Four Farthings

(relatively) New ownership… again. Kitchen has been closed for months. The bathrooms which used to accommodate 6 people at a time and were divided by sex are now unisex and can hold 2 people total. Why? Now whenever there is a crowd, men get to lurk outside the ladies room like total mouthbreathers. Some very silly concepts being applied to a staple Lincoln Park bar. Arbitrarily raising bottled beer prices by $ 2.00 seems an odd choice.
Luis and the gals working behind the bar are the only reason I continue to come back. Please someone, get this bar right again. Also, food would be nice.

Update: overheard in LP– the owner is trying to make it more of a brew pub. The kitchen was apparently decrepit so that needed to be overhauled but the owner is trying to mimic Atlas Brewery…

I live next door to this place and I don’t have the foggiest idea how it stays open or turns a profit. They have done some nice work in improving the overall look inside the bar so it certainly has the potential. However, the food is mediocre at best but if you do go the their outside Sunday brunch has a nice outdoor neighborhood feel and is pretty relaxing on a nice day.
If you’re looking for some lame karaōke on a Friday night, this is your place… Pretty painful to be honest. Props to the karaōke host who was really talented and mildly entertaining.
If you’re looking for a Friday or Saturday happy hour spot with the bar completely empty, this is it. I’m always shocked at the lack of yuppie Lincoln Park patrons they have during happy hour on gorgeous days given their neighborhood location.
I’m always hopeful this place will get better but my advice is to go to River Shannon or Marquee Lounge which are right within walking distance.

If you want to have the best time of your life, this is your place. I’m from LA, and I was first introduced to this place by and ex BF and his friends. I met the Karaōke host Luis and was taken back by his talent instantly. This man needs his own show! He is way too good to be hosting karaōke in a bar! So you’re basically getting top notch entertainment for free! Trust me and take advantage of it. I’ve been returning for the last 7 years just because of Luis! He will have you laughing and crying all in one night. He is exactly what we all need. You’re guaranteed a fantastic time. Thursday nights with Luis! I can’t get enough. #hooked

So I’ll always love Farthings. Coming here with my friends was the greatest. Was. We had our first big night out there since the new ownership took over and we were not impressed. This may sound silly but all of the new tables and chairs have the height of kindergarten classroom furniture. Very short — almost demeaning in a sense. They weren’t good quality either… I was definitely sitting on ikea furniture. I’m not a feng shui expert but the old tables and chairs they had gave the bar an irreplaceable older charm. Karaōke nights are still great, Luis rocks but for the love of god get rid of that Fischer price seating b

I loved this bar until the new ownership took over…
They have since removed all of the old charm that reminded the locals of how deeply rooted this bar was into the Lincoln Park community. The new ownership took out all of the old hardwood furniture and replaced it with IKEA trash. And it looks terrible and cheap.
They hired new staff that honest to god must have ZERO bar tending experience; they are beyond terrible.
They use some garbage iPads for credit card processing now. This adds an exorbitant amount of time to the transaction — especially when they are busy.
They removed all of the speed rails and now just store the bottles of booze and dirty bar mats wherever they see fit. This takes up/​wastes much of the bar space.
They allow their bounders in the back (might be bar backs) to eat Domino’s pizza delivery on the floor.
They have closed down the kitchen…
They turned the men’s and women’s restrooms into single person rooms. THIS IS SO STUPID FOR A BAR.
All in all, this bar is clearly under TERRIBLE MANAGEMENT. The people who took over must have NO EXPERIENCE whatsoever. Unfortunately, I expect this bar to be belly up within 6 months. I have heard from many long-​term patrons that the changes have been too vast and simply unwarranted. People in the community do not feel connected this this bar anymore…
I hope this management sees this review and takes active measures to improve the user experience.
Thanks.

This is a great place for karaōke. The guy that runs it is awesome. It’s also a relatively laid back vibe. Downside is that it’s very crowded, at least on Saturday nights.

Y’all are one letter away from being «four fartings» and that makes me laugh. I don’t know how the food is though.

The new owners have changed everything about this place which use to make it great. The only thing left is Louise and even his crowd is dwindling on Thursdays and Saturday nights.

What happened to this place? We have been coming here for over five years, and recently the entire vibe has changed. Love the aesthetic changes, much more standing room. With that being said, $ 8 vodka soda in a tiny plastic cup is absurd. $ 5.50 for a Coors light bottle, are we just paying for the renovations? It was basically empty on a Saturday night, when 8 months prior there was a line out the door. Kate, a bartender, was probably also one of the most rude people I’ve ran in to.
Edit: upon receiving the receipt today to my email, Kate actually charged $ 10 for the airplane size vodka soda. Are you kidding me Four Farthings?

This place was a disaster. 1^st, fox news on all the tvs. 2^nd, they burned our hot wings (how does that even happen?). 3^rd, it’s not a good look for anything, food, drinks, chillaxin, etc. This place is wack.

I’m sure it’s a great bar and the ambiance is charming, but what they did to my rack of ribs should be a crime. I feel like I let down pork everywhere for even trying to eat them. Also apparently they used to provide a side with entrees like, you know, restaurants do, but the new owners (according to our server) decided to drop it (except they haven’t got around to dropping it off the menu item description in their POS, so it still showed up on the receipt as coming with a side). My suggestion to the new owners — change the sign that says «steaks, chops» etc. which implies something more than what you’re doing, and just stick to burgers and wings and be a decent bar.

I like this place.
They have some decent beer options and friendly (if very slow) staff. Walked in here on a Sunday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of people, tvs and smiles all around. The popcorn machine helps.
The loaded baked potato and the lettuce wraps were both really really good. Recommended.
I requested that one of the TVs be switched to a game I wanted to see… they obliged very quickly (not something to be overlooked here).
They have made a fan out of me and I will put this in the short rotation for Sunday drinks and food.

We came here with a group of 7 for a Saturday night dinner. It was really convenient when we were able to get seated within 5 minutes of walking in.
Food: My boyfriend and I ordered two meals from the specials menu. We ordered the Stuffed Shrimp appetizer which was very good and almost like a meal in itself, because it was served with some delicious mashed potatoes. We then split the Seafood Diavolo pasta. It was definitely served with a healthy portion of seafood, but the seafood was not seasoned properly. The mussels had absolutely no seasoning and an incredibly fishy taste, which made it hard for me to enjoy. The Diavolo sauce was nice and spicy, but not too spicy.
Service: Our server was decent. He seemed attentive and our drinks were always filled. Our checks couldn’t be split, even just three ways, which we didn’t think was too inconvenient. so instead I had to spend the time to do all the math on my own, which was disappointing.
All in all decent food. I’d come back but I wouldn’t go out of my way to do so

The experience started with poor service on the drinks. This may not have been the waitress’ fault but it still reflects on the restaurant. Glancing at the menu, the prices were high.
The food was ordinary, not unlike pub food, but was too expensive. My club sandwich was OK, and the fries OK, as well. My wife’s quesadilla was good, the only item received by our party above average.
They might think they are hip, and pub like, but my experience in REAL pubs in England I never had piss poor service and ridiculous prices like this.
I won’t go back as there are thousands of places in Chicago from which to choose. The neighborhood locals can keep this dud afloat.

DO NOT GO THERE. The staffs working here are ridiculously rude and unethical. If you leave your personal belongings there, someone working here may steal it and disguise what happened or be rude to you or ignore you instead of apologizing you!
I left my jacket at this restaurant the other day. I called them right away and asked them to keep my jacket until I pick it up. The staff on the phone told me that he found my jacket and will keep it in the staffs’ closet. Since it is pretty late at night, and I live far away from the bar, I told him that I will be back on the weekend.
However, when I got there, my jacket was not there anymore. What surprised me was the attitudes of the staffs working in the bar. No one explained what happened, apologized or tried to help me. The most impolite staff was the guy who heartlessly told me that «sorry, but it is not our responsibility to keep your jacket». When I tried to leave my number and asked him to contact me if they find my jacket, he ignored me. When I asked his name, he aggressively responds me that «Man, can’t you see me how I am busy?»
I was so perplexed by his and other staffs’ attitudes, and I still cannot understand how the jacket in the staff’s closet could disappear. Does that mean that someone who works there stole my jacket? Moreover, the attitudes of the staffs there made me lose my words. If they said that they would keep it, they should keep it, or when they lost it, they should apologize at least. They are just ridiculously rude people!

An unremarkable pub in the middle of Lincoln Park with poor service, mediocre food and so-​so beer list.
Went for a lunch on a Friday afternoon around 2pm so in theory it shouldn’t have been peak time. Sat outside which was really nice and there are some nice shade trees to cover you if it’s a sunny day.
Service got off to a good start with a member of the waitstaff bringing a carafe of water, some breadsticks and butter and silverware. But then that was it for quite some time. We quickly figured out there was only one waitress for the entire patio and quite possibly the entire place.
After finally placing our drink order, we again waited. And waited. And waited. Like 15 minutes for our beers. Not sure if they were growing the hops and making it themselves but that seemed a bit excessive. When she finally came back, we got to place our order. I had the daily special salad with roasted pears and grilled chicken and my wife had a Lincoln Avenue Sandwich — ham, smoked turkey, bacon and Munester cheese, served warm on a croissant.
When our food finally did come out, it was just OK. my salad was not much of a salad as the it was all that white iceberg lettuce and the chicken was cut into tiny chunks which was super odd… Wife said her’s was OK. Mine was blah.
Then the service once again took it’s tool as we tried desperately to get the check and pay. We were there for 1 hour and 45 minutes. For a simple lunch. I like leisurely lunched but this was ridiculous.
I’ve noticed a sad trend these days where restaurants are cutting back no their servers and it’s killing the experience. Maybe because it’s summer they think they don’t need as many people working? Maybe it’s a cost cutting measure? Who knows but please be respectful of our time and check back on us every so often. You can be as nice as you want but if you’re invisible and it takes 30 minutes to get and pay the check, something is wrong.

Came here for a slow Sunday brunch with some friends and was so pleasantly surprised! I expected to wait for hours for an 11:30 AM Sunday brunch but we had the place to ourselves.
I ordered the smoked salmon and cream cheese omelette and it was delicious. Plus it was huge, and loaded with salmon. Perfectly cooked. Also love that you can choose a side of fruit instead of house potatoes with your meal. I clearly did not need any more carbs after the basket of bagels and muffins they bring for the table! Not that eating an entire container of cream cheese helped. You know. Priorities.
I also had a bloody Mary which was pretty good. Not too spicy but flavorful, and had a nice piece of bacon sticking in it. Cute touch but in reality it was kind of soggy.
I would definitely recommend this and will be back again!

I went here for the first time last night. I love the atmosphere of that neighborhood bar feel. We went to the bar side of this place but they also have a restaurant. The food is a little pricey but that is only because of the restaurant aspect. The quality of food is top notch and great sized proportions; you can easily split with another person. I ordered the thai chicken, which you would think wouldn’t be promising but it was wonderful. I am pretty picky when it comes to the bar kind of places just because I feel like most are typical and mediocre but this place was such a pleasant surprise. It’s also a great spot to bring family in town as well. Our bar tender (Jerrod) was also so nice and friendly and made us feel so at home. He was so great that I specifically asked for his name to mention him as well. Great great place, they know what they are doing!

I’m not sure what kind of vibe this place is going for, restaurant-​wise, but I felt like it was going through a bit of an identity crisis. We came here to use a groupon and found ourselves seated in a very regular looking, small dining room with a bizarre combination of food options. There was the obvious bar food available, like nachos, and wings, mixed in with some more «upscale categories» of meat and fish, offering filet mignon and grilled salmon. Plus, of course they had pasta and sandwiches.
I ordered the salmon and was asked how I wanted it cooked. I have never been asked this in my life– usually they just give me the fish however it should be cooked. I asked for whatever the usual way was. Nope, I had to pick. Okay, uh medium? And it was a bit dry. I guess now I know to order it medium-​rare, just like I like my steak, if I’m ever asked again.
The meal and service was fine, I can’t complain much and my friend seemed to enjoy her entrée as well, but it wasn’t anything memorable or even all that interesting and I unfortunately won’t be finding myself here again. Maybe the bar is better? It seems like a livelier side of the building.