Bristol Tap

Stopped here for a brew after disc golfing on the recommendation from a friend. Super cool hidden gem! Didn’t intend on having a burger but after seeing/hearing them sizzling on the flattop (behind the bar) I had to order one. Cooked to perfection by Lexi. I know that because Eli, the bartender, introduced her and herself when I first arrived. Friendly service is always appreciated and Eli might have been one of the best bartenders I’ve encountered in recent memory. The atmosphere is very chill & cozy and one might describe it as a “dive bar”, but it’s too nice to call it that. Everything was clean and kept in shape. Also, they had root beer on tap! So cool. Definitely will stop here again when traveling through the area! Bonus: NO KIDS!!! 😂 Love it! 👏👏👏

They serve a great Bloody Mary. Menu is very basic just like it's always been - in a good way! People who know come here for the awesome burgers, good beer and "no kids" atmosphere. A no frills place that will keep you coming back for more.

Great cheese burgers cooked medium. Yum! Now they have a basket of fries that serves 2 and they offer nacho cheese if you want it. The portions are plentiful and we always need a to go box. Bristol Tap is an all around great place. Good food, good service and friendly clientele. Good atmosphere.

The burgers are so big!! They taste great, served with chips but you can get French fries. I was happy to get a Captain & Coke. We got there close to closing, so we didn’t spend much time there.

Second time back there after many years. A hidden gem. 3 of us had great food that we all loved and shared. Second, was not only the staff but also the regulars were super friendly. Small menu with sandwiches and a couple other things which makes sense if you see what they’re working with. Kinda liked the smaller menu! Small kitchen area but can’t say enough about the quality of food. I’ll be back for a burger soon! Hear they’re thick and good. I got the chipotle chicken sandwich flavorful and juicy. Polish sandwich very great. BLT same too with good amount of bacon. I don’t leave many reviews but this one!

I really like it!! Food was good burgers and fries!! Just had to go up to bar and order food & drinks but they did bring the food to your table!! Also No kids!

We don't live near here. Full time RV'rs. Came through here 2 years ago. The burgers are still exceptional and the service is outstanding. Nickie is one of the best bartenders EVER! Great attention to patrons and personality. Jack was the cook and did a great job. Very Very satisfied on our return trip!!

This “hole” in the middle of farm country is anything but. I was told that they added the outside seating “a while ago”. It was a perfect night to be outside. There was a birthday party inside, so it was kind of loud. The prices of the drinks were VERY reasonable! I do recommend if you’re in the neighborhood. Sorry no pics or video.

I went during a weekday for lunch, so the crowd was very laid back. Other family members had a BLT, which had a good amount of bacon but other times there has been more bacon on it. The grilled ham cheese was also recommended ( filled with a lot of ham) and the known burger was vereeyyy thick! I was full for most of the day after that. All of the entrees came with potato chips and the basket of fries was ordered at the bar along with the food. There is also popcorn for free that you can serve self while you wait. The bar service is fast and have almost everything you need to make your drink.

Nikki behind the bar is awesome!! Great small town feel!! I swear by the burgers and Kim loves the chicken! Says it's the best she's ever had! -Paul McSkimming

Excellent burgers. Great owners. The fries are fantastic as well. Bar/restaurant was packed

Some friends and I went on a bit of a road trip for this months lunch outing. It was recommended by one of us, who'd been here before and swears by their burgers. In a broken record repetition of other reviewers, it is very much a small town bar place, and it was packed with people who are mostly local or heard about the burgers. It has an atmosphere that I enjoy sometimes, especially with this group of old friends. They have a system here. After you have staked out your table, you walk up to the bar and order from the bartender lady (do not expect ANY warmth in this step). You go back to your table, where they bring out your food when it's ready. After you finish your meal, you go back to the ice princess to pay, and your done. We all really enjoyed our burgers which were good sized. I felt like mine was overdone, but I should have specified medium when I ordered it (she didn't ask, no big deal though). I also ordered the chili which was exceptional! The fries were also very good, although you do get chips with your burger as well. The cooks take pride in their work, and they should. Very good food.

Consistent which is lovely nowadays. It a a great lil place where you can grab some popcorn and a drink and be sure to leave those kiddies at home! Burgers are some of the best in the area and for a group of 4 with cocktails, beer and burgers our tab was around $60. Cannot beat that. The only thing to say was the volume on the music was a little loud and it was a bit hard to hear each other at our table at times. Will definitely continue to be a repeat customer.

The Bristol Tap is your typical neighborhood bar that draws in the locals and the staff is reflective of that neighborhood bar service. Something that does set the Bristol Tap apart from other neighborhood bars is that they serve up some very good hamburgers. These burgers are definitely worthy of a road trip. The Bristol Tap was pretty busy during my visit. Since I heard so much about their burgers, I had one and I have to say that it was a good burger. Definitely something that I would recommend if you are into burgers. The Bristol Tap is a good destination if you are looking to grab one of their burgers or if you just want to grab a drink or two. Overall, I would definitely recommend the Bristol Tap and I will give it five stars. If you find yourself up around the area, come down to the Bristol Tap and give it a try. I enjoyed my time here. It had that old-school bar type vibe and made me remember a long-gone bar when I was a young man in New Jersey that we head to to grab a burger. I had some great burgers there with great friends and it is good to see that places like the Bristol Tap are still around.

While the burger was very good, the tomato for the burger was sliced waaaay to thick. And cost for a can of soda pop was highway robbery. This was my first (and probably last) time there. I know, I know, they won't miss me I'm sure.

Used to be a regular stop pre-children & now that they're grown and we had some time, we made the haul from our burb to land on that giant, tasty burger that could never be beaten. And instead we got... Extremely carted and burnt on one side. Appropriate on the other. Dry. Maybe 1/3 of the burger was cooked as it should be and the left was left behind. Staff is nice. Minus the one "watching" the grill who instead walked back and forth behind the bar, tending to something on the cell phone over the grill. No one asked how it was; we would have told them politely as it was such a let down that the treat turned into a sad waste of time. We strongly suspect that they know this is middling fare at best, or else they would have asked, or noticed the significantly full baskets of inedible meat that was overcooked and unbalanced. Burgers are table stakes, no pun intended. Bristol tap used to have a ridiculously amazing burger and now it's a basic beer joint in the middle of nowhere that you can find anywhere. Sorry folks, we know you're relatively new owners and we were excited to make the trip and even talked about making more. Until we tried our burgers.

Locally famous joint known for its huge burgers. Country music playing sports bar sorta kinda. Dive-y but not dangerous.

The small town feel stays true at the Bristol Tap! Although it is no longer cash only they've kept many things that make it what it is and I really do hope they never change. Cold cheap beer and beefy burgers!

Best burger I have ever had. And we love it that no screaming children running around. It's a bar period !

Best burger I've ever had hands-down! The atmosphere of the bar reminds me of the Wisconsin Northwoods! Friendly people and good service! Beware: many signs coming in say "No kids! No kids! No kids!" but that's a bar for you though!

Stopped in for burgers and fries last night. We haven't been there for a year or so but they don't disappoint with their food. The cheese burgers were great!

Meh. It's a roadhouse bar with a decent burger. Didn't suck.

Old school tap, with delicious pub burgers. Nothing fancy, just simple tavern/pub fare.

Laid back . Tucked away . Casual atmosphere . Free popcorn . Local bar type feel . Burgers and sand chips or fries . Made on the grill right at the end of the bar . Generous size burgers . Good tasting . About $12 each .

My husband has been bragging for as long as we've been together about Bristol tap's burgers, so when we were in the area we stopped in for one. I must say, pulling in I was a little skeptical, but the parking lot was packed and I trust my husband's incredible sense of a good burger. The place is your ordinary small town bar with a few tables and a some video gaming. Their menu is very small (it's a board on wall) that offers a burger, bacon burger, Italian sausage, and seasonal chili. To say the chili was great is down playing it. It was scrumptious! I opted for the bacon and cheese burger which was a little over cooked but was so full of flavor and so delicious, it didn't even matter! A tip before you go: they only accept cash!

Five stars for being exactly what it is supposed to be! My friend Eric and I bet on the Florida-Georgia game each year. A ritual; loser pays for a hamburger meal at the winner's choice of "restaurants". I put the word in quotes because this bar is hardly what one thinks of when one thinks of restaurants. It is very pleasant and inviting on the outside...a stand alone building with good parking. Once inside it is reminiscent of a VFW post...not so bad. In fact, exactly what they are trying to be. So...we sit at the bar around 5:00 on a Tuesday. Just a couple of patrons. Olivia, behind the bar, was busy prepping for the expected crowd, the cook was chatting with a helper at the end if the bar where the cook-stove is. "What'll it be?" I followed Eric's lead, since he had advertised this to be the BEST hamburger...EVER!! He ordered a light draft beer. So I ordered one. Olivia left and Amy took over. Eric ordered a heart-attack on a bun (near 1/2 pound burger with cheese and bacon). I ordered a plain burger...as I am a connoisseur of burgers, a purist! And hoping not to die soon. Amy did not ask how we wanted the burgers cooked. I think they only come one way. Amy was fun to chat with! She works a day job as an HR manager for, I assume,a local business. Classy, fun person. Lots of chitchat while we stuffed our faces with free popcorn and light beer (why "light" beer with all the calories we were ingesting, I have no clue). So, the burger: absolutely top echelon. Quite possibly one of he best..."EVER"! No kidding! Loved it, a big-fat juicy well-formed, never frozen burger; the lettuce & tomato were fresh & crisp, Amy said the meat is bought locally daily, the bun was just right. They even had pickle relish that I requested. We also had a bowl of perhaps the most delicious chili..."EVER"! No need for the slice of cheese laid over the top, though. Price was very reasonable. When the Florida Gators (my team) win next year, I may demand that Eric bring me to the Bristol Tap for a burger! (I hope Amy is there!)

This is my parent's favorite burger place and, because they are geniuses, it should be yours. Here are the rules of Bristol Tap: 1. Drive together (or bring as few cars as you can). 2. Don't bring your babies or young children. 3. Bring cash or get ready to use the ATM. 4. Flag down the owner (he will find you a table, if your party is big enough - otherwise, you can sit at the bar). 5. Order a burger. 6. Order a drink. 7. Enjoy! The owner is really attentive, the beer is always cold, the music is good, the game is always playing, and the burgers should ALWAYS be ordered.

I'm from Chicago and my mom lives in this area- this is one of the best burgers I've ever had. I'm not a fan of thicker burgers but this was sooo good. The bartender was a little off, sometimes she was friendly and other times when I'd ask her a question she'd look at me like I was stupid. The place itself is super old but that's just makes Bristol Tap what it is. Other than my family being in there, there were a bunch of men, and biker couples which was fine & everyone minded their own business.

Sorry..."I'm not having it". Apparently people cant get enough of a deceptive, ginormous half pound portion of nondescript meatloaf disguised as a burger on a bun. One of many so-called dives that "Smolder" a burger for 25 plus minutes on a flat top grill. Granted, this is a locals bar and the process of cooking a burger on a "Eternal Flame" remains popular. The ventilation system provides just enough evidence, inside and out for proof! Bristol Tap is just another Big Ass Burger joint that continues to be an attraction in-itself. Bigger is always better..."Right"?

Waited 1 1/2 hours & never got our food. Lost our order & instead of giving us the next burgers ready, we had to start from the beginning. Finally walked out. Terrible service. Websters dictionary should have a picture of this place next to the word mismanaged.

First and last time customer. I called and ordered two steak burgers with fries togo. When I opened my boxes I had two steak sandwiches so I called nicely to see what the issue was. I was told they dont have a steak burger. So my question was why didnt he tell me that instead of giving me the wrong food. He just kept saying they dont have a steak burger and he never once tried to fix the problem just kept arguing with me and told me he had been doing this a long time and it was my mistake. Even if I had ordered a steak sandwich I would had been disappointed. If I ask for a steak burger just say we don't have that and I will order something else. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

Awesome, secret gem! Can't wait to come back! Burgers were great and fun place to watch a ball game!

I've been here only about 6 or 8 times in the last 18 years I've lived in the area. They have changed owners in the past 1 1/2 years or so. They now serve fries instead of just bags of chips. Their food is good. The wait staff is hit or miss. It seems that if you're not a regular they're a little indifferent....polite enough I guess but something is missing... Like eye contact? You can tell when a regular comes in the door because they fall all over themselves helping them and are overly nice. Of course you should value return customers but you won't get new return customers if you don't care if they come or go. I've been there with just a buddy, a group of friends and family. I'm always nice and considerate...? There was a customer at the bar by a TV that had a football game that was also on at least one other TV and he asked if they could change the channel and he was promptly told NO and walked away from. I thought that was strange. Maybe a bad day? 6-8 times of bad days? I don't know. I do know some who live to go. Decent food. It's written on the front door, "No kids allowed" so if you're not 21 and with family, no dice.

We finally decided to come and try this burger that everyone talks about as "the best burger around" and unfortunately it was just a myth, in my humble opinion: There is nothing special to this burgers other than they have a really good bun, you can say that is the best burger when there is nothing about cooking this burger other than is a handpicked patty with no flavor whatsoever other than the one from the vinegar of the pickles, im not even sure if they even throws one salt and pepper on them because tastes so plain, nothing like i was expected, maybe some can describe why are this so much better than any other burger join, in my opinion "crusader burger" has way better burgers than this place, the staff is neither friendly or helpful but I believe this is because is family run, observing then work seem like everyone was bothering them by being there, maybe hiring a non family staff that you can pay them to smile and make you feel welcome would be nice, because a fake smile is better than rude people serving you, I'm glad I tried it but never again and if haven being there please go tried and see let me know what your opinion is about this place, because maybe I was just unlucky and got a bad cook and a really unfriendly bartender, who knows, but as of now I can't recommend this place.

I've heard about this place for years and only managed to make it out there a couple weeks ago, and my main takeaway is: I wish we either lived closer to the Bristol Tap, or there was anything we ever did out that way that had us driving by more often as it is *exactly* the kind of bar I love. Ultra cheap beers, fabulous burgers, and a super chill local crowd. The star of the show for me was the chili, which comes served in a styrofoam bowl with a slice of American cheese floating on top. Incredible. Maybe some of the best chili I've ever had. We'll definitely be going back, whenever we're in the area ... for some reason.

Been coming here for ages, always been consistent. It's the only place I go for a burger since I like medium rare, husband medium, it's always been cooked perfect. This was our first time back since new owners and the burgers were awful. My burger had to go back on the grill since it was raw in the middle. No problem for me, but it ended up charred and very crispy on the outside, well done on one half, medium on the other. Husbands was very crispy, well done no flavor and tough. Such a bummer for a place that's been the best burger around.

Best burgers BFCB, great service, so friendly and also economical. Absolutely love this place and need to come more often!

Best burgers around and Bush & Bush Light on tap. We enjoy going at 10:00 AM when they open on Saturdays.

Being a Yorkville native, I have been here a lot, and so for the memories, an extra star. I now live in walking distance, and I still prefer to drive downtown for a burger or get a Lyft/Uber for drinks. I don't hate the place, and I will still eat a burger here occasionally, but I just cannot understand why we aren't allowed to open the curtains, especially on a gorgeous, sunny, beautiful day. Is this Bristol's very own Fangtasia? We opened them, the bartender "slammed" them shut (how do you slam curtains? Ask them) and we were told the reason why is that it is the "owner's rule." Okay, fine. I get that they old-timey VFW feel is the thing this place wants, but ....... why no sunlight?

I wonhundredpercent love this place, best hamburger in the Chicagoland area, this place is a hidden gem, I live in Plainfield and come here religiously, just to kick back and relax with all the good people inside! Joe the owner, is one incredibly nice guy!

I miss going to the bar. We live 45 miles away! We hope Joe and the gang are ok! Miss those burgers and chili.... and corn beef at St Patty's day

Midwest mediocrity. If you have no imagination and don't care what food tastes like, this is your place. I hope none of us get sick from the raw burger we were served. If you're an alcoholic, by all means. I think the food is just to take the edge off all the alcohol the bored locals drink. There are signs posted "no families allowed". Also it's cash only. This place has bad news written over it.

We have been going to Bristol Tap for 25 + years ( long before the move to this building) the food and service NEVER wavered, that being said....we have visited twice in the last 5 months, both times our food order was messed up/ forgotten our most recent visit the same but we also noticed a huge change in the quality of the food, once we finally got the ONE burger we ordered! So disappointing! This place was a consistent staple while out n about, sadly it's now off the list!

I've only been here once for lunch and as stated in another review, get the burger. So. I got the burger. Smart move. It was not crowded and ample TVs to watch the ball game but my favorite was the Christmas tree and free popcorn while waiting for our order. I have to admit that I like the fact that they are not kid friendly as the warning sign states on the door. I can see why this place gets busy, and everyone seemed friendly enough and the burger is worth the wait. Go with someone who knows where it is the first time you go.

Great burgers Cold beer Country bar with burgers Smoking lounge outside No frills just good food

The best dammed burger in a basket with chips you'll ever have. Kind of a dive, noisy and minimal. But, if you are craving juicy red meat on a bun, GO THERE!!!!

It's an odd place but the food wasn't bad and the people seemed nice not my favorite place

Tucked away in tiny Bristol, IL, this nondescript joint is lively and welcoming. Friendly and attentive bar staff. Delicious bacon cheeseburger - THICK! FYI - Cash only. Not a bad thing, just something to note.

Definitely a better experience my 2nd time. Jeff out did himself on the grill and Olivia is a peach behind the bar. Try the Sprecher Root Beer, it's smooth as silk.

Charming dive bar with great burgers that live up to the hype. Have been twice and it's a 30 min drive for me to get there. Very nostalgic small town bar feel.

Love this quick little stop hidden on cannonball in Bristol. It's a great find if you're in the area and can find it hidden around the little gem of Bristol. It's right across the street from the bus barn if you know where that is. The burgers and fries are unbelievable if you have a quick decision for a good burger which I know most people do! And this is a bar so you can even grab a few beers with your dinner. Great little gem hidden in Bristol and I recommend stopping if in the area!

Friendly Old Tavern with good folks. Cheap drinks, good food (try to brat burger), free popcorn. If you like fancy or can't plan ahead and to bring cash then maybe go someplace on Rte 59 like Chilies or Red Robin that will be more your pace. On the flip side if you have calluses on your hands, like to drink beer out of a bottle, like greasy burgers grilled on a flat top, and friendly people then come on out.

I really enjoyed my first trip to Bristol Tap. I love dive bars with great sandwiches and their burger makes the cut. I heard someone say on the TV that great burgers leave a trail of juice down your arm. This one did just that! Juicy and flavorful describe my burger experience. The menu is on the wall and orders taken at the bar. I will be returning with some friends next time.

I do like that no kids allowed for grown up time. I also like a small town bar feel. But very overrated on the burgers. Nothing special to me. No seasoning on them and made on a flat top grill. Don't get the hype of the burgers at all. But I do like the feel of the bar.

Perfect small town spot for a good burger. I go there every few weeks and always have a good time. It can be very busy on Friday and Saturday so get there early to get a seat. I have never gotten anything but a burger because that's their speciality.. Sometimes I will go on a Monday because it's not as busy and Linda is working she is a wonderful lady who has worked at the tap for 20+ years.

This is a dive bar kind of place, but there are always folks of all ages here. The real reason to stop in is for the enormous, delicious burgers they serve. They are consistently rated as the best burgers in the Chicago suburbs. Apart from the food, don't expect anything fancy. Have a cold beer, a juicy burger, and enjoy! Oh, and remember, no credit cards, just cash accepted. There is an ATM on the premises!

OMG.. the Hamburgers in this place are OUT OF THIS WORLD! Nice clean bar area.. friendly staff. Great place.