The Best Bars In Rockford, Illinois

Sandwiches on a board
Sandwiches on a board | © KvaS / Shutterstock
Shay Lee

While there may not seem to be much to do in Rockford, the city is always filled with entertainment. For those who just want to kick back and have a great time, we have prepared a selection of the best bars in Rockford.

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The Olympic Tavern

The Olympic Tavern was opened in 1945 by Anthony Rotello and remains a Rockford classic. The bar offers 28 beers on tap, fresh seafood, great appetizers, steaks, and craft beer to go with them. In its early stages, the Olympic Tavern served beer and burgers to local businessmen and factory workers. Currently, it a full service restaurant and bar. The restaurant/bar has seen many renovations, but nothing has stopped this venue from thriving. The staff has a simple success formula: listen to customers and deliver more than they expect.

Octane opened in 1997 and it has been making customers happy since. Customers can enjoy an intermix of wine, craft brews, and cocktails. While enjoying the thrilling taste of liquor, guests can taste fabulous meals. Lunch and dinner feature a diversity of fine dining and comfort food options. If guests do not feel like having alcohol with their meals, the bar also serves cups of coffee – Octane has a coffee and espresso bar.

Mary’s Place

Mary’s Place is the oldest bar in the city. Guests can come and see amazing live bands perform while they enjoy affordable drinks. Every Tuesday and Thursday night, Mary’s Place hosts an Open Stage night for local performers. Every weekend, local and professional performers will entertain the guests, so there is still fun to be had at this old bar.

Kryptonite

Kryptonite offers eight beers on tap, 46 in bottles, and 16 in cans. This allows beer enthusiasts to have a wide variety of choices. The best-selling beers are Coronado/Cigar City Jurata Baltic Porter, Revolution Deth’s Tar Imperial Stout, and Stone Stochasticity Project your Father Smelt of Elderberries. The brews are made with multiple herbs, hops, and malts. Kryptonite believes customers should enjoy great beer in a warm atmosphere. When guests enter the bar, they will feel the party vibe. Everyone is there to drink and have a good time.

Stone Eagle Tavern

Jimmy Vitale opened Stone Eagle Tavern in 2009 and it became an overnight success. The menu is varied and affordable. Antique architecture gives the tavern character and an authentic atmosphere. The staff is always ready to serve guests in a hospitable manner, and Stone Eagle Tavern’s menu is loaded with burgers, oysters, pizzas, salads, and seafood. Guests have the option to pair wine –chosen from an extensive wine list – with food. Featured wines are: sparkling, pinot grigio, pinot noir, Merlot, and red Zinfandel.

Oscar’s Pub and Grill

Oscar’s Pub and Grill is one of Rockford’s favorite bars. Each night, visitors can enjoy daily food and drink specials, listen to the DJ and dance the night away. The menu consists of seafood, Black Angus burgers, sandwiches, and pizzas. While dining on delicious entrees, customers can enjoy a wide variety of beers. The featured classics are Avery White Rascal and Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA. Both beers are offered in cans and bottles. Oscar’s invites locals and tourists to enjoy a nice cold beer with their meals.

Casey’s Pub

Casey’s Pub is the ideal place for people who want to escape the demands of the real world. If guests want to watch a sports game, the bar has 70-inch LCD screens and table speakers for the ones who want to hear a different game. For those who aren’t interested in watching sports, they also offer pool tables, dart boards, bag sets, and video poker. In the welcoming atmosphere, the staff serves well poured drinks and delectable meals. Casey’s has something for everyone, so all customers are sure to feel welcome in this classic bar.

Tilted Kilt

Tilted Kilt is always serving up good times. The venue’s fun and festive atmosphere makes it a good place to watch sports, drink cold beer and hang out with friends. The menu here is quite impressive. Burgers, wings, sandwiches, and pizza are the go-to meals for most customers. As for the drinks menu, the house favorites are the beer cocktails, kilt bombers, sharp shooters, kick-ass mules, and craft spirits.

My Place Bar and Grill

My Place Bar and Grill is a great place to enjoy good food and cold drinks. There is a large dining area where customers can sample the chef’s marvelous creations. Some of the menu’s highlights are pork chops, steak, salmon, prime rib, and chicken wings. My Place believes guests should be comfortable as they take pleasure in tasting delicious food. Each entrée is freshly cooked to order and the food has been rated five stars. They also show sports games on the flat screen TVs. Visitors should have no reservations about trying this place.

Garrett’s Restaurant and Bar

Garrett’s Restaurant and Bar is the best place for fine and casual dining. They have an impressive menu filled with classics such as fresh seafood and hand cut steaks. The great thing about Garrett’s is that each meal can be paired with their amazing cocktails. The venue strives to showcase quality vodkas, gins, and whiskeys. Garrett’s believes food and alcohol should be perfectly combined, which is why each beverage can be paired with meals and desserts. The atmosphere of the bar is laid-back and casual, so customers can relax while enjoying quality food and drinks.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

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