains and seemed wasted and I am not being rude just honest. Food was average.
(1)Danielle S.
I've never had Finn's food, although I have heard it's decent. However, my bar experience was great! I came for a quick drink, and the bartender was super sweet. He made my drink just right, was very accommodating, and made sure to pay attention to everyone at the bar. He made conversation, and made you feel very welcome. They also had an Absolute cocktail special that night, so the drinks were $5! Not too shabby! It was, however, pretty quiet for happy hour on a weeknight.
(4)Manshu V.
This wasn't a very pleasant experience and I have nothing positive to say about this place. They had no drinks menu and the food that we ordered wasn't good at all. We got the buffalo shrimp, stuffed shrooms, nachos and it felt like some of the stuff was microwaved, and didn't taste much better than what you'd expect if you bought frozen food. I can't think of a single redeeming thing about this place, and don't see myself going there again.
(2)Jim P.
I'm not sure what people are expecting when they step into Finn McCool's but this is more Bennigan's and less "we know how to pour a perfect pint". Last night I sat at the bar and had a couple of very affordable beers. I ordered the blackened chicken flatbread sandwich and thought it was quite tasty. Nothing groundbreaking but the chicken was spicy, the pico was decent, the avocado was fresh, and the flatbread was crispy and tender. My wife had a turkey sandwich which she enjoyed, but wasn't blown away. I don't come to Finn's to be blown away I come to hang out with my friends and have a good time. I accomplish that goal 100% of the time at Finn's. Food's decent, beer's cheap, that's all I really need at a place called Finn McCool's.
(4)J C.
Great-tasting, reasonably priced food! Their steak salad is one of my favorites because of the perfectly cooked steak. Had the BBQ meatloaf too. Delicious! And of course, I always have to get tater tots! :)
(4)Aaron K.
The service here is absolutely below par. The bartenders look like deers in headlights. The female middle age manager is atrocious. How could she still be working here? The atmosphere is cool, but be prepared to get your own drinks. At least they have wifi so I can post this mean shit. I normally am very nice, but this is the third time I have Bren here and nothing has gotten better. Ever hear of a smile?
(2)Erick P.
Right when I turned 21 at 12:01 I went to this place because its down the street from my house. I liked it a lot, its a really chilled atmosphere. It's somewhere you go after work to relax, have a few beers and just watch some sports. The staff there is friendly and I usually go here around 3 or 4 times a month. It's a nice place and once again the crowd is a little bit older and a little bit more mature so it is just really a place to unwind and relax.
(4)Valerie W.
Finn's... my Wednesday night spot for Pub Trivia. So much fun. The pace could be a little bit quicker, but a great time with friends competing against total strangers! The atmosphere... not exactly Irish pub... more like Irish pub meets TGIFriday's? I do like looking at all of the old album covers on the walls. The service... mixed. We go enough that we know which servers we want and which we want to avoid. Let's put it this way, when it's good, it's good. When it's bad... I hope you ate before you came. The food/drinks: Typical. Drink specials on Wednesdays include a $3.50 Harp or Guinness (yum!) and $3.50 "pint of the month" (Sam Adams Oktoberfest this month.) I think they have a $5.00 burger on Wednesday's as well. Other foods I've tried: Chopped salad. Pretty standard, but a large enough portion that I can get away with just that. French Onion Soup: pass. To me, it's not french onion when its provelone and not gruyere. Cheese snob, I know. Hickory Burger: Messy, but delicious. Fish Fry: I've yet to try it because the menu specifies perch, but every time I go to order they tell me all they have is cod. sad face. Grilled chicken sandwich: Again, messy, because avocados and chipotle sauce are slippery. The flavor is good. Moretti's pizzas: If you want pizza, you can get a fix here. 3 stars because of the meh service.
(3)Jenny V.
the food is okay, but there isnt a big selection. the irish chips are really good! they're homemade potato chips with melted cheese for dipping! the nachos are good, if you get a big order it is definitely big enough for 5 people! the dish is huge!! I like coming here for trivia on wednesdays, the guy in charge is one cool dude.
(3)Andrew P.
Service was slow. I was brought the wrong pizza. I was only allowed to order off the pizza menu when the kitchen was still open. $10 Jack and Coke, wtf? Never coming back. Wifi did not work.
(1)Bernice L.
Good food and drink specials :) I used to love their chicken tenders but they changed them and their not so good anymore. Boo! They also have $2 small plates after 3 pm which is nice. Their $15 table toppers are pretty worthwhile too! Buffalo wings are a good option here :) Definitely like the specials and feel of the Chicago location better though.
(3)Sarah R.
It was good! We had a party of 15-20 people. The staff was very friendly. The only thing was that the drinks came late, and we were smushed together. They had a fire going and was very nice!
(4)Ted P.
"I'm not Irish, I just drink that way" is a slogan on a sign near the bar at this place... and the first part's certainly true. This place was as Irish as Hulk Hogan. The food was average bar food -- the burger and fries seemed like they probably came out a freezer box in that way that you're sure you've had the exact same thing at the last three bars you dared eat at. The beer selection was unexciting with the requisite Guinness, Killians and Bass to keep up the authentic Irish pub style. Add to that that we weren't sure if the bar tender was laughing with us or laughing at us and we just weren't really won over by this place... but that's okay, it was late on a Sunday and we needed food and beer, so I guess it fit the bill.
(3)Laura K.
It was a Saturday night. I arrived at 9:30 The place was pretty packed. The doorman was friendly and their bathrooms were clean. My friend was having her birthday party and she had some tables reserved, but not nearly enough. All went well when many of the patrons left, having finished their meals. The party slowly took over the whole back section. She had a birthday package Which included appetizers and All you can drink from 10p-1a for $20 per person. This does not include shots. I was having Bacardi and Cokes, which were decent, meaning not watered down. We were served Nachos and a sort of sampler platter. I did not like the Nachos, they were dry, I guess you could say. Their buffalo wings were good, The fried shrimp was good, but they had this beef kabob thing that was delicious! The D.J started at 11p.m I don't know if that's the norm or if it was because of the Hawks game. He started playing some 80's rock and slowly went into today's top 40. It was just o.k, much like the rest of the place. The only real problem was that their were approximately 25 of us and only one server, and you could not get your drinks from the bar. I think she did the best she could, although I think a few people couldn't get any service from her. I do believe she had other guests besides us. Anyway it was all you can drink, they had to save money somehow! All in all we had a good time, and Irish is just in the name.
(3)George H.
Please Help Finn McCool's..... I decided to stop by here instead of the tilted kilt or any other assorted pseudo Irish drinking experience with a good friend of mine. We were greeted and asked for IDs and we chose a place to sit. It was filled with regular Joe's surrounding the fairly attractive bartender. The music was being played from 70s and 80s American rock (like the Irish do?) CD and left awkward pauses every 3 minutes so we could keep turning to the cutting edge colored graphics made in a '97 version of Microsoft Publisher enhancing our viewing experience with nifty little sayings like "McCool's is the Coolest!" and "We've got the beat on Friday Nights!" So that was good. Alcohol: let me preface this by saying I'm something of a Guinness and Jameson aficionado. That being said, you can get Guiness and Jameson in bars throughout Ireland and the East Coast of US and Britain for about $3 eu. More importantly it's fresh and infused with nitrogen so it has a delicate taste of carbonation without the slap in the face club soda branded Miller and Bud Lite. At Finn McCools, Guinness is $6 most days without tip and the club soda ice cube polar mixture with a splash of Jameson is about the same. Food: don't order the specials. This place is stuck in the 80's and so is the flavor of the food. Bar food is pretty simple and generally so is Irish food. I've many times had authentic shepherds pies, chicken pot pies (not exclusively Irish), and other great dishes. Most of what I saw on the menu was really American junk food pretending to be vaguely Irish (a mc taco? yeaaa). Cutting the to chase, I ordered the chicken pot pie and my friend ordered a sausage pizza (from Morettis incidentally.. surprise!). We waited roughly 45 minutes to get our food which I understand but it seems like nobody else was ordering the special so they probably had made one just for me from scratch. That being said, what arrived for me was a small burn pastry with an unfinished soup underneath. The carrots were crunch and may as well have been raw, the soup lacked any kind of flavor which is typically an indication of poor seasoning, and the soup was runny and lacked general composition. All in all, a great disappointment. I don't know if someone had a rough night in the kitchen, or just wasn't trying their hardest, it was a bad experience.
(1)Denise J.
After a long afternoon of shopping and spending WAY to much money, my friend and I decided to get some lunch and Finn McCool's is a place I found on my Lovely Yelp app. I looked at the menu before we went in there and thats where I saw that they had an email club you could join for a $10 certificate.....SCORE!! We walked in about 2 and it was empty except a few people sitting at the bar, the waitress let us pick where we wanted to sit and asked if we needed anything to drink. I loved that they had the specials on a board so you could easily see what they were. we decided on a bucket of coors for only 10 bucks(so with the certificate they were free) For lunch I ordered the turkey burger and tator tots....OMG they had tator tots and I loved them!!! They were crispy and so brought me back to my childhood. The turkey burger was pretty good, nothing great about it. My friend got the turkey burger with their regular fries, which were crinkle fries. They were also very crispy and amazing if you dipped them in the ranch sauce. The food prices were not bad at all, my turkey burger with tator tots were only 7.99. *email club-$10 certificate*text club-free slider*like on facebook-$5 coupon* So they give you SOOOO many chances to save money how could you say no!!!
(4)Marc K.
Went for lunch on a Wednesday, crowd was ok...not too busy, not too slow. Decent list of beers on tap and in bottles. Ordered the Chipotle Wrap w/Chopped Salad. Very good wrap...and one of the best salads I've ever had. Other than a non-smiling bartender, I had a great experience.
(4)Shay M.
Definitely a great place to watch the game. Everything I have tried on their menu has been good, drinks are fabulous (BEST Bloody Mary's), great promotions and deals, and good service.
(4)Charles B.
Good atmosphere, plus table topper is a GO..-) Trivia night is cool and great spot to watch the games
(4)Pat S.
The real Finn McCool was a mythical Irish warrior and hunter. This white haired man spent his life hunting and fighting for justice and love. He reportedly loved a good time with friends, enjoyed good drink and food, would not settle for poor service, and believed in giving proper praise. Well Finn would visit and re-visit this place named for him. The traditional Irish foods are really good, the burgers are okay, the beer selection is nice, the staff is friendly, the prices are alright, the place does need a deep cleaning, and the restrooms are a bit neglected. This place deserves your consideration. It is now WOW, but at least it's not wholly crap!
(3)Saba A.
I prefer Westwood (not many miles from this place) but this place has a large projector to watch the games and great sound quality. Friendly, welcoming joint. Great place to hit after work and chill! Just watched the Bulls game there tonight.
(4)Jeannie G.
I've driven by Finn McCool's a few times during business trips and always said, "I should give that place a shot some time." I liked the name and it's close to the hotel where I typically stay when I'm working in the Schaumburg area. So during my recent business trip, I went to Finn McCool's for dinner and to watch the NBA Finals with a few coworkers. We were all pleasantly surprised. The service was excellent. We sat at the bar and the bartender took good care of us and made some suggestions, too. The menu had a wide variety -- burgers, sandwiches, salad, standard bar food, and some Irish entrees as well. I ordered the St. Patty Melt (on rye) with fries and a cup of the French Onion soup, which the bartender suggested. Thank God for her suggestion. It was seriously the BEST French Onion soup I have ever had -- anywhere! Including 5-star dining. I was completely surprised! The burger and fries were great, too. Definitely not your average bar fare. We were all impressed. I'll definitely be back!
(4)Steve S.
Stopped in for the first time. I was craving a burger and was not disappointed. Fun place, good crowd, very friendly bartenders - very attentive. It was trivia night and everyone seemed to be having fun. I'll definitely go back - would be a great place to watch the Bears and/or college football by the looks of it. Pretty good menu - as I said the burger was very good. I'm going to go back and try the reuben or some of the other house specials.
(4)Mary B.
I've only been there twice and both times I had very good experiences. I first went there for new years eve this past year. They had an awesome deal. I believe it was $45 8-12:30 for everything except shots. This also included a crap load of appetizers. I could be wrong about the time but it was something awesome like that. I went with a younger type of crowd though and it seems like the crowd there is slightly older. Not by much but enough to make a difference for us. There was a dance floor and a bunch of us wanted to dance the night away but a lot of people just sort of stood around. The peoples fault, not the bar! ;) Regardless, it didn't stop us from dancing! The second time I went there, it was St. Patrick's Day. I still had a fun time that night too. We ordered one of those personal table tappers. I think it was $20 or $30 but we found $20 on the floor so that was a plus for us! We had a table and stood around observing and having a really good time. People seemed a little crazier for this holiday than new years eve, but I mean, what holiday isn't crazier than St. Patrick's Day! Oh and the bar is Irish... that helps too! Fun place, I wish I could get there more often for big parties. If you have a group of people and there's a holiday or even coming up, go there. Good food and a really friendly staff.
(4)Kathleen P.
Finn McCool you're a fraud! I was lured into your deceptive den with the promise of having a pint and bite to eat in an Irish pub. Your decor even seemed like a casual, family owned place. HA! After my initial disappointment at your boring menu, I realized there was nothing Irish about you. Just another corporate clone. Your service was lacking, your food was just okay and I won't be back!
(1)Megan O.
I was surprised reading the other reviews on this place...pretty harsh for people who only tried it once. Granted first impression are important, but don't you guys believe in second chances? Finn's started doing pub trivia, which they call "Quizzo" on Wednesday nights around 8. I went with a group of friends and we all thought it was a blast. Mix in a few of those giant table tappers with pub trivia ( about 2.5liters of beer served in an ice cold glass tube you keep at your table...i can't really describe it much better except to say that they're awesome!) and you've got a great night! One of my favorite things about Finn's are the chips! I was never a fan of crinkle cut fries, but they offer chips which are homemade and amazingly crunchy! I also found out they have Acoustic Bands on Thursdays..still need to check that out but I can't imagine that it wouldn't be good.
(4)Drew C.
Met a client at Finn's on a Monday night for a drink and to sign some documents. They had a burger special for $4.50 so I ordered it because I was to lazy to look at the menu. The burger was awesome! Had a few Bud Lights and they were the perfect temperature just the way they were supposed to be. Bartender was friendly, cute and did a great job to maximize her tip. Heading back next Monday for another burger and a few beers.
(4)Restaurant Vigilant E.
QUITE the memorable experience. My girlfriend and I showed up at Finn McCools one sunday afternoon to grab a bite to eat. Before we even entered, we were both overcome by a feeling of dread and forboding...perhaps it was the greasy smell which permeated from the kitchens smoke stack? We entered this "Irish Sports Pub" establishment, only to discover it was filled to the rafters with middle age, midwestern corn eaters in their football jerseys, eyes glazed over gazing up at the 300 flat screen televisions. The airliner-taking off volume of the televisions was surpassed only by the sorority girl-turned waitress who, microphone in hand, shouted slogans about "$2.50 Bombs" to the peanut gallery. With a fair degree of trepidation, we took our seats at the only table available (complete with its own 1000 decible speaker afixed above it). The menu is pretty standard bar food...difficult to screw up, and features such traditional irish fare as McTacos, pot stickers, BBQ meatloaf and even pizza (which is snuck in through the back door from another restaurant across the road and pawned off as their own). Reinforcing the irish theme of the place are neon fixtures, witty hand painted signs making vague references to the old country and a few ceramic beer steins on a shelf which I suspect were actually german spies from bavaria. Throughout the experience, the sorority girl continued to scream at the crowd, reminding them that noon on a sunday was the perfect time to take down some jaeger bombs and assorted shots.. The food...my girlfriend bravely ordered the stew which was on "special" that day and was immediatly asked if she would like "soup or salad"...apparently she didn't think soup would go very well with stew, so ordered the salad instead. The salad came - a bed of machine shredded lettuce, a few traumatized and lonely veggies and ranch dressing spiked with blue cheese crumbles, pretending to be blue cheese dressing. I ordered the Turkey clubhouse on flatbread...this was deli turkey, an over abundance of shredded lettuce (which had escaped being a salad), and some shredded cheese borrowed from the local taco bell. It didn't taste bad at all...in fact, it had no taste. The beef stew came...it was as black as night...a slick of crude oil bathing what appeared to be strips of meat. I did not ask to try it and my girlfriend was kind enough not to offer. After lunch, we left the establishment in silence. My girlfriend was nearly shaking with anger and I was afraid she was going to dump me on the spot.
(1)Bill F.
Good reasonably priced food. (I like their corned beef and soups). Good selection on tap beer, but $5.50 for a Smithwickes is a bit pricey. I've been there several times, service is ok. it is a loud atmosphere, not conducive to conversation. Very clean
(3)W M.
This place was recommended by the best western staff across the parking lot. It was a dark and stormy night when I went, so not too crowded. The Guinness pour was good and the angry SOB burger was delicious after a long day's drive. The bartender was nice and service was efficient and non-intrusive. All-in-all a good eating experience while on the road.
(4)Courtney Y.
One star is over doing the ratings for Finns. The only reason I come here is because they're open an hour later than the bar next door. The staff they hire are incompetent and extremely rude (I had to pull up directions on now to make a shot for their bartender last time, because she was incapable of doing so herself). The bartender bonnie has no manners, and I think her face would crack if she smiled. I resent spending my money there. They should be welcoming, enjoyable and make me want to Come back, they did not do that. Bonnie has a horrible attitude, as well as the other bartenders who's names I did not catch. Bonnie just seems to be the most unpleasant. Patrons don't need to deal with miserable, unknowledgeable staff such as the ones at finn mccools.
(1)Christine L.
Admittedly we are not "regulars" in the way that we once were, but Finn's is stll on our list of places that we patronize with some frequency. Good bar food and we probably went there more often in the past because of the particular choice of 1/2 priced appetizers. Multiple shifts in the appetizer offerings, especially when items we liked were replaced, is what had us a little disappointed and looking or other options. The gals behind the bar are friendly and attentive... always recognized us and made us feel welcome and actually remembered my usual non-alcoholic beverage choice. My hubby enjoyed the choice of beer specials. Time to revisit for sur.
(3)Jacob J.
Decent alcohol specials, fun gimmicky Irish like pub with tons of TVs and neon lighting. I wonder what their electricity bill is like. Typically when I'm in this area, I might be at Stadium playing Buck Hunter Safari or Moretti's, "trying something different" in mind finally dragged me in. There were some corporate happy hour types and then the early 20s crowds. Good space for groups; couples and singles have plenty of space to sit and chill or grab a seat at the four sided bar which is stocked with its own TVs. They offer food which I didn't get to sample since the kitchen closes early. On a post connected to the bar are markings in red leading to a red phone. It reads "pizza hot-line" I suppose its hard lined to Moretti's, the bartender says not to pick it up, it's a line just for the use of the bartender. Why have it there in red and wanting to be grabbed if we can't use it to order? The bartender which helped us that night was not sweet, inviting or available. At the bar, it was slow, although there were many tables with groupings of people. When I asked for the specials she told us about two of them, $3 Sam seasonals and $3 Stoli cocktails. She failed to tell us about the most popular special of the evening, looking around I noticed there were many table toppers in use. Table toppers are tall funnels with spigot and a beer carrying capacity of about 6-8 pints. Typically the charge is around $16-$20 dollars or the price of the number of beers inside. She failed to share with me that they were on special for $10.. mind you she had a table topper sitting on the bar while she talked to us and it wasn't being held for anyone. I think she just didn't care enough to share the details. I can assume any number of reasons why she didn't give up the info and this on top of the already non caring attention wasn't helping her tip. I now wish I approached the Milfity buxom bartender for service, from the moment she walked into the bar she had already made eye contact and let us know she was there, just in case. That's service. Finn has got their own parking lot. I don't remember seeing any coin games, though they could use a couple. Outside seating is available but with the 30 foot policy, to smoke you would need to exit the premises. Men's restroom; these guys have got their shit together. It's clean, stocked, smell free and everything works. You'd be surprised how deteriorated the facilities can be at nearby competitors.
(3)dave h.
Went to watch some football on Sunday and the bartender put the Broncos game on without even looking at me funny. Nice! Spacious bar with plenty of tvs to catch any sporting event. Friendly and prompt staff. Good Anglo beer selection which is to be expected at an Irish themed pub. Foodwise I stuck to appetizers and learned that "cottage fries" are not fries but actually potato chips with cheese&bacon dip. Not what I expected but not bad. The bathroom was very clean and even had a tv with the featured game on. Nice, laid back suburban crowd. I will be back!
(4)Mike I.
Irish? It's about as much of an Irish pub as The Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant, actually less so. The decor is exactly as if you were inside a Morretti's (yes, I know it's the same owner, but it's identical nonetheless): random "crap" all over the walls. The service was good and the beer was cheap ($10 pitchers of Sam Winter Lager), but there is something intangible about this that just turns me off of this place. The horrible name doesn't help either. Would I go back.....probably not.
(2)Bob M.
I went here for the first time last night and pleasantly surprised. The food was decent (nothing amazing), the service was good/average and I was pleased to discover that the wed night special was $3.50 pints of Gunness, Harp and Bass. My friend got a Stella and was shocked to pay $6 for it. They had a few other good beers on tap as well (but I was happy with the wed. night specials) The atmosphere was nice. You need to take the "Irish pub" idea with a grain of salt. It really is as the sign states; an Irish Sports Bar. There's stain glass windows, mosaic floor, and plenty of flat screen tv's. The majority of my time there they were playing classic rock music (which I was happy to hear), but by 8:00 or so the music went off and they started some type of trivia game, and instead of music you were stuck listening to an MC organizing all of that. That was my only complaint from this visit, the trivia was pretty annoying. I'd definitely go back here, but I'd definitely want to find a night they don't have something like trivia or karaoke going on... If I could avoid $6 pints, that would be a plus too.
(4)Larry R.
Nice atmosphere, good selection of food! Try the Pot Roast or Pot Roast Sandwich...can't go wrong. The Pizza is walked over from Moretti's accross the parking lot! By the way.....great thin crust Pizza, but why not go to Moretti's in the first place! This is one of the many eateries...or drinkeries owned by the group that owns Moretti's
(4)Andrew T.
Normally a three star place. But... Guiness on tap and they had an outdoor viewing section for the hawks games. Cute redhead waitress too. Four stars it is!
(4)Virginia T.
The first and last time I went to Finn McCools was to celebrate my husband's coworker's birthday. Yea.... The drinks weren't that cheap, we didn't try the food (but the selection didnt' seem overly impressive), and it's sad when the best thing you have to say about a bar is that they have table tappers and it was clean. The music that night was karaoke... drunk people singing power ballads from the 80's and 90's mostly. I won't be back.
(2)Rachel J.
Ah Finn. You don't have that sense of urgency----no wait---it's more like you don't give a crap. I have given you quite a few chances, but your servers are snotty, the food is slow, and refills are not your forte. I would like you to be Cool, as you claim, but you are just cold. The place is really clean and the menu has good standard bar fare, with a few unexpected dishes. I would be willing to eat from there again, just not when I was on a time budget.
(2)Joshua M.
I was staying at the awful Radisson next to this place, and had lunch here a couple of times. The first time around I had a turkey burger, that was unexpectedly good. And the second time around I hate chicken strips, which were pretty much solid batter. So the good meal evened out the bad one. The place is pretty much staffed with cute girls, which I imagine is sort of the theme of restaurants like this. But the service was decent. If by some cruel twist of fate I am stuck at that Radisson again I'd go back.
(3)Dennis B.
After reading the other reviews, I guess it depends on the day and what you are looking for. We stopped in here after spending the day at Arlington betting the ponies. Good beer selection and priced normal for the suburbs. They have the table top beer taps for those interested in more than a pint or two. They looked interesting but I was the only one drinking so will have to evaluate their efficiency another time :-) The food was very good! I had the Saturday special - half slab of ribs and chicken fingers with fries and cole slaw. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and the chicken and fries were crisp and hot. My cousin and his wife had the steak sandwich and fried lake perch. Both excellent as well. The entrees were also fairly reasonable at $6.99 to $9.99 for most items. The many TVs were positioned perfectly for dining and viewing the many sports that were happening at the moment (watched the Cubs, Bears and Olympics at the same time!). We left the bar full and happy - except for the Cubs and Bears - both sucked that nite!!!
(4)Kloud A.
Douchebag city - perfect place for frat boy losers!!!
(2)Tony M.
I love Finn McCools. Great place to actually talk and enjoy your beer without loud music or obnoxious drunks bumping into you. Prices are fair and they have a large selection of liquors.
(4)Kevin P.
pretty chilled place, very clean, service was great. tuesdays are pretty good. Its a good place for just relaxig and having a few drinks with your buddies.
(4)Malina G.
My boyfriend and I have come here quite frequently since we've moved to the area, and the service is always a hit or miss. If you're fortunate enough to be served by Tom, who works in the evenings, you'll receive nothing short of exceptional service - he's willing to cook even after the kitchen is "closed," he'll make you awesome drinks and comp you without question if you've been stuck waiting. He's an excellent, personable, and attentive bartender, cook, and server, and every night that he's there, I have a fantastic experience. Things are much different during the afternoons and nights when Tom isn't there. Some waitresses are personable on occasion, but they have a tendency to be incredibly slow. During the day (around 3-4pm), on at least three occasions, the waitress was so slow that it took fifteen minutes for us to receive water, and an hour and a half for our entire visit, which consisted of two drinks and some appetizers. During the evenings when it's a bit more busy, waitress/bartenders can be rather negligent, observed having side conversations and paying more attention to preferred patrons. They won't serve food after 11:00pm, and the drinks they make have been syrupy in my experience. The food is good, and the drinks are a hit or miss. There isn't that extensive of a beer selection, which definitely loses some points with me since there's a high chance that the mixed drinks will be less than satisfactory. Overall, it's a mediocre sports bar - there's plenty of televisions and seating (although your service will be exponentially slower if you don't sit by the bar). If you come by, check to see if Tom is working. He's the primary reason we return.
(3)Amber P.
I have been in the business since I was 5. With that being said sevice was horrible. Manager tries to save it by giving us a terrible deal. Anyways I was over it until I got home with my to go food. The sticker on the mashed potatoes. Yes I said sticker on the bag, dates July 17th, it is July 23rd. Yes, never again.
(1)Mike F.
Stopped off here after a day at the Museum of Science and Industry. Found it on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Beer selection decent, food selection decent and prices were reasonable for Chicagoland. Food was good and tasty, son had the breakfast (which you can order all day long). I had a wrap. Portions were good. It looked like three servers covered the seating area, the bar and the patio. If it had been busier, they would have been in trouble. No complaints, would return.
(4)Christopher F.
Staff was very inattentive to our table. Rarely cane to check on us one of the people in our party went to the bartender to get some hot sauce. Our server and the bartender saw her standing there and just continued their conversation. one of the other patrons got her attention but she still didn't come over. Food was great but the service was awful.
(2)Valerie W.
Finn's... my Wednesday night spot for Pub Trivia. So much fun. The pace could be a little bit quicker, but a great time with friends competing against total strangers! The atmosphere... not exactly Irish pub... more like Irish pub meets TGIFriday's? I do like looking at all of the old album covers on the walls. The service... mixed. We go enough that we know which servers we want and which we want to avoid. Let's put it this way, when it's good, it's good. When it's bad... I hope you ate before you came. The food/drinks: Typical. Drink specials on Wednesdays include a $3.50 Harp or Guinness (yum!) and $3.50 "pint of the month" (Sam Adams Oktoberfest this month.) I think they have a $5.00 burger on Wednesday's as well. Other foods I've tried: Chopped salad. Pretty standard, but a large enough portion that I can get away with just that. French Onion Soup: pass. To me, it's not french onion when its provelone and not gruyere. Cheese snob, I know. Hickory Burger: Messy, but delicious. Fish Fry: I've yet to try it because the menu specifies perch, but every time I go to order they tell me all they have is cod. sad face. Grilled chicken sandwich: Again, messy, because avocados and chipotle sauce are slippery. The flavor is good. Moretti's pizzas: If you want pizza, you can get a fix here. 3 stars because of the meh service.
(3)Jenny V.
the food is okay, but there isnt a big selection. the irish chips are really good! they're homemade potato chips with melted cheese for dipping! the nachos are good, if you get a big order it is definitely big enough for 5 people! the dish is huge!! I like coming here for trivia on wednesdays, the guy in charge is one cool dude.
(3)Andrew P.
Service was slow. I was brought the wrong pizza. I was only allowed to order off the pizza menu when the kitchen was still open. $10 Jack and Coke, wtf? Never coming back. Wifi did not work.
(1)Bernice L.
Good food and drink specials :) I used to love their chicken tenders but they changed them and their not so good anymore. Boo! They also have $2 small plates after 3 pm which is nice. Their $15 table toppers are pretty worthwhile too! Buffalo wings are a good option here :) Definitely like the specials and feel of the Chicago location better though.
(3)Steve S.
Stopped in for the first time. I was craving a burger and was not disappointed. Fun place, good crowd, very friendly bartenders - very attentive. It was trivia night and everyone seemed to be having fun. I'll definitely go back - would be a great place to watch the Bears and/or college football by the looks of it. Pretty good menu - as I said the burger was very good. I'm going to go back and try the reuben or some of the other house specials.
(4)Sue T.
Cozy, friendly atmosphere for a cold winter's day--fireplace, high-top tables, lots of dark wood, sports screens. Food is hearty comfort-style. The French onion soup had a rich dark broth and plenty of gooey melted cheese on top. The meatloaf was a huge portion of fine-grained meat formed into a hard brick and cooked to death, topped with a sweet red bbq sauce and a few sad-looking green peas. Meatloaf can be tender, juicy and delicious; this wasn't. The mashed potato side had corn and jalapenos mixed in, which was ok. Service was great.
(3)Steven D.
It's was late, we were hungry. Thought we try something new, never been to Finn's before. After waiting a few minutes to be served, the cook, bartender and bar back were awesome !!! All three made us feel welcome and at home. Like we were old friends. Tom, the cook, prepared the best buffalo wings. We also had the cheese curds and soft pretzle, those were good fillers, but the wings are "TOP SHELF" Thersa, the bartender, poured a perfect pint of black and tan. The Guinness beer is very fresh and I look forward to having another. The bar back remained courteous and was busy, still took time to always check on us. (sorry I don't remember his name). Keep up the great job and thanks again for everything. Steve and Kristen.
(5)Beatriz T.
I usually go to the one down in the Viagra Triangle, but this one is pretty much the same thing. Just a typical bar. I went on a Wednesday night which was trivia night. Place wasn't super packed and there was a loud bunch at the bar playing along with trivia, but they were cool and just having fun and I like to see that. Table Toppers full of frosty Blue Moon for only 20 bucks...can't beat that and the Cobb Salad was HUGE and it tasted good. Me and a friend shared it and there was still plenty left over. If you sign up online at their website they send you a $10 off coupon. Definitely would take the drive out to Scahumburg again to come here to hang out.
(4)Mick B.
A group of our friends met at Finn McCool's in Schaumburg for the NFL playoffs and the Hawks game. I understand that this is a sports bar and not a gourmet restaurant, but nearly everyone in our party commented on how bland the food that we ordered was. On top of that, our service was below par- we would ask for things such as silverware or condiments several times and in most cases we ended up getting them for ourselves from the waitress station or other tables. In defense of the wait staff- the place was crowded and they only had 2 people waiting tables. I don't understand why on a Sunday when a team with a local following is fighting for a spot in the Super Bowl that there wasn't more staff assigned to work by the management. Even one more waitress would have made a huge difference. Lots of TV's for watching sports- but the one nearest to where we were seated had a serious burn-in on the screen that was distracting while trying to watch the hockey game. Tip: There are menus for Moretti's (nearby) and you can call in an order and they will deliver to your table. This might be the way to go to avoid the meh food served here.
(2)Sasha F.
I visited McCools on a Wednesday night and it was a great, fun and lively place. The bartenders are personable, nice and want to serve you a good drink. There's a few regulars who hang out here which makes the place feel homey. In addition to a couple of gin and tonics, I ordered their pretzel and cheese curds - each $4 after 9pm - and both were very tasty! Overall this is a great low key bar where anyone of any age can go for a good drink and food.
(5)Matt I.
Went there after a work function. Friday night, 10:30 and the place was empty. Server was not very friendly, and from what I could tell lacked any people skills and then when we asked to order food, she said the kitchen was closed. On the menu it says they serves apps till close. Sever girl said the kitchen was closed. WTF. We had a second server take over the table and she was much nicer. Much happier to give my tip to the second girl. This is a place reminds me of a place that should be on Bar Rescue. Not impressed. If you are going to be any type of server, you better smile and have some interaction with people that are willing to part with their money. I wish people would have listened to me when I suggested Stadium.
(1)Real D.
The worst excuse for food I have found anywhere. Pathetic service. Small wonder hardly anyone was in there on a Saturday night. This place deserves to go out of business. Help it along by NOT going there. AVOID.
(1)Mike K.
Great little Irish style eatery. Nice beer selection. And the appetizer and meal selection was perfect for a night out with a group to watch some sports
(5)Sarah H.
The only reason I'm giving 2 stars is because I usually stop by here for St. Patrick's day and it's pretty fun with the tent and all, and the foods pretty decent. So I suggested to my friends we go there last night for drinks. Big mistake. Our waitress (Renee) provided nothing even close to good service. The place was super slow, yet it took 15min (and having to ask her twice) just to get us water. Then she asked us if we could pay our bill before we were done because she "wanted to go home". However, when she left us the bill, it was for all the wrong food, which she laughed and said "it must be some food from my other table." Brought the bill back, once again charging us for things we didn't order. Finally (3rd times a charm) got the bill right and we paid. She said she would Introduce us to our new waitress, then informed us she was also leaving, but she would put more drink orders in for us. Brought our drinks with another bill! Then we had to start a tab at the bar because she was off shift. The bar tab, for the same order was a smaller bill then ordering it through the waitress?? So we had to pay 3 bills for the night. Absolutely annoying to have to pay 3 bills for a dinner and a few cocktails. I used to think this place was fun, but I don't think I'll be back... And I wouldn't recommend going here unless your going to sit at the bar. Avoid the waitresses at all costs.
(2)C W.
After giving another try it was awesome. Nicole was on the spot. After our lunch, we mentioned our experience from the last time and she guessed who we were from our yelp review. She apologized for our bad experience and was very professional. Personally thank you for her demeanor for handling customers and accountability. We will be back because of Nicole. Thank you for your awesome service and caring about Finn McCools!
(5)Sean H.
This place used to be good..... I used to frequent this place when I worked in the area. Thus last wednesday we went out there to have some beer and a reuben. A Tall glass of beer is no longer in a glass but a plastic mug....what am I 12? No...I like my beer in a frosty glass not a plastic one. They must have lost their chef because the reuben was awful..the corn beef was so dry and tough like some untrained person made it. Very disappointed. This place was once great and now it is not.
(1)Trent F.
We stopped for lunch one day and my wife enjoyed the fish and chips so much we had to go back. That first visit was good, service was good, food came quick, server was attentive to our party of 9. But since then we have gone back 4 times in the evening for dinner. those 4 times the service was poor and the server was not attentive at all. The last visit after getting our initial drinks and food, we never saw our server again. No drink refills or asked if we needed anything, we had to get another server to get our bill so we could leave. Seemed like a nice place at first, but I would not recommend going in the evening.
(2)Paul S.
Mrs. S and a friend and I usually go here for lunches on weekends, so our experience may differ from the nighttime crowds. At any rate, as a lunch place, Finn McCool's nails it; the staff has always been fantastic in my experience. We've never had to send an order back, and the food is amazingly cheap--and of better than good quality (especially for the price). The beer selection is better than most, and the drinks are quite reasonable; even with a beer or two for one of us and soft drinks for the other two, it's rare that we top a $40 lunch tab for the table. My only complaint is they've taken a few of my old favorite things off the menu, namely mac `n' cheese. Definitely try the hot pretzels with cheddar sauce & the cheese curd appetizers. I like the homemade crispy potato chips alongside most lunch entrees. The Angry SOB burger needs a little extra Sriracha to be a heat-seeker's dream [they don't stock ghost peppers, unfortunately], but it's good beef & respectably spicy as-is. Their burgers are quite substantial, good quality & sell for less than Five Guys', so that's always a good bet. Mrs. S usually goes for the French Onion Soup or the Inside-Out Grilled Cheese. All in all, it's a great & enjoyable lunch for amazingly little money, and it's kinda become our go-to informal weekend lunch spot.
(5)Nick M.
Big time disappointment. Went to play trivia on Wednesday, but the Blackhawks game took precedence. Because of that, the game was played during intermissions at a lightning pace. All in all, we played for about 20 minutes in 2 hours. Then after the game was done, the trivia guy took another 30 minute break to eat and chat. We left before the game ended. Food wise - expect pub food, no better and no less. Cheap drinks on the weekdays was a bonus. Won't be back.
(2)michael w.
Stopped in on my way home to wet my whistle after a day of running around. Just the right size, not too big, not too small. The weathered exterior looks like something that was plucked up out of Ireland and dropped in Schaumburg. Our initial bartender (guy) had a terrific first impression with my wife when he carded her, well done sir. The place seemed lively enough, games on the screens, $3.50 Leini Octobers, what's not to like? We were not there long at all but enjoyed ourselves and kind of wish we had one around the corner from home. Tip - this is obviously not a real irish bar but it does a good enough job that it will suffice for Schaumburg. Unlike some newer "irish bars" that capitalize on a theme alone with nothing irish about them outside of the cheesy decor. Not sure what the event was outside of football, but the ladies streaming in the place on a Sunday evening as we were leaving were dressed to kill something, what, I am not sure. Tip - if I were a single dude in Schaumburg, it probably would not hurt to park yourself in here for a bit because the fish seemed hungry (at least on this night) and who knows, you might get lucky.
(4)Coleen A.
Finn, you get one star for your average bar food. Everything else just blows. The only thing remotely Irish about this place is the name Finn and the half-way decent Black and Tan. Season your sweet potato fries properly and you might've eeked out a second star, but barely. We had to ask our space-case waitress at least twice about EVERYTHING - silverware, condiments, refills, the check. And apparently the I'm-so-short-I-can't-reach-the-top-shelf-but-my-Âbig-mouth-makes-up-for-it bartender isn't allowed to cash us out. He knew I was pissed at the sh!tty service from our waitress and was covering for her. Whatever, I'll be at Lincoln Whiskey Kitchen for the next round!
(1)Dorothy P.
A bunch of my coworkers wanted to hit up Finn McCool's for a birthday lunch recently, and since I'd never been, I figured what the hay. I drive by this place all.the.time, but I've never ventured in, mostly because it always sounded to me like a cheesy Irish theme bar, and I'm not Irish (didn't even get to eat my Lucky Charms when I was a kid). Upon setting foot into the restaurant, I came to the realization that it IS a cheesy Irish themed restaurant/bar (at least my expectations were on par). They have typical bar food and a large assortment of drinks. I decided to go go the safe route and get the grilled cheese with tomato and bacon, because it's pretty hard to screw up a grilled cheese, AND this one promised cheese on the outside and on the inside. I do love me some cheese. In an attempt to health-ify my lunch in the slightest bit, I opted for a side salad instead of chips or fries. When I asked for Italian dressing, I got a semi-dirty look and was told they don't have ITALIAN dressing; they have BALSAMIC...oops. The grilled cheese was everything my stomach could imagine, and the salad was pretty tasty too. The portions were big enough that I barely finished half the sandwich, and like a good little girl, I finished my salad and took the other half of the grilled cheese home for later. All in all, if you're looking for the type of Irish bar that only an American could dream up, Finn McCool's your Huckleberry. For as good as the grilled cheese turned out to be, I just might be back for more.
(3)Joshua W.
Fun night life here. They really put on a show in the late night. The drinks were reasonable and the atmosphere was relaxed and full of animated young people. I grabbed a bite of food before the night club opened and it was pretty legit too. Great place.
(4)Allison R.
Smells..bar is sticky..glasses were dirty... Oranges were old/dry... Ignored by the bartender.. Food was sub par... Will not be returning.
(1)Gunner W.
i like this place. I had an Angry SOB burger, it was spicy and burned my already winter chapped lips. They have good specials. The bartending ladies are very friendly, I highly recommend this place any time of day.
(5)Stacey W.
Worse service, long waits. Waitress had no brains and seemed wasted and I am not being rude just honest. Food was average.
(1)Danielle S.
I've never had Finn's food, although I have heard it's decent. However, my bar experience was great! I came for a quick drink, and the bartender was super sweet. He made my drink just right, was very accommodating, and made sure to pay attention to everyone at the bar. He made conversation, and made you feel very welcome. They also had an Absolute cocktail special that night, so the drinks were $5! Not too shabby! It was, however, pretty quiet for happy hour on a weeknight.
(4)Manshu V.
This wasn't a very pleasant experience and I have nothing positive to say about this place. They had no drinks menu and the food that we ordered wasn't good at all. We got the buffalo shrimp, stuffed shrooms, nachos and it felt like some of the stuff was microwaved, and didn't taste much better than what you'd expect if you bought frozen food. I can't think of a single redeeming thing about this place, and don't see myself going there again.
(2)Jim P.
I'm not sure what people are expecting when they step into Finn McCool's but this is more Bennigan's and less "we know how to pour a perfect pint". Last night I sat at the bar and had a couple of very affordable beers. I ordered the blackened chicken flatbread sandwich and thought it was quite tasty. Nothing groundbreaking but the chicken was spicy, the pico was decent, the avocado was fresh, and the flatbread was crispy and tender. My wife had a turkey sandwich which she enjoyed, but wasn't blown away. I don't come to Finn's to be blown away I come to hang out with my friends and have a good time. I accomplish that goal 100% of the time at Finn's. Food's decent, beer's cheap, that's all I really need at a place called Finn McCool's.
(4)Bill F.
Good reasonably priced food. (I like their corned beef and soups). Good selection on tap beer, but $5.50 for a Smithwickes is a bit pricey. I've been there several times, service is ok. it is a loud atmosphere, not conducive to conversation. Very clean
(3)W M.
This place was recommended by the best western staff across the parking lot. It was a dark and stormy night when I went, so not too crowded. The Guinness pour was good and the angry SOB burger was delicious after a long day's drive. The bartender was nice and service was efficient and non-intrusive. All-in-all a good eating experience while on the road.
(4)Denise J.
After a long afternoon of shopping and spending WAY to much money, my friend and I decided to get some lunch and Finn McCool's is a place I found on my Lovely Yelp app. I looked at the menu before we went in there and thats where I saw that they had an email club you could join for a $10 certificate.....SCORE!! We walked in about 2 and it was empty except a few people sitting at the bar, the waitress let us pick where we wanted to sit and asked if we needed anything to drink. I loved that they had the specials on a board so you could easily see what they were. we decided on a bucket of coors for only 10 bucks(so with the certificate they were free) For lunch I ordered the turkey burger and tator tots....OMG they had tator tots and I loved them!!! They were crispy and so brought me back to my childhood. The turkey burger was pretty good, nothing great about it. My friend got the turkey burger with their regular fries, which were crinkle fries. They were also very crispy and amazing if you dipped them in the ranch sauce. The food prices were not bad at all, my turkey burger with tator tots were only 7.99. *email club-$10 certificate*text club-free slider*like on facebook-$5 coupon* So they give you SOOOO many chances to save money how could you say no!!!
(4)Marc K.
Went for lunch on a Wednesday, crowd was ok...not too busy, not too slow. Decent list of beers on tap and in bottles. Ordered the Chipotle Wrap w/Chopped Salad. Very good wrap...and one of the best salads I've ever had. Other than a non-smiling bartender, I had a great experience.
(4)Shay M.
Definitely a great place to watch the game. Everything I have tried on their menu has been good, drinks are fabulous (BEST Bloody Mary's), great promotions and deals, and good service.
(4)Charles B.
Good atmosphere, plus table topper is a GO..-) Trivia night is cool and great spot to watch the games
(4)Pat S.
The real Finn McCool was a mythical Irish warrior and hunter. This white haired man spent his life hunting and fighting for justice and love. He reportedly loved a good time with friends, enjoyed good drink and food, would not settle for poor service, and believed in giving proper praise. Well Finn would visit and re-visit this place named for him. The traditional Irish foods are really good, the burgers are okay, the beer selection is nice, the staff is friendly, the prices are alright, the place does need a deep cleaning, and the restrooms are a bit neglected. This place deserves your consideration. It is now WOW, but at least it's not wholly crap!
(3)J C.
Great-tasting, reasonably priced food! Their steak salad is one of my favorites because of the perfectly cooked steak. Had the BBQ meatloaf too. Delicious! And of course, I always have to get tater tots! :)
(4)Aaron K.
The service here is absolutely below par. The bartenders look like deers in headlights. The female middle age manager is atrocious. How could she still be working here? The atmosphere is cool, but be prepared to get your own drinks. At least they have wifi so I can post this mean shit. I normally am very nice, but this is the third time I have Bren here and nothing has gotten better. Ever hear of a smile?
(2)Erick P.
Right when I turned 21 at 12:01 I went to this place because its down the street from my house. I liked it a lot, its a really chilled atmosphere. It's somewhere you go after work to relax, have a few beers and just watch some sports. The staff there is friendly and I usually go here around 3 or 4 times a month. It's a nice place and once again the crowd is a little bit older and a little bit more mature so it is just really a place to unwind and relax.
(4)dave h.
Went to watch some football on Sunday and the bartender put the Broncos game on without even looking at me funny. Nice! Spacious bar with plenty of tvs to catch any sporting event. Friendly and prompt staff. Good Anglo beer selection which is to be expected at an Irish themed pub. Foodwise I stuck to appetizers and learned that "cottage fries" are not fries but actually potato chips with cheese&bacon dip. Not what I expected but not bad. The bathroom was very clean and even had a tv with the featured game on. Nice, laid back suburban crowd. I will be back!
(4)Mike I.
Irish? It's about as much of an Irish pub as The Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant, actually less so. The decor is exactly as if you were inside a Morretti's (yes, I know it's the same owner, but it's identical nonetheless): random "crap" all over the walls. The service was good and the beer was cheap ($10 pitchers of Sam Winter Lager), but there is something intangible about this that just turns me off of this place. The horrible name doesn't help either. Would I go back.....probably not.
(2)Kathleen P.
Finn McCool you're a fraud! I was lured into your deceptive den with the promise of having a pint and bite to eat in an Irish pub. Your decor even seemed like a casual, family owned place. HA! After my initial disappointment at your boring menu, I realized there was nothing Irish about you. Just another corporate clone. Your service was lacking, your food was just okay and I won't be back!
(1)Saba A.
I prefer Westwood (not many miles from this place) but this place has a large projector to watch the games and great sound quality. Friendly, welcoming joint. Great place to hit after work and chill! Just watched the Bulls game there tonight.
(4)Jeannie G.
I've driven by Finn McCool's a few times during business trips and always said, "I should give that place a shot some time." I liked the name and it's close to the hotel where I typically stay when I'm working in the Schaumburg area. So during my recent business trip, I went to Finn McCool's for dinner and to watch the NBA Finals with a few coworkers. We were all pleasantly surprised. The service was excellent. We sat at the bar and the bartender took good care of us and made some suggestions, too. The menu had a wide variety -- burgers, sandwiches, salad, standard bar food, and some Irish entrees as well. I ordered the St. Patty Melt (on rye) with fries and a cup of the French Onion soup, which the bartender suggested. Thank God for her suggestion. It was seriously the BEST French Onion soup I have ever had -- anywhere! Including 5-star dining. I was completely surprised! The burger and fries were great, too. Definitely not your average bar fare. We were all impressed. I'll definitely be back!
(4)Restaurant Vigilant E.
QUITE the memorable experience. My girlfriend and I showed up at Finn McCools one sunday afternoon to grab a bite to eat. Before we even entered, we were both overcome by a feeling of dread and forboding...perhaps it was the greasy smell which permeated from the kitchens smoke stack? We entered this "Irish Sports Pub" establishment, only to discover it was filled to the rafters with middle age, midwestern corn eaters in their football jerseys, eyes glazed over gazing up at the 300 flat screen televisions. The airliner-taking off volume of the televisions was surpassed only by the sorority girl-turned waitress who, microphone in hand, shouted slogans about "$2.50 Bombs" to the peanut gallery. With a fair degree of trepidation, we took our seats at the only table available (complete with its own 1000 decible speaker afixed above it). The menu is pretty standard bar food...difficult to screw up, and features such traditional irish fare as McTacos, pot stickers, BBQ meatloaf and even pizza (which is snuck in through the back door from another restaurant across the road and pawned off as their own). Reinforcing the irish theme of the place are neon fixtures, witty hand painted signs making vague references to the old country and a few ceramic beer steins on a shelf which I suspect were actually german spies from bavaria. Throughout the experience, the sorority girl continued to scream at the crowd, reminding them that noon on a sunday was the perfect time to take down some jaeger bombs and assorted shots.. The food...my girlfriend bravely ordered the stew which was on "special" that day and was immediatly asked if she would like "soup or salad"...apparently she didn't think soup would go very well with stew, so ordered the salad instead. The salad came - a bed of machine shredded lettuce, a few traumatized and lonely veggies and ranch dressing spiked with blue cheese crumbles, pretending to be blue cheese dressing. I ordered the Turkey clubhouse on flatbread...this was deli turkey, an over abundance of shredded lettuce (which had escaped being a salad), and some shredded cheese borrowed from the local taco bell. It didn't taste bad at all...in fact, it had no taste. The beef stew came...it was as black as night...a slick of crude oil bathing what appeared to be strips of meat. I did not ask to try it and my girlfriend was kind enough not to offer. After lunch, we left the establishment in silence. My girlfriend was nearly shaking with anger and I was afraid she was going to dump me on the spot.
(1)Sarah R.
It was good! We had a party of 15-20 people. The staff was very friendly. The only thing was that the drinks came late, and we were smushed together. They had a fire going and was very nice!
(4)Ted P.
"I'm not Irish, I just drink that way" is a slogan on a sign near the bar at this place... and the first part's certainly true. This place was as Irish as Hulk Hogan. The food was average bar food -- the burger and fries seemed like they probably came out a freezer box in that way that you're sure you've had the exact same thing at the last three bars you dared eat at. The beer selection was unexciting with the requisite Guinness, Killians and Bass to keep up the authentic Irish pub style. Add to that that we weren't sure if the bar tender was laughing with us or laughing at us and we just weren't really won over by this place... but that's okay, it was late on a Sunday and we needed food and beer, so I guess it fit the bill.
(3)Mary B.
I've only been there twice and both times I had very good experiences. I first went there for new years eve this past year. They had an awesome deal. I believe it was $45 8-12:30 for everything except shots. This also included a crap load of appetizers. I could be wrong about the time but it was something awesome like that. I went with a younger type of crowd though and it seems like the crowd there is slightly older. Not by much but enough to make a difference for us. There was a dance floor and a bunch of us wanted to dance the night away but a lot of people just sort of stood around. The peoples fault, not the bar! ;) Regardless, it didn't stop us from dancing! The second time I went there, it was St. Patrick's Day. I still had a fun time that night too. We ordered one of those personal table tappers. I think it was $20 or $30 but we found $20 on the floor so that was a plus for us! We had a table and stood around observing and having a really good time. People seemed a little crazier for this holiday than new years eve, but I mean, what holiday isn't crazier than St. Patrick's Day! Oh and the bar is Irish... that helps too! Fun place, I wish I could get there more often for big parties. If you have a group of people and there's a holiday or even coming up, go there. Good food and a really friendly staff.
(4)Megan O.
I was surprised reading the other reviews on this place...pretty harsh for people who only tried it once. Granted first impression are important, but don't you guys believe in second chances? Finn's started doing pub trivia, which they call "Quizzo" on Wednesday nights around 8. I went with a group of friends and we all thought it was a blast. Mix in a few of those giant table tappers with pub trivia ( about 2.5liters of beer served in an ice cold glass tube you keep at your table...i can't really describe it much better except to say that they're awesome!) and you've got a great night! One of my favorite things about Finn's are the chips! I was never a fan of crinkle cut fries, but they offer chips which are homemade and amazingly crunchy! I also found out they have Acoustic Bands on Thursdays..still need to check that out but I can't imagine that it wouldn't be good.
(4)Drew C.
Met a client at Finn's on a Monday night for a drink and to sign some documents. They had a burger special for $4.50 so I ordered it because I was to lazy to look at the menu. The burger was awesome! Had a few Bud Lights and they were the perfect temperature just the way they were supposed to be. Bartender was friendly, cute and did a great job to maximize her tip. Heading back next Monday for another burger and a few beers.
(4)Christine L.
Admittedly we are not "regulars" in the way that we once were, but Finn's is stll on our list of places that we patronize with some frequency. Good bar food and we probably went there more often in the past because of the particular choice of 1/2 priced appetizers. Multiple shifts in the appetizer offerings, especially when items we liked were replaced, is what had us a little disappointed and looking or other options. The gals behind the bar are friendly and attentive... always recognized us and made us feel welcome and actually remembered my usual non-alcoholic beverage choice. My hubby enjoyed the choice of beer specials. Time to revisit for sur.
(3)Courtney Y.
One star is over doing the ratings for Finns. The only reason I come here is because they're open an hour later than the bar next door. The staff they hire are incompetent and extremely rude (I had to pull up directions on now to make a shot for their bartender last time, because she was incapable of doing so herself). The bartender bonnie has no manners, and I think her face would crack if she smiled. I resent spending my money there. They should be welcoming, enjoyable and make me want to Come back, they did not do that. Bonnie has a horrible attitude, as well as the other bartenders who's names I did not catch. Bonnie just seems to be the most unpleasant. Patrons don't need to deal with miserable, unknowledgeable staff such as the ones at finn mccools.
(1)Jacob J.
Decent alcohol specials, fun gimmicky Irish like pub with tons of TVs and neon lighting. I wonder what their electricity bill is like. Typically when I'm in this area, I might be at Stadium playing Buck Hunter Safari or Moretti's, "trying something different" in mind finally dragged me in. There were some corporate happy hour types and then the early 20s crowds. Good space for groups; couples and singles have plenty of space to sit and chill or grab a seat at the four sided bar which is stocked with its own TVs. They offer food which I didn't get to sample since the kitchen closes early. On a post connected to the bar are markings in red leading to a red phone. It reads "pizza hot-line" I suppose its hard lined to Moretti's, the bartender says not to pick it up, it's a line just for the use of the bartender. Why have it there in red and wanting to be grabbed if we can't use it to order? The bartender which helped us that night was not sweet, inviting or available. At the bar, it was slow, although there were many tables with groupings of people. When I asked for the specials she told us about two of them, $3 Sam seasonals and $3 Stoli cocktails. She failed to tell us about the most popular special of the evening, looking around I noticed there were many table toppers in use. Table toppers are tall funnels with spigot and a beer carrying capacity of about 6-8 pints. Typically the charge is around $16-$20 dollars or the price of the number of beers inside. She failed to share with me that they were on special for $10.. mind you she had a table topper sitting on the bar while she talked to us and it wasn't being held for anyone. I think she just didn't care enough to share the details. I can assume any number of reasons why she didn't give up the info and this on top of the already non caring attention wasn't helping her tip. I now wish I approached the Milfity buxom bartender for service, from the moment she walked into the bar she had already made eye contact and let us know she was there, just in case. That's service. Finn has got their own parking lot. I don't remember seeing any coin games, though they could use a couple. Outside seating is available but with the 30 foot policy, to smoke you would need to exit the premises. Men's restroom; these guys have got their shit together. It's clean, stocked, smell free and everything works. You'd be surprised how deteriorated the facilities can be at nearby competitors.
(3)Laura K.
It was a Saturday night. I arrived at 9:30 The place was pretty packed. The doorman was friendly and their bathrooms were clean. My friend was having her birthday party and she had some tables reserved, but not nearly enough. All went well when many of the patrons left, having finished their meals. The party slowly took over the whole back section. She had a birthday package Which included appetizers and All you can drink from 10p-1a for $20 per person. This does not include shots. I was having Bacardi and Cokes, which were decent, meaning not watered down. We were served Nachos and a sort of sampler platter. I did not like the Nachos, they were dry, I guess you could say. Their buffalo wings were good, The fried shrimp was good, but they had this beef kabob thing that was delicious! The D.J started at 11p.m I don't know if that's the norm or if it was because of the Hawks game. He started playing some 80's rock and slowly went into today's top 40. It was just o.k, much like the rest of the place. The only real problem was that their were approximately 25 of us and only one server, and you could not get your drinks from the bar. I think she did the best she could, although I think a few people couldn't get any service from her. I do believe she had other guests besides us. Anyway it was all you can drink, they had to save money somehow! All in all we had a good time, and Irish is just in the name.
(3)George H.
Please Help Finn McCool's..... I decided to stop by here instead of the tilted kilt or any other assorted pseudo Irish drinking experience with a good friend of mine. We were greeted and asked for IDs and we chose a place to sit. It was filled with regular Joe's surrounding the fairly attractive bartender. The music was being played from 70s and 80s American rock (like the Irish do?) CD and left awkward pauses every 3 minutes so we could keep turning to the cutting edge colored graphics made in a '97 version of Microsoft Publisher enhancing our viewing experience with nifty little sayings like "McCool's is the Coolest!" and "We've got the beat on Friday Nights!" So that was good. Alcohol: let me preface this by saying I'm something of a Guinness and Jameson aficionado. That being said, you can get Guiness and Jameson in bars throughout Ireland and the East Coast of US and Britain for about $3 eu. More importantly it's fresh and infused with nitrogen so it has a delicate taste of carbonation without the slap in the face club soda branded Miller and Bud Lite. At Finn McCools, Guinness is $6 most days without tip and the club soda ice cube polar mixture with a splash of Jameson is about the same. Food: don't order the specials. This place is stuck in the 80's and so is the flavor of the food. Bar food is pretty simple and generally so is Irish food. I've many times had authentic shepherds pies, chicken pot pies (not exclusively Irish), and other great dishes. Most of what I saw on the menu was really American junk food pretending to be vaguely Irish (a mc taco? yeaaa). Cutting the to chase, I ordered the chicken pot pie and my friend ordered a sausage pizza (from Morettis incidentally.. surprise!). We waited roughly 45 minutes to get our food which I understand but it seems like nobody else was ordering the special so they probably had made one just for me from scratch. That being said, what arrived for me was a small burn pastry with an unfinished soup underneath. The carrots were crunch and may as well have been raw, the soup lacked any kind of flavor which is typically an indication of poor seasoning, and the soup was runny and lacked general composition. All in all, a great disappointment. I don't know if someone had a rough night in the kitchen, or just wasn't trying their hardest, it was a bad experience.
(1)Bob M.
I went here for the first time last night and pleasantly surprised. The food was decent (nothing amazing), the service was good/average and I was pleased to discover that the wed night special was $3.50 pints of Gunness, Harp and Bass. My friend got a Stella and was shocked to pay $6 for it. They had a few other good beers on tap as well (but I was happy with the wed. night specials) The atmosphere was nice. You need to take the "Irish pub" idea with a grain of salt. It really is as the sign states; an Irish Sports Bar. There's stain glass windows, mosaic floor, and plenty of flat screen tv's. The majority of my time there they were playing classic rock music (which I was happy to hear), but by 8:00 or so the music went off and they started some type of trivia game, and instead of music you were stuck listening to an MC organizing all of that. That was my only complaint from this visit, the trivia was pretty annoying. I'd definitely go back here, but I'd definitely want to find a night they don't have something like trivia or karaoke going on... If I could avoid $6 pints, that would be a plus too.
(4)Larry R.
Nice atmosphere, good selection of food! Try the Pot Roast or Pot Roast Sandwich...can't go wrong. The Pizza is walked over from Moretti's accross the parking lot! By the way.....great thin crust Pizza, but why not go to Moretti's in the first place! This is one of the many eateries...or drinkeries owned by the group that owns Moretti's
(4)Andrew T.
Normally a three star place. But... Guiness on tap and they had an outdoor viewing section for the hawks games. Cute redhead waitress too. Four stars it is!
(4)Virginia T.
The first and last time I went to Finn McCools was to celebrate my husband's coworker's birthday. Yea.... The drinks weren't that cheap, we didn't try the food (but the selection didnt' seem overly impressive), and it's sad when the best thing you have to say about a bar is that they have table tappers and it was clean. The music that night was karaoke... drunk people singing power ballads from the 80's and 90's mostly. I won't be back.
(2)Rachel J.
Ah Finn. You don't have that sense of urgency----no wait---it's more like you don't give a crap. I have given you quite a few chances, but your servers are snotty, the food is slow, and refills are not your forte. I would like you to be Cool, as you claim, but you are just cold. The place is really clean and the menu has good standard bar fare, with a few unexpected dishes. I would be willing to eat from there again, just not when I was on a time budget.
(2)Joshua M.
I was staying at the awful Radisson next to this place, and had lunch here a couple of times. The first time around I had a turkey burger, that was unexpectedly good. And the second time around I hate chicken strips, which were pretty much solid batter. So the good meal evened out the bad one. The place is pretty much staffed with cute girls, which I imagine is sort of the theme of restaurants like this. But the service was decent. If by some cruel twist of fate I am stuck at that Radisson again I'd go back.
(3)Dennis B.
After reading the other reviews, I guess it depends on the day and what you are looking for. We stopped in here after spending the day at Arlington betting the ponies. Good beer selection and priced normal for the suburbs. They have the table top beer taps for those interested in more than a pint or two. They looked interesting but I was the only one drinking so will have to evaluate their efficiency another time :-) The food was very good! I had the Saturday special - half slab of ribs and chicken fingers with fries and cole slaw. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and the chicken and fries were crisp and hot. My cousin and his wife had the steak sandwich and fried lake perch. Both excellent as well. The entrees were also fairly reasonable at $6.99 to $9.99 for most items. The many TVs were positioned perfectly for dining and viewing the many sports that were happening at the moment (watched the Cubs, Bears and Olympics at the same time!). We left the bar full and happy - except for the Cubs and Bears - both sucked that nite!!!
(4)Kloud A.
Douchebag city - perfect place for frat boy losers!!!
(2)Tony M.
I love Finn McCools. Great place to actually talk and enjoy your beer without loud music or obnoxious drunks bumping into you. Prices are fair and they have a large selection of liquors.
(4)Kevin P.
pretty chilled place, very clean, service was great. tuesdays are pretty good. Its a good place for just relaxig and having a few drinks with your buddies.
(4)Steven D.
It's was late, we were hungry. Thought we try something new, never been to Finn's before. After waiting a few minutes to be served, the cook, bartender and bar back were awesome !!! All three made us feel welcome and at home. Like we were old friends. Tom, the cook, prepared the best buffalo wings. We also had the cheese curds and soft pretzle, those were good fillers, but the wings are "TOP SHELF" Thersa, the bartender, poured a perfect pint of black and tan. The Guinness beer is very fresh and I look forward to having another. The bar back remained courteous and was busy, still took time to always check on us. (sorry I don't remember his name). Keep up the great job and thanks again for everything. Steve and Kristen.
(5)Sasha F.
I visited McCools on a Wednesday night and it was a great, fun and lively place. The bartenders are personable, nice and want to serve you a good drink. There's a few regulars who hang out here which makes the place feel homey. In addition to a couple of gin and tonics, I ordered their pretzel and cheese curds - each $4 after 9pm - and both were very tasty! Overall this is a great low key bar where anyone of any age can go for a good drink and food.
(5)Mike F.
Stopped off here after a day at the Museum of Science and Industry. Found it on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Beer selection decent, food selection decent and prices were reasonable for Chicagoland. Food was good and tasty, son had the breakfast (which you can order all day long). I had a wrap. Portions were good. It looked like three servers covered the seating area, the bar and the patio. If it had been busier, they would have been in trouble. No complaints, would return.
(4)Mike K.
Great little Irish style eatery. Nice beer selection. And the appetizer and meal selection was perfect for a night out with a group to watch some sports
(5)Sarah H.
The only reason I'm giving 2 stars is because I usually stop by here for St. Patrick's day and it's pretty fun with the tent and all, and the foods pretty decent. So I suggested to my friends we go there last night for drinks. Big mistake. Our waitress (Renee) provided nothing even close to good service. The place was super slow, yet it took 15min (and having to ask her twice) just to get us water. Then she asked us if we could pay our bill before we were done because she "wanted to go home". However, when she left us the bill, it was for all the wrong food, which she laughed and said "it must be some food from my other table." Brought the bill back, once again charging us for things we didn't order. Finally (3rd times a charm) got the bill right and we paid. She said she would Introduce us to our new waitress, then informed us she was also leaving, but she would put more drink orders in for us. Brought our drinks with another bill! Then we had to start a tab at the bar because she was off shift. The bar tab, for the same order was a smaller bill then ordering it through the waitress?? So we had to pay 3 bills for the night. Absolutely annoying to have to pay 3 bills for a dinner and a few cocktails. I used to think this place was fun, but I don't think I'll be back... And I wouldn't recommend going here unless your going to sit at the bar. Avoid the waitresses at all costs.
(2)C W.
After giving another try it was awesome. Nicole was on the spot. After our lunch, we mentioned our experience from the last time and she guessed who we were from our yelp review. She apologized for our bad experience and was very professional. Personally thank you for her demeanor for handling customers and accountability. We will be back because of Nicole. Thank you for your awesome service and caring about Finn McCools!
(5)Sean H.
This place used to be good..... I used to frequent this place when I worked in the area. Thus last wednesday we went out there to have some beer and a reuben. A Tall glass of beer is no longer in a glass but a plastic mug....what am I 12? No...I like my beer in a frosty glass not a plastic one. They must have lost their chef because the reuben was awful..the corn beef was so dry and tough like some untrained person made it. Very disappointed. This place was once great and now it is not.
(1)Trent F.
We stopped for lunch one day and my wife enjoyed the fish and chips so much we had to go back. That first visit was good, service was good, food came quick, server was attentive to our party of 9. But since then we have gone back 4 times in the evening for dinner. those 4 times the service was poor and the server was not attentive at all. The last visit after getting our initial drinks and food, we never saw our server again. No drink refills or asked if we needed anything, we had to get another server to get our bill so we could leave. Seemed like a nice place at first, but I would not recommend going in the evening.
(2)Gunner W.
i like this place. I had an Angry SOB burger, it was spicy and burned my already winter chapped lips. They have good specials. The bartending ladies are very friendly, I highly recommend this place any time of day.
(5)Stacey W.
Worse service, long waits. Waitress had no brains and seemed wasted and I am not being rude just honest. Food was average.
(1)Dorothy P.
A bunch of my coworkers wanted to hit up Finn McCool's for a birthday lunch recently, and since I'd never been, I figured what the hay. I drive by this place all.the.time, but I've never ventured in, mostly because it always sounded to me like a cheesy Irish theme bar, and I'm not Irish (didn't even get to eat my Lucky Charms when I was a kid). Upon setting foot into the restaurant, I came to the realization that it IS a cheesy Irish themed restaurant/bar (at least my expectations were on par). They have typical bar food and a large assortment of drinks. I decided to go go the safe route and get the grilled cheese with tomato and bacon, because it's pretty hard to screw up a grilled cheese, AND this one promised cheese on the outside and on the inside. I do love me some cheese. In an attempt to health-ify my lunch in the slightest bit, I opted for a side salad instead of chips or fries. When I asked for Italian dressing, I got a semi-dirty look and was told they don't have ITALIAN dressing; they have BALSAMIC...oops. The grilled cheese was everything my stomach could imagine, and the salad was pretty tasty too. The portions were big enough that I barely finished half the sandwich, and like a good little girl, I finished my salad and took the other half of the grilled cheese home for later. All in all, if you're looking for the type of Irish bar that only an American could dream up, Finn McCool's your Huckleberry. For as good as the grilled cheese turned out to be, I just might be back for more.
(3)Joshua W.
Fun night life here. They really put on a show in the late night. The drinks were reasonable and the atmosphere was relaxed and full of animated young people. I grabbed a bite of food before the night club opened and it was pretty legit too. Great place.
(4)Danielle S.
I've never had Finn's food, although I have heard it's decent. However, my bar experience was great! I came for a quick drink, and the bartender was super sweet. He made my drink just right, was very accommodating, and made sure to pay attention to everyone at the bar. He made conversation, and made you feel very welcome. They also had an Absolute cocktail special that night, so the drinks were $5! Not too shabby! It was, however, pretty quiet for happy hour on a weeknight.
(4)Manshu V.
This wasn't a very pleasant experience and I have nothing positive to say about this place. They had no drinks menu and the food that we ordered wasn't good at all. We got the buffalo shrimp, stuffed shrooms, nachos and it felt like some of the stuff was microwaved, and didn't taste much better than what you'd expect if you bought frozen food. I can't think of a single redeeming thing about this place, and don't see myself going there again.
(2)Jim P.
I'm not sure what people are expecting when they step into Finn McCool's but this is more Bennigan's and less "we know how to pour a perfect pint". Last night I sat at the bar and had a couple of very affordable beers. I ordered the blackened chicken flatbread sandwich and thought it was quite tasty. Nothing groundbreaking but the chicken was spicy, the pico was decent, the avocado was fresh, and the flatbread was crispy and tender. My wife had a turkey sandwich which she enjoyed, but wasn't blown away. I don't come to Finn's to be blown away I come to hang out with my friends and have a good time. I accomplish that goal 100% of the time at Finn's. Food's decent, beer's cheap, that's all I really need at a place called Finn McCool's.
(4)Valerie W.
Finn's... my Wednesday night spot for Pub Trivia. So much fun. The pace could be a little bit quicker, but a great time with friends competing against total strangers! The atmosphere... not exactly Irish pub... more like Irish pub meets TGIFriday's? I do like looking at all of the old album covers on the walls. The service... mixed. We go enough that we know which servers we want and which we want to avoid. Let's put it this way, when it's good, it's good. When it's bad... I hope you ate before you came. The food/drinks: Typical. Drink specials on Wednesdays include a $3.50 Harp or Guinness (yum!) and $3.50 "pint of the month" (Sam Adams Oktoberfest this month.) I think they have a $5.00 burger on Wednesday's as well. Other foods I've tried: Chopped salad. Pretty standard, but a large enough portion that I can get away with just that. French Onion Soup: pass. To me, it's not french onion when its provelone and not gruyere. Cheese snob, I know. Hickory Burger: Messy, but delicious. Fish Fry: I've yet to try it because the menu specifies perch, but every time I go to order they tell me all they have is cod. sad face. Grilled chicken sandwich: Again, messy, because avocados and chipotle sauce are slippery. The flavor is good. Moretti's pizzas: If you want pizza, you can get a fix here. 3 stars because of the meh service.
(3)Jenny V.
the food is okay, but there isnt a big selection. the irish chips are really good! they're homemade potato chips with melted cheese for dipping! the nachos are good, if you get a big order it is definitely big enough for 5 people! the dish is huge!! I like coming here for trivia on wednesdays, the guy in charge is one cool dude.
(3)Andrew P.
Service was slow. I was brought the wrong pizza. I was only allowed to order off the pizza menu when the kitchen was still open. $10 Jack and Coke, wtf? Never coming back. Wifi did not work.
(1)Bernice L.
Good food and drink specials :) I used to love their chicken tenders but they changed them and their not so good anymore. Boo! They also have $2 small plates after 3 pm which is nice. Their $15 table toppers are pretty worthwhile too! Buffalo wings are a good option here :) Definitely like the specials and feel of the Chicago location better though.
(3)Denise J.
After a long afternoon of shopping and spending WAY to much money, my friend and I decided to get some lunch and Finn McCool's is a place I found on my Lovely Yelp app. I looked at the menu before we went in there and thats where I saw that they had an email club you could join for a $10 certificate.....SCORE!! We walked in about 2 and it was empty except a few people sitting at the bar, the waitress let us pick where we wanted to sit and asked if we needed anything to drink. I loved that they had the specials on a board so you could easily see what they were. we decided on a bucket of coors for only 10 bucks(so with the certificate they were free) For lunch I ordered the turkey burger and tator tots....OMG they had tator tots and I loved them!!! They were crispy and so brought me back to my childhood. The turkey burger was pretty good, nothing great about it. My friend got the turkey burger with their regular fries, which were crinkle fries. They were also very crispy and amazing if you dipped them in the ranch sauce. The food prices were not bad at all, my turkey burger with tator tots were only 7.99. *email club-$10 certificate*text club-free slider*like on facebook-$5 coupon* So they give you SOOOO many chances to save money how could you say no!!!
(4)Marc K.
Went for lunch on a Wednesday, crowd was ok...not too busy, not too slow. Decent list of beers on tap and in bottles. Ordered the Chipotle Wrap w/Chopped Salad. Very good wrap...and one of the best salads I've ever had. Other than a non-smiling bartender, I had a great experience.
(4)Shay M.
Definitely a great place to watch the game. Everything I have tried on their menu has been good, drinks are fabulous (BEST Bloody Mary's), great promotions and deals, and good service.
(4)Charles B.
Good atmosphere, plus table topper is a GO..-) Trivia night is cool and great spot to watch the games
(4)Pat S.
The real Finn McCool was a mythical Irish warrior and hunter. This white haired man spent his life hunting and fighting for justice and love. He reportedly loved a good time with friends, enjoyed good drink and food, would not settle for poor service, and believed in giving proper praise. Well Finn would visit and re-visit this place named for him. The traditional Irish foods are really good, the burgers are okay, the beer selection is nice, the staff is friendly, the prices are alright, the place does need a deep cleaning, and the restrooms are a bit neglected. This place deserves your consideration. It is now WOW, but at least it's not wholly crap!
(3)Saba A.
I prefer Westwood (not many miles from this place) but this place has a large projector to watch the games and great sound quality. Friendly, welcoming joint. Great place to hit after work and chill! Just watched the Bulls game there tonight.
(4)Steve S.
Stopped in for the first time. I was craving a burger and was not disappointed. Fun place, good crowd, very friendly bartenders - very attentive. It was trivia night and everyone seemed to be having fun. I'll definitely go back - would be a great place to watch the Bears and/or college football by the looks of it. Pretty good menu - as I said the burger was very good. I'm going to go back and try the reuben or some of the other house specials.
(4)Jeannie G.
I've driven by Finn McCool's a few times during business trips and always said, "I should give that place a shot some time." I liked the name and it's close to the hotel where I typically stay when I'm working in the Schaumburg area. So during my recent business trip, I went to Finn McCool's for dinner and to watch the NBA Finals with a few coworkers. We were all pleasantly surprised. The service was excellent. We sat at the bar and the bartender took good care of us and made some suggestions, too. The menu had a wide variety -- burgers, sandwiches, salad, standard bar food, and some Irish entrees as well. I ordered the St. Patty Melt (on rye) with fries and a cup of the French Onion soup, which the bartender suggested. Thank God for her suggestion. It was seriously the BEST French Onion soup I have ever had -- anywhere! Including 5-star dining. I was completely surprised! The burger and fries were great, too. Definitely not your average bar fare. We were all impressed. I'll definitely be back!
(4)Sarah R.
It was good! We had a party of 15-20 people. The staff was very friendly. The only thing was that the drinks came late, and we were smushed together. They had a fire going and was very nice!
(4)Ted P.
"I'm not Irish, I just drink that way" is a slogan on a sign near the bar at this place... and the first part's certainly true. This place was as Irish as Hulk Hogan. The food was average bar food -- the burger and fries seemed like they probably came out a freezer box in that way that you're sure you've had the exact same thing at the last three bars you dared eat at. The beer selection was unexciting with the requisite Guinness, Killians and Bass to keep up the authentic Irish pub style. Add to that that we weren't sure if the bar tender was laughing with us or laughing at us and we just weren't really won over by this place... but that's okay, it was late on a Sunday and we needed food and beer, so I guess it fit the bill.
(3)J C.
Great-tasting, reasonably priced food! Their steak salad is one of my favorites because of the perfectly cooked steak. Had the BBQ meatloaf too. Delicious! And of course, I always have to get tater tots! :)
(4)Restaurant Vigilant E.
QUITE the memorable experience. My girlfriend and I showed up at Finn McCools one sunday afternoon to grab a bite to eat. Before we even entered, we were both overcome by a feeling of dread and forboding...perhaps it was the greasy smell which permeated from the kitchens smoke stack? We entered this "Irish Sports Pub" establishment, only to discover it was filled to the rafters with middle age, midwestern corn eaters in their football jerseys, eyes glazed over gazing up at the 300 flat screen televisions. The airliner-taking off volume of the televisions was surpassed only by the sorority girl-turned waitress who, microphone in hand, shouted slogans about "$2.50 Bombs" to the peanut gallery. With a fair degree of trepidation, we took our seats at the only table available (complete with its own 1000 decible speaker afixed above it). The menu is pretty standard bar food...difficult to screw up, and features such traditional irish fare as McTacos, pot stickers, BBQ meatloaf and even pizza (which is snuck in through the back door from another restaurant across the road and pawned off as their own). Reinforcing the irish theme of the place are neon fixtures, witty hand painted signs making vague references to the old country and a few ceramic beer steins on a shelf which I suspect were actually german spies from bavaria. Throughout the experience, the sorority girl continued to scream at the crowd, reminding them that noon on a sunday was the perfect time to take down some jaeger bombs and assorted shots.. The food...my girlfriend bravely ordered the stew which was on "special" that day and was immediatly asked if she would like "soup or salad"...apparently she didn't think soup would go very well with stew, so ordered the salad instead. The salad came - a bed of machine shredded lettuce, a few traumatized and lonely veggies and ranch dressing spiked with blue cheese crumbles, pretending to be blue cheese dressing. I ordered the Turkey clubhouse on flatbread...this was deli turkey, an over abundance of shredded lettuce (which had escaped being a salad), and some shredded cheese borrowed from the local taco bell. It didn't taste bad at all...in fact, it had no taste. The beef stew came...it was as black as night...a slick of crude oil bathing what appeared to be strips of meat. I did not ask to try it and my girlfriend was kind enough not to offer. After lunch, we left the establishment in silence. My girlfriend was nearly shaking with anger and I was afraid she was going to dump me on the spot.
(1)Bill F.
Good reasonably priced food. (I like their corned beef and soups). Good selection on tap beer, but $5.50 for a Smithwickes is a bit pricey. I've been there several times, service is ok. it is a loud atmosphere, not conducive to conversation. Very clean
(3)W M.
This place was recommended by the best western staff across the parking lot. It was a dark and stormy night when I went, so not too crowded. The Guinness pour was good and the angry SOB burger was delicious after a long day's drive. The bartender was nice and service was efficient and non-intrusive. All-in-all a good eating experience while on the road.
(4)Mary B.
I've only been there twice and both times I had very good experiences. I first went there for new years eve this past year. They had an awesome deal. I believe it was $45 8-12:30 for everything except shots. This also included a crap load of appetizers. I could be wrong about the time but it was something awesome like that. I went with a younger type of crowd though and it seems like the crowd there is slightly older. Not by much but enough to make a difference for us. There was a dance floor and a bunch of us wanted to dance the night away but a lot of people just sort of stood around. The peoples fault, not the bar! ;) Regardless, it didn't stop us from dancing! The second time I went there, it was St. Patrick's Day. I still had a fun time that night too. We ordered one of those personal table tappers. I think it was $20 or $30 but we found $20 on the floor so that was a plus for us! We had a table and stood around observing and having a really good time. People seemed a little crazier for this holiday than new years eve, but I mean, what holiday isn't crazier than St. Patrick's Day! Oh and the bar is Irish... that helps too! Fun place, I wish I could get there more often for big parties. If you have a group of people and there's a holiday or even coming up, go there. Good food and a really friendly staff.
(4)Megan O.
I was surprised reading the other reviews on this place...pretty harsh for people who only tried it once. Granted first impression are important, but don't you guys believe in second chances? Finn's started doing pub trivia, which they call "Quizzo" on Wednesday nights around 8. I went with a group of friends and we all thought it was a blast. Mix in a few of those giant table tappers with pub trivia ( about 2.5liters of beer served in an ice cold glass tube you keep at your table...i can't really describe it much better except to say that they're awesome!) and you've got a great night! One of my favorite things about Finn's are the chips! I was never a fan of crinkle cut fries, but they offer chips which are homemade and amazingly crunchy! I also found out they have Acoustic Bands on Thursdays..still need to check that out but I can't imagine that it wouldn't be good.
(4)Drew C.
Met a client at Finn's on a Monday night for a drink and to sign some documents. They had a burger special for $4.50 so I ordered it because I was to lazy to look at the menu. The burger was awesome! Had a few Bud Lights and they were the perfect temperature just the way they were supposed to be. Bartender was friendly, cute and did a great job to maximize her tip. Heading back next Monday for another burger and a few beers.
(4)Christine L.
Admittedly we are not "regulars" in the way that we once were, but Finn's is stll on our list of places that we patronize with some frequency. Good bar food and we probably went there more often in the past because of the particular choice of 1/2 priced appetizers. Multiple shifts in the appetizer offerings, especially when items we liked were replaced, is what had us a little disappointed and looking or other options. The gals behind the bar are friendly and attentive... always recognized us and made us feel welcome and actually remembered my usual non-alcoholic beverage choice. My hubby enjoyed the choice of beer specials. Time to revisit for sur.
(3)Courtney Y.
One star is over doing the ratings for Finns. The only reason I come here is because they're open an hour later than the bar next door. The staff they hire are incompetent and extremely rude (I had to pull up directions on now to make a shot for their bartender last time, because she was incapable of doing so herself). The bartender bonnie has no manners, and I think her face would crack if she smiled. I resent spending my money there. They should be welcoming, enjoyable and make me want to Come back, they did not do that. Bonnie has a horrible attitude, as well as the other bartenders who's names I did not catch. Bonnie just seems to be the most unpleasant. Patrons don't need to deal with miserable, unknowledgeable staff such as the ones at finn mccools.
(1)Jacob J.
Decent alcohol specials, fun gimmicky Irish like pub with tons of TVs and neon lighting. I wonder what their electricity bill is like. Typically when I'm in this area, I might be at Stadium playing Buck Hunter Safari or Moretti's, "trying something different" in mind finally dragged me in. There were some corporate happy hour types and then the early 20s crowds. Good space for groups; couples and singles have plenty of space to sit and chill or grab a seat at the four sided bar which is stocked with its own TVs. They offer food which I didn't get to sample since the kitchen closes early. On a post connected to the bar are markings in red leading to a red phone. It reads "pizza hot-line" I suppose its hard lined to Moretti's, the bartender says not to pick it up, it's a line just for the use of the bartender. Why have it there in red and wanting to be grabbed if we can't use it to order? The bartender which helped us that night was not sweet, inviting or available. At the bar, it was slow, although there were many tables with groupings of people. When I asked for the specials she told us about two of them, $3 Sam seasonals and $3 Stoli cocktails. She failed to tell us about the most popular special of the evening, looking around I noticed there were many table toppers in use. Table toppers are tall funnels with spigot and a beer carrying capacity of about 6-8 pints. Typically the charge is around $16-$20 dollars or the price of the number of beers inside. She failed to share with me that they were on special for $10.. mind you she had a table topper sitting on the bar while she talked to us and it wasn't being held for anyone. I think she just didn't care enough to share the details. I can assume any number of reasons why she didn't give up the info and this on top of the already non caring attention wasn't helping her tip. I now wish I approached the Milfity buxom bartender for service, from the moment she walked into the bar she had already made eye contact and let us know she was there, just in case. That's service. Finn has got their own parking lot. I don't remember seeing any coin games, though they could use a couple. Outside seating is available but with the 30 foot policy, to smoke you would need to exit the premises. Men's restroom; these guys have got their shit together. It's clean, stocked, smell free and everything works. You'd be surprised how deteriorated the facilities can be at nearby competitors.
(3)Laura K.
It was a Saturday night. I arrived at 9:30 The place was pretty packed. The doorman was friendly and their bathrooms were clean. My friend was having her birthday party and she had some tables reserved, but not nearly enough. All went well when many of the patrons left, having finished their meals. The party slowly took over the whole back section. She had a birthday package Which included appetizers and All you can drink from 10p-1a for $20 per person. This does not include shots. I was having Bacardi and Cokes, which were decent, meaning not watered down. We were served Nachos and a sort of sampler platter. I did not like the Nachos, they were dry, I guess you could say. Their buffalo wings were good, The fried shrimp was good, but they had this beef kabob thing that was delicious! The D.J started at 11p.m I don't know if that's the norm or if it was because of the Hawks game. He started playing some 80's rock and slowly went into today's top 40. It was just o.k, much like the rest of the place. The only real problem was that their were approximately 25 of us and only one server, and you could not get your drinks from the bar. I think she did the best she could, although I think a few people couldn't get any service from her. I do believe she had other guests besides us. Anyway it was all you can drink, they had to save money somehow! All in all we had a good time, and Irish is just in the name.
(3)George H.
Please Help Finn McCool's..... I decided to stop by here instead of the tilted kilt or any other assorted pseudo Irish drinking experience with a good friend of mine. We were greeted and asked for IDs and we chose a place to sit. It was filled with regular Joe's surrounding the fairly attractive bartender. The music was being played from 70s and 80s American rock (like the Irish do?) CD and left awkward pauses every 3 minutes so we could keep turning to the cutting edge colored graphics made in a '97 version of Microsoft Publisher enhancing our viewing experience with nifty little sayings like "McCool's is the Coolest!" and "We've got the beat on Friday Nights!" So that was good. Alcohol: let me preface this by saying I'm something of a Guinness and Jameson aficionado. That being said, you can get Guiness and Jameson in bars throughout Ireland and the East Coast of US and Britain for about $3 eu. More importantly it's fresh and infused with nitrogen so it has a delicate taste of carbonation without the slap in the face club soda branded Miller and Bud Lite. At Finn McCools, Guinness is $6 most days without tip and the club soda ice cube polar mixture with a splash of Jameson is about the same. Food: don't order the specials. This place is stuck in the 80's and so is the flavor of the food. Bar food is pretty simple and generally so is Irish food. I've many times had authentic shepherds pies, chicken pot pies (not exclusively Irish), and other great dishes. Most of what I saw on the menu was really American junk food pretending to be vaguely Irish (a mc taco? yeaaa). Cutting the to chase, I ordered the chicken pot pie and my friend ordered a sausage pizza (from Morettis incidentally.. surprise!). We waited roughly 45 minutes to get our food which I understand but it seems like nobody else was ordering the special so they probably had made one just for me from scratch. That being said, what arrived for me was a small burn pastry with an unfinished soup underneath. The carrots were crunch and may as well have been raw, the soup lacked any kind of flavor which is typically an indication of poor seasoning, and the soup was runny and lacked general composition. All in all, a great disappointment. I don't know if someone had a rough night in the kitchen, or just wasn't trying their hardest, it was a bad experience.
(1)Aaron K.
The service here is absolutely below par. The bartenders look like deers in headlights. The female middle age manager is atrocious. How could she still be working here? The atmosphere is cool, but be prepared to get your own drinks. At least they have wifi so I can post this mean shit. I normally am very nice, but this is the third time I have Bren here and nothing has gotten better. Ever hear of a smile?
(2)Erick P.
Right when I turned 21 at 12:01 I went to this place because its down the street from my house. I liked it a lot, its a really chilled atmosphere. It's somewhere you go after work to relax, have a few beers and just watch some sports. The staff there is friendly and I usually go here around 3 or 4 times a month. It's a nice place and once again the crowd is a little bit older and a little bit more mature so it is just really a place to unwind and relax.
(4)dave h.
Went to watch some football on Sunday and the bartender put the Broncos game on without even looking at me funny. Nice! Spacious bar with plenty of tvs to catch any sporting event. Friendly and prompt staff. Good Anglo beer selection which is to be expected at an Irish themed pub. Foodwise I stuck to appetizers and learned that "cottage fries" are not fries but actually potato chips with cheese&bacon dip. Not what I expected but not bad. The bathroom was very clean and even had a tv with the featured game on. Nice, laid back suburban crowd. I will be back!
(4)Mike I.
Irish? It's about as much of an Irish pub as The Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant, actually less so. The decor is exactly as if you were inside a Morretti's (yes, I know it's the same owner, but it's identical nonetheless): random "crap" all over the walls. The service was good and the beer was cheap ($10 pitchers of Sam Winter Lager), but there is something intangible about this that just turns me off of this place. The horrible name doesn't help either. Would I go back.....probably not.
(2)Kathleen P.
Finn McCool you're a fraud! I was lured into your deceptive den with the promise of having a pint and bite to eat in an Irish pub. Your decor even seemed like a casual, family owned place. HA! After my initial disappointment at your boring menu, I realized there was nothing Irish about you. Just another corporate clone. Your service was lacking, your food was just okay and I won't be back!
(1)Dennis B.
After reading the other reviews, I guess it depends on the day and what you are looking for. We stopped in here after spending the day at Arlington betting the ponies. Good beer selection and priced normal for the suburbs. They have the table top beer taps for those interested in more than a pint or two. They looked interesting but I was the only one drinking so will have to evaluate their efficiency another time :-) The food was very good! I had the Saturday special - half slab of ribs and chicken fingers with fries and cole slaw. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and the chicken and fries were crisp and hot. My cousin and his wife had the steak sandwich and fried lake perch. Both excellent as well. The entrees were also fairly reasonable at $6.99 to $9.99 for most items. The many TVs were positioned perfectly for dining and viewing the many sports that were happening at the moment (watched the Cubs, Bears and Olympics at the same time!). We left the bar full and happy - except for the Cubs and Bears - both sucked that nite!!!
(4)Kloud A.
Douchebag city - perfect place for frat boy losers!!!
(2)Tony M.
I love Finn McCools. Great place to actually talk and enjoy your beer without loud music or obnoxious drunks bumping into you. Prices are fair and they have a large selection of liquors.
(4)Kevin P.
pretty chilled place, very clean, service was great. tuesdays are pretty good. Its a good place for just relaxig and having a few drinks with your buddies.
(4)michael w.
Stopped in on my way home to wet my whistle after a day of running around. Just the right size, not too big, not too small. The weathered exterior looks like something that was plucked up out of Ireland and dropped in Schaumburg. Our initial bartender (guy) had a terrific first impression with my wife when he carded her, well done sir. The place seemed lively enough, games on the screens, $3.50 Leini Octobers, what's not to like? We were not there long at all but enjoyed ourselves and kind of wish we had one around the corner from home. Tip - this is obviously not a real irish bar but it does a good enough job that it will suffice for Schaumburg. Unlike some newer "irish bars" that capitalize on a theme alone with nothing irish about them outside of the cheesy decor. Not sure what the event was outside of football, but the ladies streaming in the place on a Sunday evening as we were leaving were dressed to kill something, what, I am not sure. Tip - if I were a single dude in Schaumburg, it probably would not hurt to park yourself in here for a bit because the fish seemed hungry (at least on this night) and who knows, you might get lucky.
(4)Coleen A.
Finn, you get one star for your average bar food. Everything else just blows. The only thing remotely Irish about this place is the name Finn and the half-way decent Black and Tan. Season your sweet potato fries properly and you might've eeked out a second star, but barely. We had to ask our space-case waitress at least twice about EVERYTHING - silverware, condiments, refills, the check. And apparently the I'm-so-short-I-can't-reach-the-top-shelf-but-my-Âbig-mouth-makes-up-for-it bartender isn't allowed to cash us out. He knew I was pissed at the sh!tty service from our waitress and was covering for her. Whatever, I'll be at Lincoln Whiskey Kitchen for the next round!
(1)Malina G.
My boyfriend and I have come here quite frequently since we've moved to the area, and the service is always a hit or miss. If you're fortunate enough to be served by Tom, who works in the evenings, you'll receive nothing short of exceptional service - he's willing to cook even after the kitchen is "closed," he'll make you awesome drinks and comp you without question if you've been stuck waiting. He's an excellent, personable, and attentive bartender, cook, and server, and every night that he's there, I have a fantastic experience. Things are much different during the afternoons and nights when Tom isn't there. Some waitresses are personable on occasion, but they have a tendency to be incredibly slow. During the day (around 3-4pm), on at least three occasions, the waitress was so slow that it took fifteen minutes for us to receive water, and an hour and a half for our entire visit, which consisted of two drinks and some appetizers. During the evenings when it's a bit more busy, waitress/bartenders can be rather negligent, observed having side conversations and paying more attention to preferred patrons. They won't serve food after 11:00pm, and the drinks they make have been syrupy in my experience. The food is good, and the drinks are a hit or miss. There isn't that extensive of a beer selection, which definitely loses some points with me since there's a high chance that the mixed drinks will be less than satisfactory. Overall, it's a mediocre sports bar - there's plenty of televisions and seating (although your service will be exponentially slower if you don't sit by the bar). If you come by, check to see if Tom is working. He's the primary reason we return.
(3)Amber P.
I have been in the business since I was 5. With that being said sevice was horrible. Manager tries to save it by giving us a terrible deal. Anyways I was over it until I got home with my to go food. The sticker on the mashed potatoes. Yes I said sticker on the bag, dates July 17th, it is July 23rd. Yes, never again.
(1)Mick B.
A group of our friends met at Finn McCool's in Schaumburg for the NFL playoffs and the Hawks game. I understand that this is a sports bar and not a gourmet restaurant, but nearly everyone in our party commented on how bland the food that we ordered was. On top of that, our service was below par- we would ask for things such as silverware or condiments several times and in most cases we ended up getting them for ourselves from the waitress station or other tables. In defense of the wait staff- the place was crowded and they only had 2 people waiting tables. I don't understand why on a Sunday when a team with a local following is fighting for a spot in the Super Bowl that there wasn't more staff assigned to work by the management. Even one more waitress would have made a huge difference. Lots of TV's for watching sports- but the one nearest to where we were seated had a serious burn-in on the screen that was distracting while trying to watch the hockey game. Tip: There are menus for Moretti's (nearby) and you can call in an order and they will deliver to your table. This might be the way to go to avoid the meh food served here.
(2)Matt I.
Went there after a work function. Friday night, 10:30 and the place was empty. Server was not very friendly, and from what I could tell lacked any people skills and then when we asked to order food, she said the kitchen was closed. On the menu it says they serves apps till close. Sever girl said the kitchen was closed. WTF. We had a second server take over the table and she was much nicer. Much happier to give my tip to the second girl. This is a place reminds me of a place that should be on Bar Rescue. Not impressed. If you are going to be any type of server, you better smile and have some interaction with people that are willing to part with their money. I wish people would have listened to me when I suggested Stadium.
(1)Real D.
The worst excuse for food I have found anywhere. Pathetic service. Small wonder hardly anyone was in there on a Saturday night. This place deserves to go out of business. Help it along by NOT going there. AVOID.
(1)Sue T.
Cozy, friendly atmosphere for a cold winter's day--fireplace, high-top tables, lots of dark wood, sports screens. Food is hearty comfort-style. The French onion soup had a rich dark broth and plenty of gooey melted cheese on top. The meatloaf was a huge portion of fine-grained meat formed into a hard brick and cooked to death, topped with a sweet red bbq sauce and a few sad-looking green peas. Meatloaf can be tender, juicy and delicious; this wasn't. The mashed potato side had corn and jalapenos mixed in, which was ok. Service was great.
(3)Christopher F.
Staff was very inattentive to our table. Rarely cane to check on us one of the people in our party went to the bartender to get some hot sauce. Our server and the bartender saw her standing there and just continued their conversation. one of the other patrons got her attention but she still didn't come over. Food was great but the service was awful.
(2)Beatriz T.
I usually go to the one down in the Viagra Triangle, but this one is pretty much the same thing. Just a typical bar. I went on a Wednesday night which was trivia night. Place wasn't super packed and there was a loud bunch at the bar playing along with trivia, but they were cool and just having fun and I like to see that. Table Toppers full of frosty Blue Moon for only 20 bucks...can't beat that and the Cobb Salad was HUGE and it tasted good. Me and a friend shared it and there was still plenty left over. If you sign up online at their website they send you a $10 off coupon. Definitely would take the drive out to Scahumburg again to come here to hang out.
(4)Paul S.
Mrs. S and a friend and I usually go here for lunches on weekends, so our experience may differ from the nighttime crowds. At any rate, as a lunch place, Finn McCool's nails it; the staff has always been fantastic in my experience. We've never had to send an order back, and the food is amazingly cheap--and of better than good quality (especially for the price). The beer selection is better than most, and the drinks are quite reasonable; even with a beer or two for one of us and soft drinks for the other two, it's rare that we top a $40 lunch tab for the table. My only complaint is they've taken a few of my old favorite things off the menu, namely mac `n' cheese. Definitely try the hot pretzels with cheddar sauce & the cheese curd appetizers. I like the homemade crispy potato chips alongside most lunch entrees. The Angry SOB burger needs a little extra Sriracha to be a heat-seeker's dream [they don't stock ghost peppers, unfortunately], but it's good beef & respectably spicy as-is. Their burgers are quite substantial, good quality & sell for less than Five Guys', so that's always a good bet. Mrs. S usually goes for the French Onion Soup or the Inside-Out Grilled Cheese. All in all, it's a great & enjoyable lunch for amazingly little money, and it's kinda become our go-to informal weekend lunch spot.
(5)Nick M.
Big time disappointment. Went to play trivia on Wednesday, but the Blackhawks game took precedence. Because of that, the game was played during intermissions at a lightning pace. All in all, we played for about 20 minutes in 2 hours. Then after the game was done, the trivia guy took another 30 minute break to eat and chat. We left before the game ended. Food wise - expect pub food, no better and no less. Cheap drinks on the weekdays was a bonus. Won't be back.
(2)Allison R.
Smells..bar is sticky..glasses were dirty... Oranges were old/dry... Ignored by the bartender.. Food was sub par... Will not be returning.
(1)Bob M.
I went here for the first time last night and pleasantly surprised. The food was decent (nothing amazing), the service was good/average and I was pleased to discover that the wed night special was $3.50 pints of Gunness, Harp and Bass. My friend got a Stella and was shocked to pay $6 for it. They had a few other good beers on tap as well (but I was happy with the wed. night specials) The atmosphere was nice. You need to take the "Irish pub" idea with a grain of salt. It really is as the sign states; an Irish Sports Bar. There's stain glass windows, mosaic floor, and plenty of flat screen tv's. The majority of my time there they were playing classic rock music (which I was happy to hear), but by 8:00 or so the music went off and they started some type of trivia game, and instead of music you were stuck listening to an MC organizing all of that. That was my only complaint from this visit, the trivia was pretty annoying. I'd definitely go back here, but I'd definitely want to find a night they don't have something like trivia or karaoke going on... If I could avoid $6 pints, that would be a plus too.
(4)Larry R.
Nice atmosphere, good selection of food! Try the Pot Roast or Pot Roast Sandwich...can't go wrong. The Pizza is walked over from Moretti's accross the parking lot! By the way.....great thin crust Pizza, but why not go to Moretti's in the first place! This is one of the many eateries...or drinkeries owned by the group that owns Moretti's
(4)Andrew T.
Normally a three star place. But... Guiness on tap and they had an outdoor viewing section for the hawks games. Cute redhead waitress too. Four stars it is!
(4)Virginia T.
The first and last time I went to Finn McCools was to celebrate my husband's coworker's birthday. Yea.... The drinks weren't that cheap, we didn't try the food (but the selection didnt' seem overly impressive), and it's sad when the best thing you have to say about a bar is that they have table tappers and it was clean. The music that night was karaoke... drunk people singing power ballads from the 80's and 90's mostly. I won't be back.
(2)Rachel J.
Ah Finn. You don't have that sense of urgency----no wait---it's more like you don't give a crap. I have given you quite a few chances, but your servers are snotty, the food is slow, and refills are not your forte. I would like you to be Cool, as you claim, but you are just cold. The place is really clean and the menu has good standard bar fare, with a few unexpected dishes. I would be willing to eat from there again, just not when I was on a time budget.
(2)Joshua M.
I was staying at the awful Radisson next to this place, and had lunch here a couple of times. The first time around I had a turkey burger, that was unexpectedly good. And the second time around I hate chicken strips, which were pretty much solid batter. So the good meal evened out the bad one. The place is pretty much staffed with cute girls, which I imagine is sort of the theme of restaurants like this. But the service was decent. If by some cruel twist of fate I am stuck at that Radisson again I'd go back.
(3)