Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant - Downers Grove, Illinois

Carol S.

I ordered a brew dog hazy iPA but the waitress brought me some kind of ale. Attached is what it should be. Then look at the 2nd attachment
for what they gave me. The color is significantly different and the taste is way different. How can they get away with this? The manager says its the same. Everyone of my friends clearly can see and taste the difference. Big scam. Beer is horrible tasting. Maybe its really old or gone bad. Do not go here. Waitress was also terrible and not at all helpful. She wouldn't even acknowledge that the beer was bad. How can they stay in business with bad beer and staff which have bad attitudes. Never going to return.

Dyslexic N. (.

Great staff and AMAZING food especially if you love corned beef. My regular is 2 of my own "Lily's Corned Beef Tacos" with a Smithwicks Irish Ale when Devin's working. Very cozy irish bar. Very relaxed atmosphere.

charlie K.

5 stars

There’s something about Ballydoyles that gets under your skin—in the best way possible. It’s my go-to, my hideout when I’m off work and need a cold beer, a warm meal, and a place that makes me feel like I’m exactly where I belong. The beer? Always ice-cold, poured by some of the kindest and most genuine bartenders I’ve met in a long time. The service here isn’t that fake, “how-can-I-up-my-tip” kind of hospitality. It’s real, it’s friendly, it’s family.

But the real heart of Ballydoyles? Louis. The general manager—but more than that. Louis doesn’t just babysit the floor, shaking hands and making rounds like a politician. No, Louis is in the trenches. He’s behind the scenes, sleeves rolled up, sweating it out on the line as the chef. It’s rare these days to see a GM who actually runs the kitchen and does it with such pride. And you can taste it. Every plate that leaves that pass has his fingerprints—figuratively speaking, of course—all over it.

Wings? Absolute killers. Crispy on the outside, juicy as hell inside, and they land on your table hot and unapologetic. You bite into them and suddenly you remember why you started going out to bars in the first place. The burgers? Fat, perfectly cooked, stacked high but still balanced, the kind that makes you shut up mid-bite. Fries are the golden, salty kind that make you wonder if you’ve been settling for less elsewhere. The chicken sandwich? It’s one of those "simple but done-right" kind of deals that could easily stand toe-to-toe with the big-city joints you see on TV.

And that’s the magic here. It’s not about pretense or trying to be trendy. Ballydoyles is old-school in the best way. A joint that delivers every time. The music is always on point, whether it’s a live band bringing the house down or just the background soundtrack humming along to your night. I walk through the doors, and they take care of me like one of their own. The kind of place where you sit at the bar, look around, and know you’re among good people.

Jen M.

It's got a weird set up. You can only see the stage from 1 area of the restaurant but they have large screens throughout so you can still enjoy the show. Great food! Friendly staff. Decor is beautiful inside!

Ja C.

I called on two different occasions before the show to see if my seventeen year old son could come see the group brass from the past. Both times I was told that after 10 PM. It was only over 21, so I had to leave my son home. It's a shame because we know some of the band members and he really wanted to go, and then it turned out that there were several kids that managed to stay for the show. And it really bothered me that those kids got to be there but mine didn't. Plus my kids are in high school.. . These other kids were grade school age.
Food was very good. I didn't get a chance to take pics. We had Irish sausage and Fish & Chips. We shared an Irish b bread pudding which i thought was a little dry but it tasted good.

Katrina T.

It was the Saturday before St. Patty’s day so was really busy and they may have been a bit short handed. The bartender was good but a bit short-tempered. They had live music but very little seating so you have to be willing to stand when there.

Sarah C.

Ballydoyle is a spacious Irish pub where they have good food and great drinks. We had their Black Velvet (half Guinness and half Magners) and it was poured perfectly by the bartender. They have a spacious bar as well as lots of seating for family friendly tables. We sat at the bar and received great service from the bartender. Their Ruben and fries were great. Not sure that we would order the fish and chips again, but would definitely come back to try more.

isabel D.

Charged me a cover and told me enjoy the music. The hour didn’t start for 1 hour 20! I had to leave before it started and asked if I could at least get my money back. And he just told me no extremely rudely. I’ve also eaten here before and it was not good. I do not recommend