Meet us where the neighborhood gathers
This is a neighborhood bar through and through. If you’re looking for a laid-back atmosphere where the neighborhood softball league hangs out after the game, you’ve found the place!
Sip a beer at the bar or snag a picnic table in the beer garden and split beer nuggets - a deep-fried McGaffer’s specialty that involves garlic butter and a heap of homemade marinara sauce.
Bar snacks definitely dominate the McGaffer’s menu, but there are also pizzas, calzones, and burgers to feast on while you chat with old friends and new ones.
Of note, the saloon’s beer garden is a four-season gathering place, which is a rarity in Chicagoland. But even when the weather grows cold, McGaffer’s is always a warm and welcoming space to gather.
McGaffer’s is open every day from 11am until the wee hours of the morning. Check the saloon’s Facebook page for special events like an impromptu fish fry or a special on wings.
This saloon prides itself on offering good and affordable food. The bar nuggets start at $4.50 (add cheese for $2). Pizzas range from $11 to $26 depending on the type of crust and your desired toppings. A half-pound cheeseburger is $8.50.
Make sure to check out the chalkboard for the specials of the week.
Owner Pat Malone will be ready to welcome you to his neighborhood saloon where trophies from local softball teams line the walls. Malone has sponsored so many local teams, in fact, that he is honored in the nearby 16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame Museum!
Malone has owned the tavern since 1976, which gives him the longest operating liquor license in Forest Park. The building has been a tavern for a lot longer than that, though. The original owners of the building opened a tavern here back in 1919!
McGaffer’s is located at the corner of Roosevelt and Des Plaines at 7737 Roosevelt Road in Forest Park. It’s less than a mile walk from the Forest Park stop on the Blue Line of the “L” train.
