Social Profile: 
✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in
… View more
Located in Chicago’s historic Lincoln Park neighborhood, The Bad Apple offers a the best burgers in the city from famed butcher Pat LaFrieda. Our menu features a variety of house-made items from burgers and poutines, to bone marrow and flatbreads. And yes, we are famous for our pickles and homemade ketchup. We continue to honor our nearly two decade long tradition of creative menus made from scratch, exceptional hospitality, and mixing the modern with the past in this storied space.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 658 W Belden Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 771-5473
Website: http://www.badapplebar.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Order: Order online
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Home – The Bad Apple – Restaurant in IL
The Bad Apple in Chicago, IL. Chicago’s best burgers made with a proprietary blend of all-natural hormone free short rib and brisket from famed butcher Pat …
The Bad Apple | Chicago IL – Facebook
Only the best from famed butcher Pat LaFreida, and a carefully curated selection of over 135 beers.
The Bad Apple (@badapplebar) · Chicago, IL – Instagram
3.9K+ followers · 421 posts · #badapplebar Only the best from famed butcher Pat LaFreida, and a carefully curated selection of over 135 beers.
Reviews
Curtis U
We stopped in to eat at The Bad Apple for dinner on a Saturday night and greatly enjoyed our experience! We were able to find a table and enjoy delicious food while many football games were on the TVs in the restaurant. There were many tables of friends enjoying drinks together that made the atmosphere feel extremely welcoming. My Southern Daddy burger was cooked to perfection with the amazing sweet and spicy dandy sauce. The fries and homemade sauce were delicious too! If you are looking for a sports bar with great food and atmosphere, The Bad Apple is the place to be!
… moreChris B
I want to preface this review by saying the food was really good. The menu is about 40% burgers and a mix of everything else. I had the Jake & Elwood and it was good. I added chipotle seasoning to the fries with a side of ranch. Their ranch is more of an aioli and I presume both that and the ketchup are made in-house.
The biggest disappointment was the service. Everything was great until we got one of the two appetizers we ordered. After the salmon was dropped off, we didn’t see our server until the very end of the meal. The bartender brought our food. (I think our server and bartender were the only two people working the front of house).
We could see our server (Kwesie) texting in between things and the place wasn’t crazy busy, but when he finally came over, I said, “Please make sure we don’t get charged for the pickled veggies because we never got them.” Instead of, “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry…” or something like that, he just kind of nodded and took my card. I reluctantly tipped 10%. I tip no less than 25% for good service and will tip as much as 40% for outstanding service so I felt bad at only 10%. But then I saw a 5% “Service Charge” and that kind of pushed me over the edge. Just charge more for your food–don’t camouflage it into the check.
Between the poor service and 5% surcharge, there are many more places to choose from that have equally as good food. Giving three stars instead of one or two because it’s hard to fault them for a bad server. One star deduct for that and one star for the 5% surcharge I think is fair and then we just won’t go back.
… moreThe biggest disappointment was the service. Everything was great until we got one of the two appetizers we ordered. After the salmon was dropped off, we didn’t see our server until the very end of the meal. The bartender brought our food. (I think our server and bartender were the only two people working the front of house).
We could see our server (Kwesie) texting in between things and the place wasn’t crazy busy, but when he finally came over, I said, “Please make sure we don’t get charged for the pickled veggies because we never got them.” Instead of, “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry…” or something like that, he just kind of nodded and took my card. I reluctantly tipped 10%. I tip no less than 25% for good service and will tip as much as 40% for outstanding service so I felt bad at only 10%. But then I saw a 5% “Service Charge” and that kind of pushed me over the edge. Just charge more for your food–don’t camouflage it into the check.
Between the poor service and 5% surcharge, there are many more places to choose from that have equally as good food. Giving three stars instead of one or two because it’s hard to fault them for a bad server. One star deduct for that and one star for the 5% surcharge I think is fair and then we just won’t go back.
Latrace Pullen
Nice place, the atmosphere was great for it to have just opened. Staff friendly. Amazed by the sauces they make in-house, even the ketchup.
Best thing i ate were there, honey garlic wings. Everyone in our party spoke highly of them. Also the taco was really good.
… moreBest thing i ate were there, honey garlic wings. Everyone in our party spoke highly of them. Also the taco was really good.
Zhanamiek Walley
It was my first time in Bad Apple. Visiting the area and I was so stunned by the nasty and rude experience I had. I will start by saying I appreciated the waiter who helped me afterwards, he was so sweet. I was waiting on a take out order initially. I was simply trying to ask the bartender for a glass of water. As a bartender myself I know how to treat everyone with respect. I have a very soft voice so I didn’t expect to be heard over loud music and patrons. I said “excuse me” to try and get the attention of the bartender. Again I don’t think I could be heard so I said it again twice. He then snaps at me and says “that’s not how you call a bartender I’m clearly having a conversation with someone.” I saw him casually having a conversation with another patron but he wasn’t taking an order just standing and conversing. I only wanted to be acknowledged as I’m also a paying customer. If he would’ve said “give me a second” or even a head nod to signal me to wait, I would’ve completely understood. I wasn’t trying to rush him or interrupt his important conversation but to let him be aware of me also waiting at the bar. I didn’t get his name but he’s tall and bald. He then passive aggressively walks up to me asking what did I want. I simply walked away because it was embarrassing as the others at the bar snickered and giggled. He turned away and went back to chatting. Which is surprising as busy as the bar was, his priority is talking and yelling at out of towners.
… moreJosh Banfield
Happy to see something really cool finally going into this space, it’s a huge spot and they really pay homage to the history of the area which is really nice.
We didn’t order a burger, dumb I know, but will come back soon for brunch to try different ones and I’ll update this review.
But the cheese curds were amazing and they have a ton of different options for old fashioneds and we enjoyed everyone we had. Come by for date night or as a huge group as they have tons of larger tables outside on the patio or inside.
I think this place is going to do really well once people know it’s open.
… moreWe didn’t order a burger, dumb I know, but will come back soon for brunch to try different ones and I’ll update this review.
But the cheese curds were amazing and they have a ton of different options for old fashioneds and we enjoyed everyone we had. Come by for date night or as a huge group as they have tons of larger tables outside on the patio or inside.
I think this place is going to do really well once people know it’s open.
Paul Manning
This is a beautiful new gastropub with one of Chicago’s best outdoor spaces. If you’re looking for a beer and a burger you won’t do much better than this spot. The beer selection is huge with 50 beers on tap and the burger is top notch! Here’s what we ordered:
1)Everything wings.. tasty buffalo flavor with celery and blue cheese blended into the sauce.
2) Chicken, bacon, ranch poutine… they have four different types.. this one was decadent… could barely put my fork down.
3) Burgers… we ordered the Thunderdome and the Jake n Elwood both were juicy and flavorful… we have no problem calling this burger spot a top ten.
Service was fast and friendly. It’s obvious this crew knows how to run a restaurant. Highly recommend!
… more1)Everything wings.. tasty buffalo flavor with celery and blue cheese blended into the sauce.
2) Chicken, bacon, ranch poutine… they have four different types.. this one was decadent… could barely put my fork down.
3) Burgers… we ordered the Thunderdome and the Jake n Elwood both were juicy and flavorful… we have no problem calling this burger spot a top ten.
Service was fast and friendly. It’s obvious this crew knows how to run a restaurant. Highly recommend!
Miguel
This used to be a place I really cared about. I worked in this location for 10+ years when it was John Barleycorn, and because of the memories and industry background, I’ve always had a soft spot for this location of the bad apple on Belden & Lincoln. Unfortunately, today’s visit completely changed how I feel.
From the moment we were sat, our server, Jamie, was extremely rude. The restaurant was almost empty, yet we were constantly bumped into, rushed, and had our food taken away before we were finished by Jamie. The whole interaction felt passive-aggressive and very uncomfortable.
When we received our bill, we still tipped the standard 20% on our card, which should be documented in their system. After closing out, the server came back to our table and pressured us for more money in cash, asking for an additional tip. That was incredibly inappropriate and made us feel harassed.
This was a really upsetting experience, especially because this place used to mean something to me. Sadly, I will not be returning. Very disappointed.
… moreFrom the moment we were sat, our server, Jamie, was extremely rude. The restaurant was almost empty, yet we were constantly bumped into, rushed, and had our food taken away before we were finished by Jamie. The whole interaction felt passive-aggressive and very uncomfortable.
When we received our bill, we still tipped the standard 20% on our card, which should be documented in their system. After closing out, the server came back to our table and pressured us for more money in cash, asking for an additional tip. That was incredibly inappropriate and made us feel harassed.
This was a really upsetting experience, especially because this place used to mean something to me. Sadly, I will not be returning. Very disappointed.
Lisa Jonas
Lovely addition to the neighborhood expanding from another location! The (dog friendly) patio is spacious and cute with trees & nestled between buildings, with TVs which would make it great for game days! Huge beer selection including seasonal beers, and lots of burger options – we had 2 (patty melt & chili palmer) and both were great. The owner Kevin came by to say hi and was so grateful and welcoming! Will definitely be coming by more & will recommend this to many people!
… moreAgim Mazreku
I visited The Bad Apple during my trip to Chicago, and it was a very pleasant experience from start to finish. This historic spot has a great atmosphere, lively but relaxed, making it the perfect place to enjoy a great meal and drinks.
We sat by the bar, where the service was incredibly kind and welcoming. Even as a first-time visitor, I felt like I had picked the right place. The food was excellent, the fish and chips were perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the cheese curds were warm, melty, and addictive. The real standout for me was the Diavalo flatbread, just the right amount of crunch, rich and cheesy with a bold spicy kick, all balanced by a drizzle of honey that made every bite even better.
The drinks were just as impressive. Their Old Fashioned combos are fantastic, offering unique twists on a classic. I tried one with Mescal!
Everything about The Bad Apple made for a great evening, the food, the drinks, the friendly service, and the welcoming vibe. I definitely will come back!
… moreWe sat by the bar, where the service was incredibly kind and welcoming. Even as a first-time visitor, I felt like I had picked the right place. The food was excellent, the fish and chips were perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the cheese curds were warm, melty, and addictive. The real standout for me was the Diavalo flatbread, just the right amount of crunch, rich and cheesy with a bold spicy kick, all balanced by a drizzle of honey that made every bite even better.
The drinks were just as impressive. Their Old Fashioned combos are fantastic, offering unique twists on a classic. I tried one with Mescal!
Everything about The Bad Apple made for a great evening, the food, the drinks, the friendly service, and the welcoming vibe. I definitely will come back!
Chris Ridgeway
Outdoor patio is ideal–trees, overhead lights, off the street. Burgers and beer great. The spicy peppers and bacon one was on point.
Service struggled – we were told a table was ready but then it turned into 15 min wait. Were sat with no menus (we wound up taking them from nearby uncleared tables). No server until we asked. Had to ask for water. Server took our order and said they were doing us a favor because the other server was busy… but we never met another server. So service experience was poor, but individual staff were helpful and trying, so it may have been a bad night.
Indoor noise was very very loud from average conversation and TVs. Needs a sound noise suppression. Wouldn’t want to sit inside.
… moreService struggled – we were told a table was ready but then it turned into 15 min wait. Were sat with no menus (we wound up taking them from nearby uncleared tables). No server until we asked. Had to ask for water. Server took our order and said they were doing us a favor because the other server was busy… but we never met another server. So service experience was poor, but individual staff were helpful and trying, so it may have been a bad night.
Indoor noise was very very loud from average conversation and TVs. Needs a sound noise suppression. Wouldn’t want to sit inside.