Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant

This is such a great place. The food is exceptional and has an Irish feel, its not your normal bar fare. There is a HUGE beer selection. The staff is super friendly which is a must in my book. They have live bands on the weekends and it gets pretty packed. Carol was our waitress and she was great. We came in on a busy saturday night and she had a large party, and a few other tables. and was still attentive to each table’s needs. If you are in the Bloomingdale area this place is a MUST!

Our company decided to come here for our Holiday Christmas Party. It was definitely a great idea since it’s laid back and has a very relaxed atmosphere for just the 11 of us. There is good food, drinks, and entertainment as there is a live band if you don’t want to go too far.
Since there were eleven people, I’m sure it’s a little challenging to handle as we all wanted separate checks in the end. I know this is a Server’s nightmare when they come accross a group that requests this. Our server was really professional about this and accepted our request with a smile. All in all, he was very polite, always had a smile on his face and I am very impressed by his service.
I ordered the Corned Beef with Carrots and Cabbage. I’m not sure how tender the Beef is supposed to be but it was a little on the tough side. On the upside, it was very tasty and the carrots were to die for. I have not enjoyed eating carrots as much as I did with how the cook prepared them.
The only downfall to coming here this night was that two of my friends did not get their food at the same time as everyone else at the table did. As my boyfriend says, it doesn’t feel good to be the only one waiting for another 15 –20 minutes after everyone receives their food to get yours. By the time everyone was done with their dinner, my friends were still working on theirs.
I will come back for drinks and entertainment and possibly try something else on the menu as I love Irish food.

This place during the day is what I’m reviewing — and is probably why my rating is so low.
We went around 11:30 one day, we asked about seating, they said to sit anywhere. So we did. Well they were doing repairs of the sound system and where we sat, after we’d been there about 10 minutes, there was a manager and a contractor working and after awhile we were getting hit with cords… it was ridiculous. The manager did not even say anything when my daughter got whacked in the back of the head with a cord while they were moving over to the other side of the restaurant. Nice.
We were the only table in there and basically ignored. Took over 10 minutes to get acknowledged and place an order. 20 minutes before we got our drinks. A table of regulars came in later and the server hung out at their table as they dropped the f bomb and talked about how messed up they’d all gotten the night before. Meanwhile I’m sitting there with two children under 10 years old listening to all this. Real classy.
Total of three tables in there when we left, and it had taken over an HOUR.
Fish and chips was good at least.
So yeah. This experience was horrible. Not sure I even want to go back to try again.

I came here for one reason, Your Villain My Hero was playing. I walked in and immediately liked it.
Here’s the skinny:
Decent Craft Beer selection
Good sized stage for bands
The Pretzel Sticks are just «OK»
Staff was fun and service was great
Décor is cozy and has a fun vibe too.
Here’s the fat:
Ballydoyle has a few different craft beers, I really liked the Monkey Wheat — it’s a little like Blue Moon but, better tasting. Picture —
They also offer to let you try the craft brews before you buy a full glass which is always a plus.
Like I said, I came here to see YVMH playing. The stage is cool, lighting is good, there seems to be plenty of room for the band and they’ve got a decent sound system too. Picture —

I ordered some pretzel sticks which came with nacho cheese sauce… they were OK but, nothing super special. The beer that was suggested as a pairing was off the chain though, started with an F… Fitz something…
The bartenders and other employees are great, they really got into the show and got the other customers into the show. No-​one had to wait long for food or drink because they seemed to be on top of everything, tables were cleared and cleaned immediately too. The 2 bartenders I had were knowledgeable about the craft beers they carry and can tell you where they’re brewed and what it goes well with… pretty cool.
The inside is cool, all wood throughout. It really has that «Old Pub» feel to it with the décor and furnishings. Picture —

For smokers there’s a great outdoor patio in the front. Seats and tables are available too. The patio looks like it’d be hugely entertaining in the summer too. Picture —

If I’m in the area I’d definitely stop in, and if Your Villain My Hero is playing here again I’d make the drive for sure.
SYOY

It’s been over a year since I wrote my initial review.
The beer list has increased QUITE a bit, and there’s a full listing online. We had a crème brûlée beer there that was really delicious. It tasted like the alcoholic version of butterbeer from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I’m not a fan of sweet beers, but the sweetness wasn’t overpowering at all.
The food has improved, we’ve eaten there a few times since my last review, the fried pickles are good and I was a fan of their burger. I wish they had some healthier options though. No really good choices on that front.
We saw a band here for the first time the other night. It was a really fun show, and we lucked out with good seats. I would definitely go there for a show again, it definitely works as a venue.

How can I say this gently? HORRIBLE! Absolutely terrible. My kids wouldn’t touch the macaroni and cheese after it cooled down enough to not burn their mouths. My BBQ pork was the worst I’ve had in… maybe ever. My wife’s meatloaf was listed as coming with gravy, it arrived slathered in ketchup with no gravy in sight. When called on it, waitress said she’d get «a side of gravy.». It was tasteless other than salt. The burger we got to replace two indelible plates of M&C (parents agreed) was pathetic; obviously frozen, even the kids (3 and 5) were not impressed.
The Only redeeming features: decent beer, wings and fries. That’s it. You can get that at a hundred other places in a 10 square mile radius. There is really ZERO reason to go here, especially with a decent sushi restaurant right next door. Hell, I’d go to ANYTHING in the food court and spend 75% less, before coming here again

Dessert was good. That’s about it. And the server gave a decent effort for some parts of our visit.
It was a random 80 degree evening in March. We wanted to enjoy an outdoor patio, so I called around and was reassured that their patio was open. Boo ya! It was my first Ballydoyle visit, so I wasn’t sure what to expect and with reviews all over the place, I should have skipped it, but I didn’t. Dummy.
We arrived and no one was outside on the patio. We walked inside and no one was there to greet us. Actually, we didn’t see anyone on the restaurant side. We should have left, but we are gluttons for punishment so we walked over to the bar side. Once there, we didn’t know what to do. So we stood there. Finally, we noticed a sign to seat ourselves. It was awkwardly placed. When we finally noticed it, we were quite embarrassed. We quickly decided that eating outside would be a bad idea. No one would ever know we were there!
We found a hightop table and sat down. The staff was changing out the St. Patrick’s Day décor that evening, climbing on chairs as things were falling from the ceiling. Really? Do this before or after guests are in the building for a meal.
Our server came over and was helpful in getting my husband a beer. The menu looked great with specials and plenty of variety. He ordered fish and chips. I ordered a salad with chicken, cranberries, candied pecans and a raspberry (?) dressing.
His dinner was not memorable. It was fine, but nothing special. My dinner was memorable… in the wrong sort of way. The salad was huge! I was thrilled that I asked for the dressing on the side, so I could enjoy the second half later the next day. I tried the dressing. It was just oil. No seasoning. No flavor whatsoever. I stirred it. No change. I picked at the chicken on my plate. When I was able to get the waitress’ attention, I explained the problem with the dressing. She brought back a dressing that was a pretty pink color. I stirred it, tried it and was convinced it was a bowl of poison. Oh good… death by salad dressing. It tasted like chemicals. So I ate a few nuts and cranberries and that was the end of that.
Have I mentioned we are sometimes very stupid? Well, as if we weren’t about to give them more than enough of our hard earned money, I ordered dessert. A half portion of a brownie with ice cream. I was still hungry, what can I say? Thankfully, this was very good. A nice portion. A fresh brownie. Good ice cream.
Before we left, I stopped in the washroom. It was filthy! Under all that filth was the exact same bathroom that I recall from fifteen-​ish years ago when this was Bennigan’s (?). I got out as quickly as possible.
Ballydoyle didn’t cut it for me. I can’t imagine that anyone would go back for a second visit unless it was for the drinks. And even that is questionable. Sorry. Wanted to like you, but I just can’t.

Not my fave. Totally unimpressed.
On a recent shopping adventure, my friend got hungry and figured we would give Ballydoyle a whirl. My experience left me wishing I had gone to McDonald’s instead. For a Friday night around 6ish, the entire restaurant was a ghost town. If I recall, there was about 3 tables of people.
Neither of us were in a boozy mood, but I did notice they had an extensive craft beer menu. Since there was no one around and the waiter felt the need to chat us up, he finally convinced me to try Abita’s Purple Haze. And I won’t lie, that I enjoyed. As for the food — bleh. We ordered the Ballydoyle Pub Sampler which consisted of 2 corned beef bites the size of a walnut, 2 tiny potato croquettes, 4 chicken tenders which probably totaled 2 ounces, and 2 soggy potato skins all on top of a ginormous pile of Irish (another name for fancy potato) chips. This was all for the bargain price of $ 16.95. Needless to say I was less than pleased. I felt like I just paid almost twenty bucks for a pile of crappy potato chips. We couldn’t even eat all the chips. It was overkill. But we were still hungry and at this point, but so irritated that we didn’t bother to waste money attempting something else.
Is Ballydoyle better on a Friday or Saturday night for some heavier boozin’, rather than dining? I don’t know, maybe. But something about partying in a bar attached to mall just doesn’t feel right to me…
So let’s recap. Annoying waiter. Snoozefest atmosphere. Poor location. Bad food. High prices. Needless to say, it’s doubtful I’ll be back.

I’m really wavering between a 2 and a 3 here. I think that my review is totally skewed by once having been a server and understanding the issues I had here, but honestly, I will probably not give it another try. Here’s why:
1. The restaurant side of the place was closed but not closed enough (there was a sign, but no one cared, and it was unclear as to whether or not you could sit in specific sections). Because of this, our server was slammed. He had 6 tables, and half of them sat at the same time. His service was good considering but it wasn’t actually GOOD. Sorry, dude.
2. I don’t even know if there was decent beer or not because I never got a list and I honestly would rather have a non-​alcoholic drink than wait for a list, an order, and a bar wait.
3. The place was packed with douchey teenagers and cheapskates because it was .25 wing night. If I would’ve known, I would’ve stayed far, far away.
4. The décor is horrible. It’s like a really cheap version of a Houlihan’s or Friday’s or even a Bennigan’s. Not a deal breaker, but it doesn’t help.
5. The food wasn’t that good either. I got the fish and chips– GROSS. The chips are good, but the fish was big chunks of cod that were iffy on the freshness and the Harp batter is a little weird tasting. I literally took two bites and said, «eff it». The burger and nachos were just OK too. Nothing to talk about.
6. For two iced teas, nachos, a burger, and fish and chips, our bill was $ 42. I’m not cheap, but for the quality of what I ate, it was definitely not worth $ 42.
Overall, this place is good if you want to go to the bar and listen to a band without having to pay a cover charge. The appetizers seem decent and there ARE .25 wings on Thursdays (see above re: teenagers and cheapskates). BUT, it’s otherwise not worth the trip into Stratford Square Mall… I can get Irish food, beer, and/​or pub fare elsewhere.

I visited this bar to see a band so I didn’t go here to eat or anything like that.
1 — No Cover Charge — Yay!!! That’s a plus!
2. Huge 20oz drafts for $ 3 of Miller Lite — for a bar in the burbs on a Saturday night… Double Yay!!!
3. Jäger Bombs $ 5 — I’ve paid more so again, reasonable.
The service was good — it’s not a big place and I’m not much for big crowds/​small space but it wasn’t bad at all. I wouldn’t mind going there again.

$ 2 mimosas on Sundays? Yes please!
Also beautifully decorated for Christmas. Even though my friend and I were sitting at the bar between guys screaming at the football game on TV, we enjoyed ourselves.
Why did an awesome bar have to open in Bloomingdale years after I left town?

Ballydoyle is a great place although it’s attached to the mall. I say although because usually mall attached establishments are less than great. But not Ballydoyle. They have a good selection of beverages and their food is yummy. My wife loves the shepherd’s pie. The burgers are good. I had the blackened tuna salad the other day. They have bands. It can get a bit loud if you are seated by the front stage, but you can always request to be seated further in the back.
I’m not sure how their sunday situation is, I saw a couple of small tv’s but maybe they put up a big projector. One of these days I will have to check it out.

About six friends and I stopped by this place a few months after it opened. We were all skeptical of how good an eatery can be inside of a mall. Pleasantly, we were surprised. The layout is a tad odd, as has a very large wrap-​around U-​shape which doesn’t make it very congruent to seeing the whole place at once. This is actually a good thing if you wish to «burrow» into one of the places many cozy corners.
We had a little bit of everything, but all of us loved the Irish Chips, plus you can get them at a discount during happy hour. Check the Ballydoyle website for more details. They also have special promos from time to time for Unilocal members, so check in on your phone if you’re nearby and see what they are running.
On the night we were there, there was some type of old-​school rock band playing. They didn’t charge a cover to get in if you wanted to eat only (our party), but if you booked a table near the stage, you had to pay $ 5. No problem, until one of us had to use the the restroom and the staff member asked where we were going. After he found out that we were at another table, he was polite enough, but the have the men’s room in the restricted area. Once again, the layout isn’t always the most intuitive.
The girl that served us was very pleasant, but I can’t remember her name. The food took a while to serve, but the place was packed for a weeknight. Apparently there’s not that much live entertainment in the Bloomingdale area. Everyone seemed to be having a good time near the stage, even if wasn’t my cup of musical tea.
Next time I’m here, I’ll have to sample the beers on top, forgot to do that before leaving. Drat!

Why do the Irish only put 239 beans in their Irish bean soup?
–Because one more would be two farty!
Haha…that one never gets old. I saw Bally Doyle on
and thought it was worth a try since it’s close and it’s Irish. This was one of the best $ 25
experiences I’ve had. I was taken aback when the hostess informed me of a half an hour wait for a table at 7pm on Saturday. I really wasn’t expecting the place to be packed, but I take it as a good sign. Who knew a bar in a mall can be so popular? There were no seats available at the bar area so we went across to Orchid to grab a drink while we wait for our table.
Once we were seated about 45 minutes later, we poured over the large menu that offered so many options that sounded great… corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips, bangers and mash, meatloaf, shepherds pie, etc.
Nachos — Good and served in a large portion. I guess it better be for $ 11.
Mussels — served with a weird cream sauce… something different. I wouldn’t order them again.
Chicken and Spinach Boxty — It’s like a crêpe wrap.
The service was great. The waitress was attentive, knowledgeable and helpful.
I enjoyed the cover band playing mainstream pop music. That’s not for everyone. There were people dancing, mainly the older ones that are past the point of caring about public embarrassment. The crowd was a mixed between young and old and I had a great time people watching. I even overheard a 27 year old looking dude celebrating losing his virginity. Cheers to that!