Elmhurst Tap Room

Love this place. Outstanding menu, especially the stew. Horrible cell service which is as it should be. Enjoy your meal, enjoy your partner.

The facility itself was nice, and the staff nice.
The food wasn’t anything special, but it definitely wasn’t bad.
The drinks we got were nice, though I tried ordering two other drinks off of their own menu first, only to be told that they didn’t have them.
There were nice TVs, on which we watched the Tigers game, and on a Wednesday night, it was very quiet. Maybe only one other group there.
It’s worth checking out.

Have been stopping in for years, it’s like our own neighborhood «Cheers». The pizza deal on Tuesday use to be great, something has changed there… very light on the quality. The French dip is awesome, Chile is tasty and drinks are more than satisfying. Love the old school feeling. Always sit up at the bar and never been disappointed. Worth the visit for sure, If not for dinner than a snack and a cocktail at least.

Elmhurst is a little tap room that has been around since I can remember. The lighting is dark but I like its small intimate feel. Previous posts are right about the signal in here but that’s how it should be anyway!
I went the last two Thursday’s because they feature a pound of crab legs for about 22 dollars. Last Thursday I went with 2 other people and we ordered two orders to share. The presentation is great especially with the melted butter. Although their side salads are ridiculously small, their ranch dressing is great! We also ordered curly fries and regular fries. The regular ones tasted old almost like they’ve been sitting there for over an hour but the curly ones were fresh and crispy. My sister for the French onion which she swears is absolutely amazing. I’m not really a beer drinker but they have a large draft selection. Over 15!
On to the service, which to me is just as important as the food. Service is okay. Our waitress was semi attentive but once it came towards the end of our meals she kind of forgot about us. Took a while to check if we wanted refills and when it came to the bill I had to get up and ask for it because she just wasn’t coming back to our table. You would think she would have been more attentive considering it’s such a small place.
However, the crab legs were good enough to bring me back.
So last Thursday I came again and they ran out of crab legs! Huge bummer! So I got the fish and chips which were honestly horrible! The batter was awful and was too soggy in the inside. My whole plate was full of grease so I just ate around the batter to get to the fish. The fries were fresh this time so I guess they could be a hit or miss. We ended up having the same server which lacked again with checking on us. We waited almost 10 minutes for our bill. I watched as she was goofing around with another table. As a server, It was just kind of frustrating especially since we were ready to go. They also should wipe down their drink menus that stay on the table.
My recommendation is to come on Thursdays for the crab legs! Regardless of the bad fish I had, I would come again to try other items. It’s a local intimate bar, a nice spot to get away from the busier places.
These were the best pictures I could get considering their lighting.

Great food, great atmosphere… the King Crab sandwich is something I will DEFINITELY be craving and will be back for. The hubby loved his burger as well. Dark, friendly neighborhood bar

Apparently you have to be a regular to get any service or be addressed here. Came in on a Friday night right before heading to Halloween Nights at Greenfield Village. All the tables were filled but not overly packed. Walked in and no one addressed us. Kind of awkward, not sure where to stand set up. Got bumped a few times then we’re told we have to give our name to the bartender. We did. Standing again, awkwardly right by filled tables, only to get dirty looks by the waitresses because we were in the way… ok, that was enough and we left while the old regular Cheers crowd drank away and chatted it up with the non-​existent bartender with no personality. I’m sorry but if someone walks in my restaurant/​bar and all tables are filled and there’s no where to stand without staring at people eat, you address them, say hi, sorry for the wait etc. Your food is not that good Elmhurst and someday those regulars won’t be around so they get a big fat

One of the worst dining experience we have had in some time. The only good thing was the flashback of the décor. Hasn’t changed in years. Great colors and stained glass. Nice booths. Waitress was very pleasant and nice hence the two stars. If we were just rating the food it would have been a one star. The bar was pretty dead yet it still took way too long to get our food.
The french onion soup tasted like watered down swamp water. Almost no taste or broth but what you could taste was very bitter. The stuffed mushroom app had a very off putting sauce smothered all over it. I am pretty sure it was just watered down hidden valley ranch. The mushrooms were mini, flat mushrooms, not caps, that weren’t actually stuffed, they simply had crab meat and whole strips of bacon on top.
Tried the flaming shrimp and cheese which was just saganaki with a couple of very fishy shrimp pushed into the cheese before it was lit at the table. The orange liquor that was used to ignite was not grand marnier or any similar orange flavored liquor, very strong and took over the taste of the cheese. Worst was the deep fried mushrooms. First try they were frozen on the inside, waitress was very kind and offered to have them dropped a bit longer, then they came out too burnt to eat. The oil used was way too hot. The outside was the perfect color and doneness when they first came out but dropping them back in for a minute of two longer finally cooked the inside but left the outside hard and charred. The kind waitress took them off the menu. Can’t say we will ever be back.

This is a great little neighborhood bar and restaurant. It’s dark and old-​school. There’s no cell phone signal or Wi-​Fi, so you’re forced to actually have conversations with your companions.
I ordered a burger on my first visit. No lie: this was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. It was cooked perfectly medium-​rare and was stacked with thick bacon. It was also pretty big, so I got to take half home to enjoy the next day. They have shoe string fries (insert heart-​eyes here). My second visit was just for drinks with friends but we ended up ordering saganaki and onion rings. Both were perfect. I’m going to be dreaming of their big crusty onion rings until I get to have them again!
They’ve got a decent tap list, with a mix of yellow domestics and a few craft beers (Saugatuk and Great Lakes, among others). Their bar is fully stocked with liquor, too. A fat pour of Jim Beam was $ 5.25. Most beers are $ 4-​$ 5.
Overall, the Elmhurst is a cool place to have a drink with friends or to get dinner. I love its dark, vintage façade and friendly servers. Check it out!

Roger Sterling and Don Draper alert. Dark paneled, red upholstered, old school cocktail lounge. I was here for lunch, so no drinks were consumed, but the bar was well stocked with liquor. In keeping with the old school vibe, craft beer here is a small selection of bottles.
I had the BLT, and the bacon was generously stacked on the trimmings. The sandwich was accompanied by a generous portion of old school french fries, not some coated GFS mystery fries.
I will be back to sample their Old Fashioned.

Went on a Monday evening… not even that late. Probably 6:30. Service was friendly but suuuuuper slow.
I got the fish & chips. Mediocre at best. The fish was ok. Nothing to write home about. Small pieces left somethibg to be desired. Tartar sauce was too sweet. Made the mistake of getting curly fries. Also didn’t help they were semi cold.
Décor was neat but it was absolutely freezing in the front booth next yo the front wall. Needs insulation up there.
Most likely won’t go back any time soon.

Great place… no wifi, no cell service, perfect for a nice dinner with friends or family… no distractions, plenty of tv’s for a quick glance for scores…
Perfect for the first date or the 50^th anniversary dinner…

Good food, good atmosphere, good prices, & good service! Good place to go for a beer & burger.

Elmhurst will always have a special spot in my heart. It is the first establishment I had visited in Dearborn after my now husband first moved into the area. We were simply looking for a place to eat, and ended up finding Elmhurst, to which we still visit often many years later. In the fall, they serve mussels steamed in wine when you order, and every Thursday night is the Alaskan King Crab night for $ 21.99 — a full pound of meaty crab legs, fries, coleslaw and drawn butter. I also love their prime rib sandwiches. It’s leftover prime ribs from the night before, but chances are good you can still get the doneness you want, but for half the price. The beer selection is great and they have a full top shelf bar, what more can a local ask for?

This place is sort of a hidden gem. It is not a gourmet restaurant, nor do they have dozens of microbrews on tap. But it’s an old-​school, friendly neighborhood joint with good food and good service. It’s like stepping into 1974 (or at least what I imagine 1974 was like). There are a few regulars, but the crowd on Friday and Saturday nights during the summer is very friendly.
They have a broad selection of liquor, and usually at least a couple decent micros on tap (an IPA, a wheat, etc). But the food!!! Who knew?!? Again, not gourmet like a few bars on Michigan Ave are, but you’re not paying those prices either… Solid Reuben, good French dip, decent French onion soup (can’t say ‘the best’, but good). The menu is extensive and neither I or anyone I’ve been there with has a had a bad dish. There are booths if your primary goal is eating.
Overall, a good bar if you’re looking for a bite to eat and a change, and don’t need the hectic and noisy environment of a sports bar.

Terrible Service !! Me and my husband went in and sat at the bar. We were there for at least 5 minutes. Not one of the 4 bartenders/​waitresses even glanced in our direction, let alone take our order. One of the waitress stood right next to us (behind the bar) and chatted up another customer but did not offer us a menu or to clean the bar area where we sat (empty beer glass and sticky bar). We got up and left. I have lived in the area all my life but have not been to Elmhurst in years. Needless to say we will not be coming back !!

Update: went back recently had had a much more pleasant experience. The open faced prime rib sandwich was amazing! Highly recommend stopping in on a Thursday and checking it out. My companion’s perch dinner was also delicious (I stole a bite). Small, cozy, and slightly dark ambiance, with large stuffed booths. Not a ton of seating, so we usually end up sitting at the bars, which is just fine with me.

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the two most DELICIOUS items on the menu:
STUFFED MUSHROOMS:
Huge Crab Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, that come with a cream sauce & chopped bacon on top. It’s kind of rich, because of the cream sauce, so you may want to share with someone. They are AMAZING!
STEW: with 3 choices of seafood:
Shrimp (my favorite one)
Scallops
Clams
They make it right at the bar in one of the 3 Oyster Cookers, so if you are sitting at the bar in front of them, you get to watch them make it.
Food: 5 stars
Restaurant Owners:
You should add pictures on Unilocal, and ask more people to Unilocal their food reviews. You have GREAT food!
The reason why I’m only giving it 4 stars, is because the you could invest in new bases that attach to the Oyster Cookers. I say this because the 3 that are at the bar, are deteriorating at the base. The metal was crumbled up. It was not appealing to see and makes it questionable of the cleanliness of the rest of the restaurant.

Old school 1974ish. Very great food. Awesome pizza and French onion soup, great fish dinners. Everything on the menu is good. Quiet little corner of West Dearborn on Pelham near the old Adray appliance.

I used to see this place all the time when my dad lived in the area. I never went in till the other night because it was open. Now I wish I had come in sooner. A little dark and 70’s ‘english pub’ kitchy, but in a good way. This place is small! We went in the back way (they have parking in the back, and on the street) and the staff was very friendly and told us right away to have a seat anywhere. I can’t speak for the drinks, as I was driving and didn’t have any mixed drinks. The menu was interesting, and we just got the pizza. Man the pizza is good. And they are not bothered by special orders (in our case, a half and half). I will be going back.

The hubs and I went on a whim to the Elmhurst Tap Room when we were starving and I didn’t feel like making anything. To us, being in the mood to eat greasy bar food is like being in the mood to breathe, and we get tired of the same old places.
When I walked into the ETR I felt like I had just walked back in time. It’s very dark, very red, and very nostalgic. There were two elderly gentlemen sitting at a booth who both greeted us, and a very nice bartender. Surprisingly, the bar was stocked with a nice selection of both domestic and imports, as well as a big variety of both average and top shelf liquors.
Even more surprisingly, they have a huge menu! With everything from salads to soups to sandwiches, pizza and even steak. It being lunch, I ordered fish and chips and hubs ordered the monte cristo dip. Everything was tasty! The batter was nice and crispy, and the fish was very fresh. Hubs’ used the word ‘delectable’ when describing his ham and cheese/​french toast combo.
While we were there, several other patrons walked in — all over the age of 75 and started all talking with the owner and bartender. We felt like we were in a big family reunion listening to uncle Earl talking about his days at the track back in the day. And it felt cool.
If you are into the new, modern, trendy spots, avoid this location like the plague. But if you’re comfortable in a place that looks like it could be on the set of LA Confidential, with good reasonably priced food, give this a try.