Oak Street Beach Food - Drink
1001 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL, 60611
Oak Street Beach Food - Drink Menu
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Address :
1001 N Lake Shore Dr
Chicago, IL, 60611 - Phone (312) 988-4650
- Website https://www.oakstreetbeach.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
- Mon : 11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
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Kim C.
Fun! Great location right on Lake Michigan. Really delicious steak tacos.
(3)Veronica P.
This place is a great chill location on weekday nights - we come usually around 7 - Good friendly service, decent music and yummy frozen margaritas! The crowd is easy going and a total mix of everything. Bathrooms are clean and kept tidy. The menu has a good selection of each food:)
(4)Kara M.
Excellent cocktails and service when we sat at the Bar. I had the peach margarita which was tangy and not overly sweet, and my cousin had the Pina Colada which was a tad dense but still enjoyable. We also had the guacamole and cheesy waffle fries (if you're on the fence add chicken because I wish we did) the guacamole was slightly spicy and refreshing and the fries were seasoned like curly fries with a (not so) healthy serving of cheese sauce but that's what you're ordering it for! If I was here for longer I would go back!
(5)John A.
Drinks are strong and expensive ($12 for a cocktail). Food I'd a bit pricey but very decent. A DJ plays and keeps the ace lively. You know what your in for...
(3)Rebecca S.
This is a beautiful place to sit and have a drink on the beach. The problem? Poor service. The servers were far too busy with each other to wait on me. I had to request service to order, I was never asked if I wanted anything else to drink or eat, and I had to go all the way to the bar to get my check where my server was dancing. These young people need some supervision.
(2)Steph U.
This is a nice little beach spot. Drinks are a little pricier, but hey, it's on the beach! I came over here for a get together with friends. The girl who originally organized the event sadly couldn't make it, so we were kind of flying blind. We didn't know if she had made an reservation or anything, but a manager was able to help us out and set us up with some tables. The waitress/service was...alright? I'm not really sure how to describe it. She seemed annoyed that we were such a large group, but she was attentive. The drinks were kind of slow thought, which was not her fault. Most of us ordered the premixed frozen drinks, so I don't know how those could take longer than a couple minutes. One girl ordered "She's a Peach", which needed to actually be mixed by a bartender and that took a ridiculous amount of time (like 10+ minutes). It's not like it was super busy or anything, so I wasn't sure why things were taking so long. The atmosphere for the most part was nice. There were games and a lot of places to sit. We were seated close to the bathroom/trash area though, so it kind of smelled. If I were to go back, I'd probably want to sit somewhere else. Oh, there were some really stupid people here though (once again, not their fault). There were people who kept trying to smoke within the area, even though smoking is prohibited. There was also this idiot group of guys who kept taking our chairs! Without asking! They were super rude and there was one guy who decided to swing his nasty, sand covered socks everywhere. He ended up getting sock sand all over us and in our DRINKS. He then barely said out an apology, and left. Good riddance. Anyway, other than that dummy, it was a nice time because it was a beautiful day. The drinks were good, but overall everything was just alright. If you're here and you want a drink, you might as well just go for it.
(3)Lohanna H.
Gross!!!!!! It smells so bad here from the bathrooms and the food is awful. Soggy quesadilla and a salad with old vegetables, served on some kind of plate that looks like a lid. Awful. Won't eat ere again... The smell is unbelievable and makes gross food even grosser. Understaffed as well. Poor servers.
(1)Jordan K.
Here's the run down. There is a beach. This beach is next to Gold Coast. This beach has a bar/restaurant on it. This place probably pays a lot of money to be there. This place in turn charges people a lot of money for very OK drinks. We didn't care. We came to enjoy the nice day, watch people running around, and enjoy time with friends. This place made that happen. I can't comment on the food or waitstaff, but the booze was fine and you know what you are getting when you walk up. There aren't any other options either.
(4)Laura C.
If I were Spider-Man I'd be among kin. Spider apocalypse 2015. No.. But really this place was coated in spiders and smelled like the underside of a filthy port o john. Nevah will return!
(1)Janna R.
$9/3oz guac with week old chips. $12 vodka lems and service with a smile. A beach bar with no Malibu. Smells like toilet.
(2)Brian C.
Worst worst worst worst service I have ever had. Bar is next to open port-a-lets: smelled like sewage . What a great spot and location . Seriously almost like they want to go out of business .
(1)Nicholas K.
On a beautiful day, this place can't be beat in terms of location. With the city skyline on one side and the waves on the other, it's pretty spectacular. I came here for lunch and had a great chicago style hot dog. The drinks are a little overpriced, but I think you're paying for the location, which, did I mention, is really good. Compared to the other beach dining options in chicago ::side eye to Caffe Oliva:: this place is a no brainer. Oak street beach itself is clean and lively, and the sprawling patio with cheerful yellow umbrellas is a great place to unwind.
(4)Ashley I.
I love the beach feel while at Oak Street Beach. I feel like I am on vacation! It is much cleaner than Castaways, a beach bar just down the beach. The quality of service and the quality of people are much better overall at this location. I enjoy the cocktails that are served, especially the frozen ones! The game bags is available to play, and the actual beach is right next door. Sometimes there are DJs that play. I am looking forward to summer already!
(5)Jeffery T.
Terrible place, terrible service, terrible food - I am writing this at 11:30am - they are still closed although their website states that they open at 11:00am - this happens all the time. Fire the incompetent manager and cancel their contract with the city !!!
(1)Brian O.
Beach watching, waitstaff, bar tenders , drinks are sexy & great. Food is below grade school cafeteria taste & appeal. Avoid the sandwich menu, low quality meats soaking on a steam tray for hours. Yuk
(2)Lizette Y.
This is a great place to visit if you're on the beach and need to grab a quick bite to eat or would simply like to people watch along the water on a summer day. The food is not that great, think glorified carnival food (chips, over-processed guac, hot dogs, burgers, and boring salads) at a higher price. The drinks are decent, although expensive. The service was pretty good, but it took a while for the server to notice that we needed a clean table and wanted to place an order. That's likely due to the fact that many patrons just like to walk up to the main window and order food on their own, so it may not have been clear that we needed service at the table. I'd go back here for a good cocktail on the beach, but that's about it.
(3)Ted T.
Awesome spot to be, and nice service, but they really need to improve the food. We got ours served on the top half only of a plastic to-go container.
(2)Kristin L.
I think this is the worst customer service I've experienced in my life. Unfortunately, it's the only place to get food and drinks at this beach so they can treat people however they want and they will spend money there. The servers are too busy so they can't help you, certain tables get a server and some don't but it's impossible to tell which is which, the bartenders at the bar ignore you, when you finally get a server to recognize you, they will tell you anything to get you away from them whether it's the truth or not. For example "can we just sit at any table to get food and drinks" the server will answer "yes sit anywhere and a server will be over to take your order." After sitting at a table and getting no service, I asked a server if there is a sever that is assigned to this table, the response I received was "there's not a bucket at that table." Ok? So I finally asked a third server how the heck we order food and their response "well if you know what you want you can go up to the bar and order food if there isn't a server." So I went to the bar to try and order food and drinks and was completely ignored so my friends and I just gave up and left. How anyone managed to get food or drinks from this place is beyond me.
(1)Bri A.
What the hell happened to this place? I remember coming here a few years ago and having delicious margaritas served in nice glasses and decent food. The palm trees were neat and gave the restaurant a nice ambiance. You felt as though you were at a beach side cafe in Florida. Now it's more like a Jersey Shore wannabe party scene with cheap plastic furniture, Solo cups, overpriced frozen "food" and crappy B96 music. I don't mind paying $12 for a good drink, but my frozen marg was way too sour, they don't have salt for it and it's in a big ol classy plastic cup. It gave me heartburn! wtf. A Summer Shandy or Heineken will set you back $8! It's expensive, but a somewhat better deal than the gross pre-mixed drinks. The food is abysmal and overpriced for what you get. My Cheez Wiz laden Tostito nachos weren't anything special and the portion was tiny for $8.50! Service wasn't as bad as I thought at least. My favorite part was waiting 45 minutes for a table when there were TONS of empty ones! This place has a lot of potential, but the owners don't seem to give a crap. It's nothing more than a glorified concession stand.
(1)Debbie C.
If you like paying 12 bucks for a drink, this is the place for you! Don't get me wrong, the drinks were good, and I was definitely a little red after one, but I'm sure they take the ambiance into consideration when pricing these drinks. It's got a great view of the lake and there's a DJ playing music too.
(3)Megan S.
The location of the bar was great and the glorified port-a-potty was relatively clean but that's about it. The service wasn't horrible. The menu is limited and very "greasy". They could do so much with it if someone tried. The drinks were mehhhhh. We had Mai Tai's that weren't bad but nothing to rave about. I thought they were expensive for Friday happy hour. I then switched to a margarita. After drinking one, I started feeling horrible. Not because of the alcohol but because of the margarita mix. Needless to say, there is room for improvement. The best part is the views and people watching.
(2)Eden P.
This place gave me a raw grilled chicken sandwich and didn't even offer to compensate me for anything. They just gave me a new entree that I had to pay for. The chicken was pink and raw and I noticed it after I ate part of the sandwich. Does the chef know how to cook a chicken? So disgusted. I do not recommend this place. And beware if you order the chicken.
(1)Jay R.
Went to beach to watch the Air and Water show, which was delayed and eventually cancelled...during the 1st delay, my kids explained how hungry they were , so i took them over to see if we could get some grub A gigantic line for an order up window, which would have been fine, but i have a toddler so would like to sit down so he could grab his food. I wait through most of the line, then ask the bouncer if we can go in and sit down, in which he refers me to a second bouncer who starts explaining the minimum amount required to sit at each table down in this area was $140...i have two kids both under 5 , can someone not recognize I am not there to spend over $140??? Eventually after i slipped him $5 he showed me the table area that was free...So we sat down and waited for a while, no server, i asked my buddy the bouncer whats up, he says servers don't visit this area, ( even though i see servers in the area serving booze to ogling drunks) He explains I would have to stand back into that gigantic line (which then i would lose my table) I slipped him some more dough to let me cut line near the front and smooth it over with the third bouncer i hadn't tipped, but I still had a 20 min wait , and had to tip him extra to watch my kids while i stood in line $42 got me a hot dog , 2 cheeseburgers, 2 sodas and a beer. Hot dog was a large vienna sausage, cheeseburger buns were stale, beer was cold though and needed for this fiasco $50 total in food and tips for barely edible fare, had the air show not cancelled the view would have been perfect, and music was really good, but be warned its not a place to take little kids no matter how hungry, its expensive and be prepared to tip everyone for everything...jump a cab and eat someplace else
(1)Marshaila B.
If they let you give less then one star I would. I waited all summer for this place to open up and I finally get here and the service is plain disgusting! Their service is terrible and very rude. They wouldn't serve me because I was 21 for two months! They dismissed my whole party and we're very disrespectful. Do not go here unless u love prison wards!
(1)Lisa Y.
Got chairs on the beach for $20 each. Air show weekend so it was busy but not overly crowded. Overall had a great time catching some rays and watching the show from afar. Will be back next time I'm in chicago!
(3)Furry P.
We ordered a chicken sandwich and a burger. These were the two worst sandwiches I have ever eaten. I refused to finish mine and when my husband offered to switch, wouldnt finish his either. Both of us found it disgusting. The hamburger meat was so cheap it tasted like a bad hot dog. For the record... I am NOT a picky eater and dont expect gourmet food at a beachside snackbar but this was uncommonly awful. These people should not be serving food. Both the chicken and the burger were also cold calling into question food safety. Go here for drinks but steer CLEAR on the food.
(1)Dan T.
This place, 3 years ago, was a nice gourmet restaurant but has new management since. As a restaurant currently we were very disappointed. Very similar now to Cast always at north ave beach. Basically mediocre bar food. Manager was nice and trying to improve the place. This place does have a great vibe on a beautiful day when it's packed with people drinking, playing bags etc. don't make a special trip here for the food.
(2)Robert T.
The first problem was that, as a 68 year old man, I was "carded" by two big burly club type bouncers. Now get this. I had forgotten my wallet and was with my wife and another friend both 67 with i.d. The bouncer would NOT let me in b/c I had no i.d. Duhhhh! Hello common sense! I breathed deeply, restrained my temper and politely asked to see the Manager who came to the entrance. I explained that as a 68 year old I didn't think I should be carded--he agreed and "allowed me" to go in to the restaurant tables. The food was OK and we had an excellent server. Fortunately the sun was out, the waves were gentle, the beach was like Fort Lauderdale--a wonderful experience AFTER one was admitted. Sooo...remember to bring your i.d. even if you are 86 years old in a wheel chair! Go and enjoy the sunshine!
(2)Linzi C.
The atmosphere was pretty good...but the food was overpriced and subpar. Avoid the nachos. The bouncers at the front make it seem very unwelcoming for children. If you're an adult and want to pay $12 for a beer, go for it. I'd rather enjoy the beach and eat/drink elsewhere.
(2)Jeremy C.
Have you ever felt confident that the next generation of emerging minds in this country will help lead us to the America we all dreamed of..? Well I know that is a weird thought to have but this beach will definitely change your mind. Stupid, drunk, college kids from the suburbs... If that's your thing.. Then this is a place for you. Think of this beach as the Midwest Jersey Shore but shittier.. The water here seems to always be dirtier than the other beaches because it's sort of a cove..I think stuff just washes up here and gets stuck.. I would avoid this beach and just go up to North Avenue where there are even more shenanigans going on but at least the water and sand is cleaner.
(2)Pete G.
This place has awful food and drinks. The food came out in about 3 minutes which is great but means that everything is obviously pre made. Drinks were a sugary mess. $12 for something so sweet I literally could bear to finish. The servers were very nice and the beer was still beer so the experience could have been worse but when my bill for lunch for two is $100 and I don't want to eat it and only finish half of my drinks, you deserve 1 star. You can't survive one a nice venue forever. And security was a little bossy but that didn't have a ton to do with the negative review.
(1)JR R.
Although the view is very nice, the food was a tragedy. I ordered the chicken tacos which arrived cold and bland. They give you 6 shells but you can really only full 2 with the amount of food they provide. Regarding the drinks; I paid $8 for a beer on tap that they sold for $6 in the bottle (which both were approximately 16oz after the head faded away). The only Positive was the staff. They were quick to help and noticed when your beer was low. When they asked about the tacos and I responded "they are not anything special" they were willing to rectify it by getting me something else. Overall: Drinks - overpriced Food - terrible Service - great
(2)bettina k.
Oak Street Beach Food and Drink- what a phenomenally original name, is worse than the most generic Wrigleyville sports bar. From the lousy tacos to the ugly chairs and tables to the lack of any charm to the absolutely dismal bartenders, Oak Street Beach Food and Drink fails on so many levels. During this year's first and last visit, the bartenders deliberately ignored me and three other female customers in favor of coddling groups of bare chested males. The other girls gave up and left. A gentleman sitting next to me who appeared well taken care of offered me some ordering assistance. Is this what I would have to resort to in 2013?:) Other than bad service , the decor is primitive and almost an insult to the lake setting. Could Levy &Co not find it in their hearts to invest a few thousand bucks more for some decent parasols and a more appealing aesthetic? The steep drink prices ($10 for cheap white wine) and the incompetent or rude bartenders won't make up for the empty tables, but will hopefully contribute to this place changing owners again..
(1)Christine S.
The "New" Beach cafe is horrible. I've been going here for several years and it now being run by Levy. You used to be able to get a decent (comparable to decent bar food) there and have drinks on loungers. Now it's just an overpriced concession stand with horrible food. It's shame, with prime real estate like this. The manager actually came over and asked us how everything was after we returned our guacamole and I told him it was one of the worst lunches I ever had, I thought he could at least send a drink but nothing.... They need to put this place at NAB and bring Castaways to Oak St Beach, the gang bangers at NAB would appreciate this food. Get a drink and go!
(1)C B.
The service at this restaurant is absolutely terrible. We came for burgers at lunchtime and it took the servers 20 min + just to come to our table to greet us and take our order. Then we waited another 20-25 minutes for our drinks and another 40 minutes for our sub-par, cold food. They refuse to serve tap water, you have to buy a bottle if you want any water. I recommend others to stay away from this place!
(1)Richard M.
Sure the location is great. Fantastic view of the waterfront and the skyline, however you can get all that for free from the public beach. The Oak Street Beach Restaurant is way overpriced and seriously deficient in quality. I wouldn't mind paying a bit extra for the location/views but I would at least expect the food to be mediocre. Instead it was barely even edible. To give you an idea of the prices, they charge $4 for a 20 oz bottle of water, $4.50 for a 20 oz bottle of soda and $7.50 for a Miller Lite. Don't waste a dime here. I used to think the old Oak Street Beachsto (same location) was mediocre but this is much worse. How could this happen? Don't waste even a nickel on this place. (I would also like to point out that not one of the Yelp reviews from 2012 gave it more than two stars. With any luck in 2013 maybe someone will take over that knows how to make this a decent destination.)
(1)Quan L.
This place is the anti-yelp. You might as well give them a "I don't give a shit what yelpers think" sticker. They're current at 1.5 stars as I'm writing this review and they can care less. OSBF+D don't care. This place will be packed every sunny weekend for the rest of the summer and probably most sunny weekdays as well. Their drinks and food are overpriced but no one seems to care. It's the price you pay for a nice location on the beach.
(3)Mariya D.
I know people give this place very bad reviews because of the food and the service or whatever, but it's a great place for a beach bar! I think the food's good, pretty much what you should expect from fast grilled food cooked on a beach. The tacos are awesome! It's in a great location and it's nice to just come in here after tanning for a while to enjoy food and drinks. The service is okay as well. I definitely stop by every time I visit the beach.
(4)diann s.
I have been here a couple of times, I prefer the prior Oak Street Beachstro. While it is in a great location on the beach, the prices are high for drink/food/service that cannot even reach the mediocre mark
(2)Elizabeth S.
Nice staff buuut.... Way overpriced food and drinks. You could be about to pass out and all they can do is give you a $4.00 bottle of water. Smh. I'll be at north ave until this changes into a laid back FUN place. Can someone tell them to try playing relaxing beach music instead of 80's!? Duh
(1)Matt C.
A lot of pretty poor reviews for here... Not sure why. This is a great place to come on a sunny summer Saturday or Sunday afternoon and have a couple ice cold beers, people watch, and if you have the nerve, take a swim in Lake Michigan. Great views of the lake and beach and everything associated with that. We had a medium sized group and had a very good time.
(4)Julie Y.
I never really give bad reviews and i've been here a few times but my last experience was horrible. First of all ordered 2 drinks from the beach bar-horrible disgusting, watered down and over priced. Decide to go over to the bar area to get a drink the staff was clearly hung over or just complete idiots. Stood there trying to get someone attention for over 10 mins, it wasnt even packed. Its like the bartender was ignoring us intentionally and only serving new people that were walking up to the bar. The person sitting next to us saw this and even tried to help get their attention. RIDICULOUS! like I said before, It was not even that packed. SERVICE SUCKS. The only reason i am giving this place 2 stars is because the first time I came ordered a burger and a couple drinks had ok service. The food sucks tho, ive had bar food better than this.
(2)Aaron H.
The ONLY compliments I have about this place are: 1) Its location on the lakefront beach (likely the only reason it's still around), 2) the porter potties (this was my first time in one so luxurious), and 3) the DJ (who spun some funky Chicago house music). Now to what I did not like... For $12-$14, I EXPECT a customed-made, well-balanced drink, NOT something pre-mixed, which mine clearly was. I'm glad the server was willing to take back my drink, but what he replaced it with was only a marginal improvement. Hell, they couldn't even mix a proper Sex on the Beach or Piña Colada. Seriously?! How in the world do you screw THAT up?! Meh.
(2)Emann B.
I have no problem dropping $10-$15 for a great cocktail at Publican, Maude's, Wood, etc., but $12 for a sickeningly sweet margarita is a little over the top, even for me. Of course, since there are no other options available, they can charge whatever they like. The only saving grace? Beautiful day and great company (gratis)!
(1)Jami S.
Fun idea, poorly executed. Drinks took forever and it was empty! Didn't try the food tho. Only bright spot is free yoga on thursdays next to the bar. Afterwards Oak Street Beach gives you a deal on drinks. $5. Though my Rum Runner was gross.
(2)Seth D.
I ate there once with a friend. The service was slow and the food was just terrible. Just awful. I had a fish sandwich, big mistake. Usually fries taste good anywhere, but not this place. Save yourself some money and pack a lunch.
(1)Debbie S.
Not sure why all the bad reviews. My husband and I came here on 8/22/14, which was a Friday in the late afternoon. We were greeted by the staff and he explained to us where to sit if we wanted a server to wait on us or where to sit if we wanted to get our food ourselves. We opted to be waited on. Our server was at our table promptly and was very nice. My husband ordered the burger and I ordered the chicken sandwich. Both were very good. The drinks are a bit pricey, but then we are in Chicago and sitting on the beach. Lets be honest, everything is Chicago is expensive. As we were leaving the same staff member asked if we enjoyed our meal and thanked us for coming. We will definitely come back to Oak Street Beach the next time we are in Chicago.
(4)Debbie N.
The best part about our experience here, on our first day in Chicago was feeding the birds the crumbs. We waited over 20 minutes for service and had actually stood up to leave when the server arrived to take our order. Once the order was placed, the nachos and drinks arrived promptly. However the drinks were horrid and we shoulda had a beer from a can. The mango margarita tasted and looked like frozen lemonade concentrate. Then we waited over 30 minutes for our ticket. I just wanted to get out of the sun and get a drink of water to wash the taste from my mouth! Next time I visit Chicago we will take a picnic to the beach and drink at the hotel.
(1)Stephen C.
I wish I knew about this place earlier this summer. Nice spot, with amazing views. Nice crowd and the bathrooms were actually clean, unlike Castaways. I wish they had better music. Will def be back before summer is over.
(4)Mihir P.
This place is a disaster. I don't think anyone here, management included, has ever worked in a restaurant. Except for the bar back who was working his ass off. Here was our experience: 1) waited 37 minutes for a drink and was never acknowledged during that time 2) bartenders served on a last come first served basis 3) Staff didn't know how to use the POS systems (cash registers) 4) Not enough cash registers 5) Alcohol, mixers, and garnishes out of reach of bartenders - they need to install speed rails, soda guns, beer coolers, and garnish trays near each bartenders 6) Attempted to make mojitos and other drinks that take forever; they weren't even prepped for it - mint still in packages and not stemmed. This should be a project on Bar Rescue but sadly it has monopoly due to the location. I think the city has an obligation to insist on a good operation or pull their rights. The saddest part is that they could easily increase their sales by at least 35% with minimal changes. The longer the wait,the more people leave and that equals less cash in the registers.
(1)Scott K.
Not surprised that the drinks were over-priced because of the location, but was very surprised that their drinks were so terrible. Blueberry mojito was awful and my wife couldn't even get halfway thru her drink. If you go there, stick to beer. If you are going to charge big boy prices, then hire some real bartenders.
(1)Jack P.
So the Levy Group has now taken over what used to be the Oak Street Beachstro, and everything just looks and feels the same. Smaller menu with offerings of appetizers and salads, burgers, tacos and fish entrees, and a nice choice of wines by the glass, cocktails and beers. I was advised by my very friendly and capable server, Quinn, that it is early in the game and that the menu will be expanded. The fish tacos are good and fresh with a nice cilantro and lime infusion, and portions are generous. I had a nice hoppy Belgian Ale to quench my beachie thirst. Again, come here for the unique opportunity to sit among the palm trees and fantasize you are on South Beach in Miami Beach, not for some "blow-you-away" culinary experience. A good spot right off the Mag Mile to while away the hours on a sunny day.Friendly and gracious service, and very decent food.
(4)Chris K.
This place is awful - way way overpriced, horrible food - your choice of a "taco shack" serving 4 kinds of tacos - overpriced $9 for 3 small soft tacos with a tiny bit of lettuce, my steak tacos were full of fat with a spattering of what looked like beef, some warmed up black beans, and 3 strands of cheese. The other choice is a fish shack serving fried fish. UGH! What happened to our Oak Street Beachstro, with table service, flowers, trees, chaise lounges -all of that is gone. Cheap white plastic chairs on concrete, no flowers, no decoration, a barrier wall that blocks your view! STAY HOME! Not worth 1 cent.
(1)Dennis S.
Finally the warm weather reaches Chicago! Time for a drink on Oak Street Beach. Oak Street Beachstro has been replaced by Oak Street Beach Food and Drink. Not a classy name...not a classy place. But neither was Oak Street Beachstro. There's only one reason to be here - the settling. It's a great view of the lake, the beach, the crowd, and the Lake Shore Drive skyline. Being so close to the crowds and the water makes you feel involved with the beach, not just a far away spectator. The menu is similar to what Oak Street Beachstro had, only with fewer choices. I was told they'll expand the menu over the summer. Right now they don't even have wines by the bottle, although you can get bottle prices if you ask. Very limited wine choices. Nice selection of beers. No pizzas as before, but some appetizers, some salads, and some real meals. We enjoyed the black bean/corn salsa with chips, which was a very generous portion. The waitstaff is similar to before - summer help, some with minimal command of the English language (head shaking left to right, "I'm busboy. I'm busboy.") Good attitude for all five staff I talked to on this first visit, but limited experience. We'll be back often on hot nights, just for the unique setting. I'd recommend at least one visit here, just plan to move on to dinner elsewhere.
(3)Thomas M.
This place has really gone downhill in the last year. It used to be an amazing oasis in the middle of the city. They had table service a nice sized section of lounge chairs, waitresses, a decent set of bags, they even had a couple decent beers (White Rascal) for like $6 a pop. One day I was there they even had an all inclusive pig roast party that was amazing. Every time I would come here it was really hard to leave to say the least. That was last year... Now they have replaced the lounge chairs with more tables and chairs that are completely unnecessary because the place is never packed. They built a huge bar that seriously makes probably some of the worst drinks I've ever had. Their beer selection is terrible and way overpriced. Food is mediocre at best with no table service that I noticed. The bags they have set up are of the lowest quality imaginable. Throw a bag the board falls over every time. You'd think after the remodel they could at least invest a little money in a decent set. Nope... On top of all this they have some weird wrap around the entire place making it difficult to even see the water when sitting upright in a chair trying to relax. I understand there is new ownership but it actually amazes me how someone could royally screw up something that would be so easy to make great and that was so great before. Maybe I would give it an extra star because it's on the beach if I had never been here in the past, but knowing what it was before and what it could be I just can't bring myself to do it.
(2)Daniel L.
Mirroring J.B.'s review below I can say it just as concisely: stay away. Please. Just stay away. Terrible service. Not just terrible, but the absolute worst I have ever experienced. Want your order right? They don't really like playing by those rules. But want some rude thrown in your face? They play by those rules rather well. If you are in the area eat anywhere else, even dig stuff out of the garbage can in the men's restroom. It should be of about the same quality and you might get a smile from a passerby there - don't expect a smile or anything out of the workers here.
(1)Bridget A.
My fiancé and I and another couple planned a dinner at the Oak Street Beach Café last night, Sunday July7th. We knew the menu would be limited and not cheap, but the good location and atmosphere would outweigh the negatives; so we thought. Just a slice of the evening: -Waited 15 minutes for a server to come to our table -The bar ran out of water -Ran out of Burgers -Ran out of Fish tacos -Ran out of French fries -Pretty expensive for "concession stand" food -Terrible service- we waited 15 minutes for her to just come over to our table, she spilled a margarita on one of our friends, she walked away after taking 3 out of 4 of our orders (literally, my fiancé had to grab her and ask her to take my dinner order), forgot to put our appetizer order in, then told us we were still getting our appetizer- after our dinner was on the table, and we were obviously being charged, and then the appetizer she brought was wrong, never asked if we needed anything for food or new drinks, and at the end of the meal and the $100.00 check came, she stood next to our table, waiting for it to be filled out so she could take it. We tipped her, however we tipped her lower than what we would have normally tipped. Since she was standing at the table waiting for the check, she immediately looked at it and gave us one of the dirtiest looks I've ever seen! It was fairly unbelievable. I understand it's a small little beach bar that employs local young people for the summer months, and I also understand its not Morton's Steak House and to expect the service to be somewhat different, obviously. But the level of service that we received was really terrible, and the food or ambiance of the location did not really come close to making up for it. I wish I could say that I would consider trying this place again, but I know that is a lie. Not a return customer here, nor will I ever recommend this place to anyone I know!
(1)Kori E.
The location of this bar is great and the fact that its not Castaways makes it even better. Its kind of a sh*t show though trying to get seated, getting orders taken, etc. You put your name in at the host stand and then you literally have to stand there for an hour while you wait. If you're not there when they call your name - they move on to the next party. I felt kind of bad for the tables towards the front because everyone was hovering over them while they ate. We were finally seated and put in an order of the corn dogs and nachos. They were out of the corn dogs. So disappointing. The portions are on the smaller side and the food is average. It definitely hits the spot if you're starving and tipsy, though! They were also out of frozen drinks - it was 85 degrees how is that possible? They seem to have kinks they still need to work out. Our waiter was great, and seemed apologetic every time he had to come to our table to tell us something we had ordered was no longer available. I definitely wont come rushing back as this is not my scene. Im sure its much more chill during the week.
(2)Irene G.
Good place for a few drinks, but if there is a long wait to be seated, better just move on. I like the palm trees and the fact that it's on the beach, but who doesn't? The food is your typical bar food (burgers, quesadillas, chips) - nothing special. I do remember waiting almost a half hour for a salad... Dogs are allowed in the cafe, so that's a plus (or minus) for some.
(2)John D.
Gonna mirror Daniel L's post. Place is god awful. Started when a 10 minute wait became a 30+ minute one. The second time we went and asked about the wait magically a table opened up just then (there were actually open tables everywhere). I asked, "you guys must be short on waiters, huh". Response back, "No, actually just our kitchen is/has been tied up". Then ask the waiter how long it'll take our tickets to go in so I can order whatever's fastest, find out "The kitchen is completely free. Actually only one or two tickets in." Mediocre, overpriced food. Shitty staffing/mgmt. And they had the WORST "DJ'd music" ever. It was this terrible electronic track on loop. And my can of corona was $7. Ughhhh.
(1)Angela S.
Other than the location this place blows. I don't think they even have a full bar.
(1)Kris R.
their dos equis shandy is THE shit. THE. SHIT.
(2)Diana M.
What an adorable place! Right on the beach & perfect for people watching! The drink list was good & the food was yummy! I had the veggie tacos and was surprised at how good they were. This is a great stop on a hot day in Chicago!
(3)Rachel P.
The bartender was nice, service was good, food tasted fine but was mediocre at best. If you go here, know that you are only paying for location and that's it. We enjoyed sitting near the edge and watching/listening to the waves, but this place should only be visited by those spending all day at the beach and who don't want to leave to get nourishment. This isn't worth it for the working-person's lunch or dinner.
(2)Meat Hunting A.
Nice location by the beach. But the food is so so.
(2)J B.
STAY AWAY! Terrible food and service. Didn't even finish my jerk chicken sandwich it was so bad. Forget getting your right order or a staff person who cares even enough to smile. McDonalds food and service would have been 10x better.
(1)David A.
You you would think that this place owuld have it all, great location on the lakefront, open just 6 months, give or take a year...the service was below the norm, not a waitress to be found the day before the airshow. I would recommend this place only for the fact that is one of two or three places on the lakefront that offers food and beverage on the beach. The beers were overpriced, I pay the same amount when I go to a stadium to watch a sports team.
(2)Deborah H.
Nice looking place and on the beach but that is all. The food is overpriced and marginal at best. $6 for a kids' PBJ, an orange and rotting veggies. A very dry chicken sandwich with no mayo; skipped the slaw in order to avoid food poisoning.
(2)Christine M.
So cute and beachy.... Great food
(5)Terrence C.
this place is of the lame variety. drinks.. obviously pre mixed, WAY overpriced (12 bucks for a plastic cup), 7 bucks for a CAN of beer?! ugh. food.. Burger appeared to be microwaved... 30 minutes before it was served. Cold. =/ ok. Service was fine. No complaints. Server was nice. I'd love to write more, but I feel this place doesn't deserve the time. Sit on the beach, have a drink before, buy a crave case from White Castle.. You'll have a better time, and you will still have your dignity (+ some money).
(2)Lynn D.
This place is horrible now. It used to be good, food and drink were reasonable, they even bought in palm trees and flowers to make it feel like you were on vacation but not any more. Now it's all about making money, ridiculously overpriced and cheap looking. The bartender even told my husband they didn't have any water when he asked for a cup with our drinks, only because he wanted us to buy an extremely overprice bottle, how's that for customer service! The new owners LEVY have taken all the 'nice' out of this place. Please don't go!
(1)Pat A.
Pathetic food,music in dining area grossly loud with terrible sound, a chair rail that blocks view of wonderful beachfront, poor service and a total disappointment. Bring back beachstro!!!!!!!!
(1)Stephanie B.
I had a great lunch at Oak St. Beach Cafe today! As an over-stressed city worker, this place felt like a nice little slice of vacation in the middle of a Tuesday. The grilled tilapia fish tacos were very delicious! The fish tasted really fresh, the tortillas were perfectly toasted and the house-made slaw was the perfect complement. I also had the Miami Swat cocktail - half daiquiri and half colada. Their mixes for each part are a little untraditional - and a welcome change. The service was nice and relaxed, matching the vibe. Not sure what its like on the weekend when the beach is crazy, but I'll definitely be back during the week for another lunch vaca!
(4)Bonnie S.
Fast food style menu, washrooms not maintained and not pet-friendly. Can't believe after how nice Oak Street Beachstro was the new owners could bring a place down so fast. Oh yeah, palm trees look dead.
(1)Claudia R.
I am trying to review the cafe that is on the beach at Oak Street, I believe it has changed names a few times. Had a very over priced lunch there today with friends, but it was so beautiful, there is nowhere else to eat on the beach there and this is it if you want to eat there. The thing is, who can even taste the food when you are sitting someplace so nice? And the food wasn't BAD, just average and very pricey. Still, there was shade and cold drinks, you can not complain.
(3)Sabrina T.
Unfortunately, this is a stepdown from The Beachstro. The Beachstro was overpriced but at least had a good drinks selection and ok food. Oak Street Beach Food and Drink has a very limited, fast food type menu, and only 3 mixed drinks, maybe 5 wine selection, and some beer. The fish taco was cold and watery. The burger was overcooked. Waitstaff are friendly, but inexperienced. Will not be going back despite the setting.
(1)j r.
We attempted to have dinner there last night. After sitting for awhile attempting to enjoy the wonderful view of our gorgeous Lake Michigan, it became clear that the live music, 2 young men singing and playing guitars, was seriously detracting from the experience. Although their attempt was clearly heartfelt, they couldn't hit the notes and the sounds they made were disurbing and made it hard to relax and enjoy the setting. Then the food started to arrive. My water glass was dirty. OK, nobody's perfect. My cocktail for $12.00 was just awful (they took it back and said they wouldn't charge), the salad dressing was applied with way too heavy a hand and was way too "vinegary" (all 4 of us agreed). The guacamole was just OK, passable. Then we started what turned out to be an interminable wait.....for burgers because several other things on the menu that we were interested in were unavailable....which we accepted and just ordered 3 burgers and 1 veggie burger. OK, nobody's perfect. Over an hour and a half later, the burgers finally arrived. (In the meantime, we talked to waitresses and a manager). The burgers were OK, not bad...passable. The veggie burger was cold with unmelted cheese on top....appeared to have never gotten near a heat source. All this time waiting and finally eating was spent listening to awful music which destroyed the scene. Even though our bill was "taken care of" by the manager, I would not go there again. So sad because that is one of the most beautiful spots in the world overlooking one of THE most magnificent lakes in the world.
(1)Jack P.
So the Levy Group has now taken over what used to be the Oak Street Beachstro, and everything just looks and feels the same. Smaller menu with offerings of appetizers and salads, burgers, tacos and fish entrees, and a nice choice of wines by the glass, cocktails and beers. I was advised by my very friendly and capable server, Quinn, that it is early in the game and that the menu will be expanded. The fish tacos are good and fresh with a nice cilantro and lime infusion, and portions are generous. I had a nice hoppy Belgian Ale to quench my beachie thirst. Again, come here for the unique opportunity to sit among the palm trees and fantasize you are on South Beach in Miami Beach, not for some "blow-you-away" culinary experience. A good spot right off the Mag Mile to while away the hours on a sunny day.Friendly and gracious service, and very decent food.
(4)Chris K.
This place is awful - way way overpriced, horrible food - your choice of a "taco shack" serving 4 kinds of tacos - overpriced $9 for 3 small soft tacos with a tiny bit of lettuce, my steak tacos were full of fat with a spattering of what looked like beef, some warmed up black beans, and 3 strands of cheese. The other choice is a fish shack serving fried fish. UGH! What happened to our Oak Street Beachstro, with table service, flowers, trees, chaise lounges -all of that is gone. Cheap white plastic chairs on concrete, no flowers, no decoration, a barrier wall that blocks your view! STAY HOME! Not worth 1 cent.
(1)Irene G.
Good place for a few drinks, but if there is a long wait to be seated, better just move on. I like the palm trees and the fact that it's on the beach, but who doesn't? The food is your typical bar food (burgers, quesadillas, chips) - nothing special. I do remember waiting almost a half hour for a salad... Dogs are allowed in the cafe, so that's a plus (or minus) for some.
(2)Dennis S.
Finally the warm weather reaches Chicago! Time for a drink on Oak Street Beach. Oak Street Beachstro has been replaced by Oak Street Beach Food and Drink. Not a classy name...not a classy place. But neither was Oak Street Beachstro. There's only one reason to be here - the settling. It's a great view of the lake, the beach, the crowd, and the Lake Shore Drive skyline. Being so close to the crowds and the water makes you feel involved with the beach, not just a far away spectator. The menu is similar to what Oak Street Beachstro had, only with fewer choices. I was told they'll expand the menu over the summer. Right now they don't even have wines by the bottle, although you can get bottle prices if you ask. Very limited wine choices. Nice selection of beers. No pizzas as before, but some appetizers, some salads, and some real meals. We enjoyed the black bean/corn salsa with chips, which was a very generous portion. The waitstaff is similar to before - summer help, some with minimal command of the English language (head shaking left to right, "I'm busboy. I'm busboy.") Good attitude for all five staff I talked to on this first visit, but limited experience. We'll be back often on hot nights, just for the unique setting. I'd recommend at least one visit here, just plan to move on to dinner elsewhere.
(3)Thomas M.
This place has really gone downhill in the last year. It used to be an amazing oasis in the middle of the city. They had table service a nice sized section of lounge chairs, waitresses, a decent set of bags, they even had a couple decent beers (White Rascal) for like $6 a pop. One day I was there they even had an all inclusive pig roast party that was amazing. Every time I would come here it was really hard to leave to say the least. That was last year... Now they have replaced the lounge chairs with more tables and chairs that are completely unnecessary because the place is never packed. They built a huge bar that seriously makes probably some of the worst drinks I've ever had. Their beer selection is terrible and way overpriced. Food is mediocre at best with no table service that I noticed. The bags they have set up are of the lowest quality imaginable. Throw a bag the board falls over every time. You'd think after the remodel they could at least invest a little money in a decent set. Nope... On top of all this they have some weird wrap around the entire place making it difficult to even see the water when sitting upright in a chair trying to relax. I understand there is new ownership but it actually amazes me how someone could royally screw up something that would be so easy to make great and that was so great before. Maybe I would give it an extra star because it's on the beach if I had never been here in the past, but knowing what it was before and what it could be I just can't bring myself to do it.
(2)Kori E.
The location of this bar is great and the fact that its not Castaways makes it even better. Its kind of a sh*t show though trying to get seated, getting orders taken, etc. You put your name in at the host stand and then you literally have to stand there for an hour while you wait. If you're not there when they call your name - they move on to the next party. I felt kind of bad for the tables towards the front because everyone was hovering over them while they ate. We were finally seated and put in an order of the corn dogs and nachos. They were out of the corn dogs. So disappointing. The portions are on the smaller side and the food is average. It definitely hits the spot if you're starving and tipsy, though! They were also out of frozen drinks - it was 85 degrees how is that possible? They seem to have kinks they still need to work out. Our waiter was great, and seemed apologetic every time he had to come to our table to tell us something we had ordered was no longer available. I definitely wont come rushing back as this is not my scene. Im sure its much more chill during the week.
(2)Mihir P.
This place is a disaster. I don't think anyone here, management included, has ever worked in a restaurant. Except for the bar back who was working his ass off. Here was our experience: 1) waited 37 minutes for a drink and was never acknowledged during that time 2) bartenders served on a last come first served basis 3) Staff didn't know how to use the POS systems (cash registers) 4) Not enough cash registers 5) Alcohol, mixers, and garnishes out of reach of bartenders - they need to install speed rails, soda guns, beer coolers, and garnish trays near each bartenders 6) Attempted to make mojitos and other drinks that take forever; they weren't even prepped for it - mint still in packages and not stemmed. This should be a project on Bar Rescue but sadly it has monopoly due to the location. I think the city has an obligation to insist on a good operation or pull their rights. The saddest part is that they could easily increase their sales by at least 35% with minimal changes. The longer the wait,the more people leave and that equals less cash in the registers.
(1)bettina k.
Oak Street Beach Food and Drink- what a phenomenally original name, is worse than the most generic Wrigleyville sports bar. From the lousy tacos to the ugly chairs and tables to the lack of any charm to the absolutely dismal bartenders, Oak Street Beach Food and Drink fails on so many levels. During this year's first and last visit, the bartenders deliberately ignored me and three other female customers in favor of coddling groups of bare chested males. The other girls gave up and left. A gentleman sitting next to me who appeared well taken care of offered me some ordering assistance. Is this what I would have to resort to in 2013?:) Other than bad service , the decor is primitive and almost an insult to the lake setting. Could Levy &Co not find it in their hearts to invest a few thousand bucks more for some decent parasols and a more appealing aesthetic? The steep drink prices ($10 for cheap white wine) and the incompetent or rude bartenders won't make up for the empty tables, but will hopefully contribute to this place changing owners again..
(1)Christine S.
The "New" Beach cafe is horrible. I've been going here for several years and it now being run by Levy. You used to be able to get a decent (comparable to decent bar food) there and have drinks on loungers. Now it's just an overpriced concession stand with horrible food. It's shame, with prime real estate like this. The manager actually came over and asked us how everything was after we returned our guacamole and I told him it was one of the worst lunches I ever had, I thought he could at least send a drink but nothing.... They need to put this place at NAB and bring Castaways to Oak St Beach, the gang bangers at NAB would appreciate this food. Get a drink and go!
(1)C B.
The service at this restaurant is absolutely terrible. We came for burgers at lunchtime and it took the servers 20 min + just to come to our table to greet us and take our order. Then we waited another 20-25 minutes for our drinks and another 40 minutes for our sub-par, cold food. They refuse to serve tap water, you have to buy a bottle if you want any water. I recommend others to stay away from this place!
(1)Richard M.
Sure the location is great. Fantastic view of the waterfront and the skyline, however you can get all that for free from the public beach. The Oak Street Beach Restaurant is way overpriced and seriously deficient in quality. I wouldn't mind paying a bit extra for the location/views but I would at least expect the food to be mediocre. Instead it was barely even edible. To give you an idea of the prices, they charge $4 for a 20 oz bottle of water, $4.50 for a 20 oz bottle of soda and $7.50 for a Miller Lite. Don't waste a dime here. I used to think the old Oak Street Beachsto (same location) was mediocre but this is much worse. How could this happen? Don't waste even a nickel on this place. (I would also like to point out that not one of the Yelp reviews from 2012 gave it more than two stars. With any luck in 2013 maybe someone will take over that knows how to make this a decent destination.)
(1)Quan L.
This place is the anti-yelp. You might as well give them a "I don't give a shit what yelpers think" sticker. They're current at 1.5 stars as I'm writing this review and they can care less. OSBF+D don't care. This place will be packed every sunny weekend for the rest of the summer and probably most sunny weekdays as well. Their drinks and food are overpriced but no one seems to care. It's the price you pay for a nice location on the beach.
(3)diann s.
I have been here a couple of times, I prefer the prior Oak Street Beachstro. While it is in a great location on the beach, the prices are high for drink/food/service that cannot even reach the mediocre mark
(2)Mariya D.
I know people give this place very bad reviews because of the food and the service or whatever, but it's a great place for a beach bar! I think the food's good, pretty much what you should expect from fast grilled food cooked on a beach. The tacos are awesome! It's in a great location and it's nice to just come in here after tanning for a while to enjoy food and drinks. The service is okay as well. I definitely stop by every time I visit the beach.
(4)Stephanie B.
I had a great lunch at Oak St. Beach Cafe today! As an over-stressed city worker, this place felt like a nice little slice of vacation in the middle of a Tuesday. The grilled tilapia fish tacos were very delicious! The fish tasted really fresh, the tortillas were perfectly toasted and the house-made slaw was the perfect complement. I also had the Miami Swat cocktail - half daiquiri and half colada. Their mixes for each part are a little untraditional - and a welcome change. The service was nice and relaxed, matching the vibe. Not sure what its like on the weekend when the beach is crazy, but I'll definitely be back during the week for another lunch vaca!
(4)Bonnie S.
Fast food style menu, washrooms not maintained and not pet-friendly. Can't believe after how nice Oak Street Beachstro was the new owners could bring a place down so fast. Oh yeah, palm trees look dead.
(1)Claudia R.
I am trying to review the cafe that is on the beach at Oak Street, I believe it has changed names a few times. Had a very over priced lunch there today with friends, but it was so beautiful, there is nowhere else to eat on the beach there and this is it if you want to eat there. The thing is, who can even taste the food when you are sitting someplace so nice? And the food wasn't BAD, just average and very pricey. Still, there was shade and cold drinks, you can not complain.
(3)Sabrina T.
Unfortunately, this is a stepdown from The Beachstro. The Beachstro was overpriced but at least had a good drinks selection and ok food. Oak Street Beach Food and Drink has a very limited, fast food type menu, and only 3 mixed drinks, maybe 5 wine selection, and some beer. The fish taco was cold and watery. The burger was overcooked. Waitstaff are friendly, but inexperienced. Will not be going back despite the setting.
(1)John D.
Gonna mirror Daniel L's post. Place is god awful. Started when a 10 minute wait became a 30+ minute one. The second time we went and asked about the wait magically a table opened up just then (there were actually open tables everywhere). I asked, "you guys must be short on waiters, huh". Response back, "No, actually just our kitchen is/has been tied up". Then ask the waiter how long it'll take our tickets to go in so I can order whatever's fastest, find out "The kitchen is completely free. Actually only one or two tickets in." Mediocre, overpriced food. Shitty staffing/mgmt. And they had the WORST "DJ'd music" ever. It was this terrible electronic track on loop. And my can of corona was $7. Ughhhh.
(1)Scott K.
Not surprised that the drinks were over-priced because of the location, but was very surprised that their drinks were so terrible. Blueberry mojito was awful and my wife couldn't even get halfway thru her drink. If you go there, stick to beer. If you are going to charge big boy prices, then hire some real bartenders.
(1)Elizabeth S.
Nice staff buuut.... Way overpriced food and drinks. You could be about to pass out and all they can do is give you a $4.00 bottle of water. Smh. I'll be at north ave until this changes into a laid back FUN place. Can someone tell them to try playing relaxing beach music instead of 80's!? Duh
(1)Angela S.
Other than the location this place blows. I don't think they even have a full bar.
(1)Kris R.
their dos equis shandy is THE shit. THE. SHIT.
(2)Diana M.
What an adorable place! Right on the beach & perfect for people watching! The drink list was good & the food was yummy! I had the veggie tacos and was surprised at how good they were. This is a great stop on a hot day in Chicago!
(3)J B.
STAY AWAY! Terrible food and service. Didn't even finish my jerk chicken sandwich it was so bad. Forget getting your right order or a staff person who cares even enough to smile. McDonalds food and service would have been 10x better.
(1)David A.
You you would think that this place owuld have it all, great location on the lakefront, open just 6 months, give or take a year...the service was below the norm, not a waitress to be found the day before the airshow. I would recommend this place only for the fact that is one of two or three places on the lakefront that offers food and beverage on the beach. The beers were overpriced, I pay the same amount when I go to a stadium to watch a sports team.
(2)Rachel P.
The bartender was nice, service was good, food tasted fine but was mediocre at best. If you go here, know that you are only paying for location and that's it. We enjoyed sitting near the edge and watching/listening to the waves, but this place should only be visited by those spending all day at the beach and who don't want to leave to get nourishment. This isn't worth it for the working-person's lunch or dinner.
(2)Meat Hunting A.
Nice location by the beach. But the food is so so.
(2)Kim C.
Fun! Great location right on Lake Michigan. Really delicious steak tacos.
(3)Deborah H.
Nice looking place and on the beach but that is all. The food is overpriced and marginal at best. $6 for a kids' PBJ, an orange and rotting veggies. A very dry chicken sandwich with no mayo; skipped the slaw in order to avoid food poisoning.
(2)Christine M.
So cute and beachy.... Great food
(5)Terrence C.
this place is of the lame variety. drinks.. obviously pre mixed, WAY overpriced (12 bucks for a plastic cup), 7 bucks for a CAN of beer?! ugh. food.. Burger appeared to be microwaved... 30 minutes before it was served. Cold. =/ ok. Service was fine. No complaints. Server was nice. I'd love to write more, but I feel this place doesn't deserve the time. Sit on the beach, have a drink before, buy a crave case from White Castle.. You'll have a better time, and you will still have your dignity (+ some money).
(2)Lynn D.
This place is horrible now. It used to be good, food and drink were reasonable, they even bought in palm trees and flowers to make it feel like you were on vacation but not any more. Now it's all about making money, ridiculously overpriced and cheap looking. The bartender even told my husband they didn't have any water when he asked for a cup with our drinks, only because he wanted us to buy an extremely overprice bottle, how's that for customer service! The new owners LEVY have taken all the 'nice' out of this place. Please don't go!
(1)Pat A.
Pathetic food,music in dining area grossly loud with terrible sound, a chair rail that blocks view of wonderful beachfront, poor service and a total disappointment. Bring back beachstro!!!!!!!!
(1)Daniel L.
Mirroring J.B.'s review below I can say it just as concisely: stay away. Please. Just stay away. Terrible service. Not just terrible, but the absolute worst I have ever experienced. Want your order right? They don't really like playing by those rules. But want some rude thrown in your face? They play by those rules rather well. If you are in the area eat anywhere else, even dig stuff out of the garbage can in the men's restroom. It should be of about the same quality and you might get a smile from a passerby there - don't expect a smile or anything out of the workers here.
(1)Bridget A.
My fiancé and I and another couple planned a dinner at the Oak Street Beach Café last night, Sunday July7th. We knew the menu would be limited and not cheap, but the good location and atmosphere would outweigh the negatives; so we thought. Just a slice of the evening: -Waited 15 minutes for a server to come to our table -The bar ran out of water -Ran out of Burgers -Ran out of Fish tacos -Ran out of French fries -Pretty expensive for "concession stand" food -Terrible service- we waited 15 minutes for her to just come over to our table, she spilled a margarita on one of our friends, she walked away after taking 3 out of 4 of our orders (literally, my fiancé had to grab her and ask her to take my dinner order), forgot to put our appetizer order in, then told us we were still getting our appetizer- after our dinner was on the table, and we were obviously being charged, and then the appetizer she brought was wrong, never asked if we needed anything for food or new drinks, and at the end of the meal and the $100.00 check came, she stood next to our table, waiting for it to be filled out so she could take it. We tipped her, however we tipped her lower than what we would have normally tipped. Since she was standing at the table waiting for the check, she immediately looked at it and gave us one of the dirtiest looks I've ever seen! It was fairly unbelievable. I understand it's a small little beach bar that employs local young people for the summer months, and I also understand its not Morton's Steak House and to expect the service to be somewhat different, obviously. But the level of service that we received was really terrible, and the food or ambiance of the location did not really come close to making up for it. I wish I could say that I would consider trying this place again, but I know that is a lie. Not a return customer here, nor will I ever recommend this place to anyone I know!
(1)Veronica P.
This place is a great chill location on weekday nights - we come usually around 7 - Good friendly service, decent music and yummy frozen margaritas! The crowd is easy going and a total mix of everything. Bathrooms are clean and kept tidy. The menu has a good selection of each food:)
(4)Steph U.
This is a nice little beach spot. Drinks are a little pricier, but hey, it's on the beach! I came over here for a get together with friends. The girl who originally organized the event sadly couldn't make it, so we were kind of flying blind. We didn't know if she had made an reservation or anything, but a manager was able to help us out and set us up with some tables. The waitress/service was...alright? I'm not really sure how to describe it. She seemed annoyed that we were such a large group, but she was attentive. The drinks were kind of slow thought, which was not her fault. Most of us ordered the premixed frozen drinks, so I don't know how those could take longer than a couple minutes. One girl ordered "She's a Peach", which needed to actually be mixed by a bartender and that took a ridiculous amount of time (like 10+ minutes). It's not like it was super busy or anything, so I wasn't sure why things were taking so long. The atmosphere for the most part was nice. There were games and a lot of places to sit. We were seated close to the bathroom/trash area though, so it kind of smelled. If I were to go back, I'd probably want to sit somewhere else. Oh, there were some really stupid people here though (once again, not their fault). There were people who kept trying to smoke within the area, even though smoking is prohibited. There was also this idiot group of guys who kept taking our chairs! Without asking! They were super rude and there was one guy who decided to swing his nasty, sand covered socks everywhere. He ended up getting sock sand all over us and in our DRINKS. He then barely said out an apology, and left. Good riddance. Anyway, other than that dummy, it was a nice time because it was a beautiful day. The drinks were good, but overall everything was just alright. If you're here and you want a drink, you might as well just go for it.
(3)Lohanna H.
Gross!!!!!! It smells so bad here from the bathrooms and the food is awful. Soggy quesadilla and a salad with old vegetables, served on some kind of plate that looks like a lid. Awful. Won't eat ere again... The smell is unbelievable and makes gross food even grosser. Understaffed as well. Poor servers.
(1)Jordan K.
Here's the run down. There is a beach. This beach is next to Gold Coast. This beach has a bar/restaurant on it. This place probably pays a lot of money to be there. This place in turn charges people a lot of money for very OK drinks. We didn't care. We came to enjoy the nice day, watch people running around, and enjoy time with friends. This place made that happen. I can't comment on the food or waitstaff, but the booze was fine and you know what you are getting when you walk up. There aren't any other options either.
(4)Laura C.
If I were Spider-Man I'd be among kin. Spider apocalypse 2015. No.. But really this place was coated in spiders and smelled like the underside of a filthy port o john. Nevah will return!
(1)Kara M.
Excellent cocktails and service when we sat at the Bar. I had the peach margarita which was tangy and not overly sweet, and my cousin had the Pina Colada which was a tad dense but still enjoyable. We also had the guacamole and cheesy waffle fries (if you're on the fence add chicken because I wish we did) the guacamole was slightly spicy and refreshing and the fries were seasoned like curly fries with a (not so) healthy serving of cheese sauce but that's what you're ordering it for! If I was here for longer I would go back!
(5)Rebecca S.
This is a beautiful place to sit and have a drink on the beach. The problem? Poor service. The servers were far too busy with each other to wait on me. I had to request service to order, I was never asked if I wanted anything else to drink or eat, and I had to go all the way to the bar to get my check where my server was dancing. These young people need some supervision.
(2)John A.
Drinks are strong and expensive ($12 for a cocktail). Food I'd a bit pricey but very decent. A DJ plays and keeps the ace lively. You know what your in for...
(3)Janna R.
$9/3oz guac with week old chips. $12 vodka lems and service with a smile. A beach bar with no Malibu. Smells like toilet.
(2)Brian C.
Worst worst worst worst service I have ever had. Bar is next to open port-a-lets: smelled like sewage . What a great spot and location . Seriously almost like they want to go out of business .
(1)Jeffery T.
Terrible place, terrible service, terrible food - I am writing this at 11:30am - they are still closed although their website states that they open at 11:00am - this happens all the time. Fire the incompetent manager and cancel their contract with the city !!!
(1)Nicholas K.
On a beautiful day, this place can't be beat in terms of location. With the city skyline on one side and the waves on the other, it's pretty spectacular. I came here for lunch and had a great chicago style hot dog. The drinks are a little overpriced, but I think you're paying for the location, which, did I mention, is really good. Compared to the other beach dining options in chicago ::side eye to Caffe Oliva:: this place is a no brainer. Oak street beach itself is clean and lively, and the sprawling patio with cheerful yellow umbrellas is a great place to unwind.
(4)Ashley I.
I love the beach feel while at Oak Street Beach. I feel like I am on vacation! It is much cleaner than Castaways, a beach bar just down the beach. The quality of service and the quality of people are much better overall at this location. I enjoy the cocktails that are served, especially the frozen ones! The game bags is available to play, and the actual beach is right next door. Sometimes there are DJs that play. I am looking forward to summer already!
(5)Brian O.
Beach watching, waitstaff, bar tenders , drinks are sexy & great. Food is below grade school cafeteria taste & appeal. Avoid the sandwich menu, low quality meats soaking on a steam tray for hours. Yuk
(2)Lizette Y.
This is a great place to visit if you're on the beach and need to grab a quick bite to eat or would simply like to people watch along the water on a summer day. The food is not that great, think glorified carnival food (chips, over-processed guac, hot dogs, burgers, and boring salads) at a higher price. The drinks are decent, although expensive. The service was pretty good, but it took a while for the server to notice that we needed a clean table and wanted to place an order. That's likely due to the fact that many patrons just like to walk up to the main window and order food on their own, so it may not have been clear that we needed service at the table. I'd go back here for a good cocktail on the beach, but that's about it.
(3)Kristin L.
I think this is the worst customer service I've experienced in my life. Unfortunately, it's the only place to get food and drinks at this beach so they can treat people however they want and they will spend money there. The servers are too busy so they can't help you, certain tables get a server and some don't but it's impossible to tell which is which, the bartenders at the bar ignore you, when you finally get a server to recognize you, they will tell you anything to get you away from them whether it's the truth or not. For example "can we just sit at any table to get food and drinks" the server will answer "yes sit anywhere and a server will be over to take your order." After sitting at a table and getting no service, I asked a server if there is a sever that is assigned to this table, the response I received was "there's not a bucket at that table." Ok? So I finally asked a third server how the heck we order food and their response "well if you know what you want you can go up to the bar and order food if there isn't a server." So I went to the bar to try and order food and drinks and was completely ignored so my friends and I just gave up and left. How anyone managed to get food or drinks from this place is beyond me.
(1)Ted T.
Awesome spot to be, and nice service, but they really need to improve the food. We got ours served on the top half only of a plastic to-go container.
(2)Furry P.
We ordered a chicken sandwich and a burger. These were the two worst sandwiches I have ever eaten. I refused to finish mine and when my husband offered to switch, wouldnt finish his either. Both of us found it disgusting. The hamburger meat was so cheap it tasted like a bad hot dog. For the record... I am NOT a picky eater and dont expect gourmet food at a beachside snackbar but this was uncommonly awful. These people should not be serving food. Both the chicken and the burger were also cold calling into question food safety. Go here for drinks but steer CLEAR on the food.
(1)Bri A.
What the hell happened to this place? I remember coming here a few years ago and having delicious margaritas served in nice glasses and decent food. The palm trees were neat and gave the restaurant a nice ambiance. You felt as though you were at a beach side cafe in Florida. Now it's more like a Jersey Shore wannabe party scene with cheap plastic furniture, Solo cups, overpriced frozen "food" and crappy B96 music. I don't mind paying $12 for a good drink, but my frozen marg was way too sour, they don't have salt for it and it's in a big ol classy plastic cup. It gave me heartburn! wtf. A Summer Shandy or Heineken will set you back $8! It's expensive, but a somewhat better deal than the gross pre-mixed drinks. The food is abysmal and overpriced for what you get. My Cheez Wiz laden Tostito nachos weren't anything special and the portion was tiny for $8.50! Service wasn't as bad as I thought at least. My favorite part was waiting 45 minutes for a table when there were TONS of empty ones! This place has a lot of potential, but the owners don't seem to give a crap. It's nothing more than a glorified concession stand.
(1)Debbie C.
If you like paying 12 bucks for a drink, this is the place for you! Don't get me wrong, the drinks were good, and I was definitely a little red after one, but I'm sure they take the ambiance into consideration when pricing these drinks. It's got a great view of the lake and there's a DJ playing music too.
(3)Megan S.
The location of the bar was great and the glorified port-a-potty was relatively clean but that's about it. The service wasn't horrible. The menu is limited and very "greasy". They could do so much with it if someone tried. The drinks were mehhhhh. We had Mai Tai's that weren't bad but nothing to rave about. I thought they were expensive for Friday happy hour. I then switched to a margarita. After drinking one, I started feeling horrible. Not because of the alcohol but because of the margarita mix. Needless to say, there is room for improvement. The best part is the views and people watching.
(2)Eden P.
This place gave me a raw grilled chicken sandwich and didn't even offer to compensate me for anything. They just gave me a new entree that I had to pay for. The chicken was pink and raw and I noticed it after I ate part of the sandwich. Does the chef know how to cook a chicken? So disgusted. I do not recommend this place. And beware if you order the chicken.
(1)Matt C.
A lot of pretty poor reviews for here... Not sure why. This is a great place to come on a sunny summer Saturday or Sunday afternoon and have a couple ice cold beers, people watch, and if you have the nerve, take a swim in Lake Michigan. Great views of the lake and beach and everything associated with that. We had a medium sized group and had a very good time.
(4)Julie Y.
I never really give bad reviews and i've been here a few times but my last experience was horrible. First of all ordered 2 drinks from the beach bar-horrible disgusting, watered down and over priced. Decide to go over to the bar area to get a drink the staff was clearly hung over or just complete idiots. Stood there trying to get someone attention for over 10 mins, it wasnt even packed. Its like the bartender was ignoring us intentionally and only serving new people that were walking up to the bar. The person sitting next to us saw this and even tried to help get their attention. RIDICULOUS! like I said before, It was not even that packed. SERVICE SUCKS. The only reason i am giving this place 2 stars is because the first time I came ordered a burger and a couple drinks had ok service. The food sucks tho, ive had bar food better than this.
(2)Jay R.
Went to beach to watch the Air and Water show, which was delayed and eventually cancelled...during the 1st delay, my kids explained how hungry they were , so i took them over to see if we could get some grub A gigantic line for an order up window, which would have been fine, but i have a toddler so would like to sit down so he could grab his food. I wait through most of the line, then ask the bouncer if we can go in and sit down, in which he refers me to a second bouncer who starts explaining the minimum amount required to sit at each table down in this area was $140...i have two kids both under 5 , can someone not recognize I am not there to spend over $140??? Eventually after i slipped him $5 he showed me the table area that was free...So we sat down and waited for a while, no server, i asked my buddy the bouncer whats up, he says servers don't visit this area, ( even though i see servers in the area serving booze to ogling drunks) He explains I would have to stand back into that gigantic line (which then i would lose my table) I slipped him some more dough to let me cut line near the front and smooth it over with the third bouncer i hadn't tipped, but I still had a 20 min wait , and had to tip him extra to watch my kids while i stood in line $42 got me a hot dog , 2 cheeseburgers, 2 sodas and a beer. Hot dog was a large vienna sausage, cheeseburger buns were stale, beer was cold though and needed for this fiasco $50 total in food and tips for barely edible fare, had the air show not cancelled the view would have been perfect, and music was really good, but be warned its not a place to take little kids no matter how hungry, its expensive and be prepared to tip everyone for everything...jump a cab and eat someplace else
(1)Marshaila B.
If they let you give less then one star I would. I waited all summer for this place to open up and I finally get here and the service is plain disgusting! Their service is terrible and very rude. They wouldn't serve me because I was 21 for two months! They dismissed my whole party and we're very disrespectful. Do not go here unless u love prison wards!
(1)Lisa Y.
Got chairs on the beach for $20 each. Air show weekend so it was busy but not overly crowded. Overall had a great time catching some rays and watching the show from afar. Will be back next time I'm in chicago!
(3)Aaron H.
The ONLY compliments I have about this place are: 1) Its location on the lakefront beach (likely the only reason it's still around), 2) the porter potties (this was my first time in one so luxurious), and 3) the DJ (who spun some funky Chicago house music). Now to what I did not like... For $12-$14, I EXPECT a customed-made, well-balanced drink, NOT something pre-mixed, which mine clearly was. I'm glad the server was willing to take back my drink, but what he replaced it with was only a marginal improvement. Hell, they couldn't even mix a proper Sex on the Beach or Piña Colada. Seriously?! How in the world do you screw THAT up?! Meh.
(2)Robert T.
The first problem was that, as a 68 year old man, I was "carded" by two big burly club type bouncers. Now get this. I had forgotten my wallet and was with my wife and another friend both 67 with i.d. The bouncer would NOT let me in b/c I had no i.d. Duhhhh! Hello common sense! I breathed deeply, restrained my temper and politely asked to see the Manager who came to the entrance. I explained that as a 68 year old I didn't think I should be carded--he agreed and "allowed me" to go in to the restaurant tables. The food was OK and we had an excellent server. Fortunately the sun was out, the waves were gentle, the beach was like Fort Lauderdale--a wonderful experience AFTER one was admitted. Sooo...remember to bring your i.d. even if you are 86 years old in a wheel chair! Go and enjoy the sunshine!
(2)Dan T.
This place, 3 years ago, was a nice gourmet restaurant but has new management since. As a restaurant currently we were very disappointed. Very similar now to Cast always at north ave beach. Basically mediocre bar food. Manager was nice and trying to improve the place. This place does have a great vibe on a beautiful day when it's packed with people drinking, playing bags etc. don't make a special trip here for the food.
(2)Linzi C.
The atmosphere was pretty good...but the food was overpriced and subpar. Avoid the nachos. The bouncers at the front make it seem very unwelcoming for children. If you're an adult and want to pay $12 for a beer, go for it. I'd rather enjoy the beach and eat/drink elsewhere.
(2)Jeremy C.
Have you ever felt confident that the next generation of emerging minds in this country will help lead us to the America we all dreamed of..? Well I know that is a weird thought to have but this beach will definitely change your mind. Stupid, drunk, college kids from the suburbs... If that's your thing.. Then this is a place for you. Think of this beach as the Midwest Jersey Shore but shittier.. The water here seems to always be dirtier than the other beaches because it's sort of a cove..I think stuff just washes up here and gets stuck.. I would avoid this beach and just go up to North Avenue where there are even more shenanigans going on but at least the water and sand is cleaner.
(2)Debbie S.
Not sure why all the bad reviews. My husband and I came here on 8/22/14, which was a Friday in the late afternoon. We were greeted by the staff and he explained to us where to sit if we wanted a server to wait on us or where to sit if we wanted to get our food ourselves. We opted to be waited on. Our server was at our table promptly and was very nice. My husband ordered the burger and I ordered the chicken sandwich. Both were very good. The drinks are a bit pricey, but then we are in Chicago and sitting on the beach. Lets be honest, everything is Chicago is expensive. As we were leaving the same staff member asked if we enjoyed our meal and thanked us for coming. We will definitely come back to Oak Street Beach the next time we are in Chicago.
(4)Pete G.
This place has awful food and drinks. The food came out in about 3 minutes which is great but means that everything is obviously pre made. Drinks were a sugary mess. $12 for something so sweet I literally could bear to finish. The servers were very nice and the beer was still beer so the experience could have been worse but when my bill for lunch for two is $100 and I don't want to eat it and only finish half of my drinks, you deserve 1 star. You can't survive one a nice venue forever. And security was a little bossy but that didn't have a ton to do with the negative review.
(1)Emann B.
I have no problem dropping $10-$15 for a great cocktail at Publican, Maude's, Wood, etc., but $12 for a sickeningly sweet margarita is a little over the top, even for me. Of course, since there are no other options available, they can charge whatever they like. The only saving grace? Beautiful day and great company (gratis)!
(1)Jami S.
Fun idea, poorly executed. Drinks took forever and it was empty! Didn't try the food tho. Only bright spot is free yoga on thursdays next to the bar. Afterwards Oak Street Beach gives you a deal on drinks. $5. Though my Rum Runner was gross.
(2)Debbie N.
The best part about our experience here, on our first day in Chicago was feeding the birds the crumbs. We waited over 20 minutes for service and had actually stood up to leave when the server arrived to take our order. Once the order was placed, the nachos and drinks arrived promptly. However the drinks were horrid and we shoulda had a beer from a can. The mango margarita tasted and looked like frozen lemonade concentrate. Then we waited over 30 minutes for our ticket. I just wanted to get out of the sun and get a drink of water to wash the taste from my mouth! Next time I visit Chicago we will take a picnic to the beach and drink at the hotel.
(1)Stephen C.
I wish I knew about this place earlier this summer. Nice spot, with amazing views. Nice crowd and the bathrooms were actually clean, unlike Castaways. I wish they had better music. Will def be back before summer is over.
(4)JR R.
Although the view is very nice, the food was a tragedy. I ordered the chicken tacos which arrived cold and bland. They give you 6 shells but you can really only full 2 with the amount of food they provide. Regarding the drinks; I paid $8 for a beer on tap that they sold for $6 in the bottle (which both were approximately 16oz after the head faded away). The only Positive was the staff. They were quick to help and noticed when your beer was low. When they asked about the tacos and I responded "they are not anything special" they were willing to rectify it by getting me something else. Overall: Drinks - overpriced Food - terrible Service - great
(2)Seth D.
I ate there once with a friend. The service was slow and the food was just terrible. Just awful. I had a fish sandwich, big mistake. Usually fries taste good anywhere, but not this place. Save yourself some money and pack a lunch.
(1)j r.
We attempted to have dinner there last night. After sitting for awhile attempting to enjoy the wonderful view of our gorgeous Lake Michigan, it became clear that the live music, 2 young men singing and playing guitars, was seriously detracting from the experience. Although their attempt was clearly heartfelt, they couldn't hit the notes and the sounds they made were disurbing and made it hard to relax and enjoy the setting. Then the food started to arrive. My water glass was dirty. OK, nobody's perfect. My cocktail for $12.00 was just awful (they took it back and said they wouldn't charge), the salad dressing was applied with way too heavy a hand and was way too "vinegary" (all 4 of us agreed). The guacamole was just OK, passable. Then we started what turned out to be an interminable wait.....for burgers because several other things on the menu that we were interested in were unavailable....which we accepted and just ordered 3 burgers and 1 veggie burger. OK, nobody's perfect. Over an hour and a half later, the burgers finally arrived. (In the meantime, we talked to waitresses and a manager). The burgers were OK, not bad...passable. The veggie burger was cold with unmelted cheese on top....appeared to have never gotten near a heat source. All this time waiting and finally eating was spent listening to awful music which destroyed the scene. Even though our bill was "taken care of" by the manager, I would not go there again. So sad because that is one of the most beautiful spots in the world overlooking one of THE most magnificent lakes in the world.
(1)