9 O'Clock at O'Leary's

Anthony Edward Boldrini

NIU Students don't have to look far for great food. All around DeKalb, IL, are a multitude of different dining options for students and professors alike to dip their hand into. When I decided to write a review for a restaurant in that area, I knew it would be an arduous task just to pick a restaurant and eat there. One day in town, I came across O'Leary's Pub and Grill, not that it's hard to find, situated on Lincoln Highway right in the middle of the downtown area. O'Leary's may not have a Ruth's Chris elegance to it, but it certainly has extremely high quality food at a fair hit to the wallet.

As soon as we walked in, I felt welcome. I could tell the man behind the desk was either the owner or a high level manager, which instantly gave me a sense of comfort. He later told me that he “like[d] to see the looks on customers when they enter, eat, and leave”. We went through the motions and got to our table. It was a spacious booth towards the back corner of the restaurant. I liked this, because I was with a date and did not feel like being bothered by the people at the bar. I picked up my menu and started to browse. Many of their menu items sounded enticing, including their Jamaican Jerk Salad with a curious mix of Strawberries and Oranges with the usual fixings in a salad. Their Key West Citrus Tilapia, with a secret blend of herbs and a papaya mango salsa also sounded delicious. I asked the waitress about their diverse menu and she explained the owners “were the kind of people that always wanted to please everybody”. I decided to go with the Crispy Monterey Chicken Wrap. Chicken and Bacon with Ranch and Monterey Jack cheese, all wrapped up in a convenient little tortilla seemed to suit my mood exceptionally. Our waitress, Rachel, came to meet us not long after we sat down. Her service throughout the night proved to be prompt. She took our drink orders and got right on it.

Looking around, the atmosphere seemed like a more upscale version of the popular Fridays Chain. There’s a bar situated in the middle (it can get rowdy on the weekends I was told), and seating around it. Our booths area was sectioned off by a half wall and it was elevated a few steps, separating us from all of the bar-goers. Conversing was easy, as it wasn’t too loud at any point in the evening. We ordered our food, and waited. Looking around, there was a large amount of memorabilia posted on the walls: nothing new, but it was nice that most of the stuff was from the DeKalb area, like the NIU Husky Logo, or the “76” gas station logo, showing pride in their town.

After about 20 minutes, our food arrived. I could smell the bacon in my wrap from about 15 feet away, making my mouth water. My wrap looked just as good as it sounded on the menu. It was absolutely overflowing with veggies, chicken, bacon, and I couldn’t wait to take a bite. Folks, I’ve had my fair share of wraps in my day, and I’m telling you that this Crispy Monterey Chicken Wrap is one of the best in the world. It had the perfect amount of tangy ranch sauce, the chicken was crispy and warm, the bacon was just the right mix of crunchy and chewy, which is tough to do. I enjoyed every bite like it was the first of the night. The fries served alongside of it also deserved to be mentioned. They were the crunchy kind, which everyone knows is the best. They complimented my somewhat healthy wrap quite well.

When our food was done, I felt accomplished, because the wrap was a rather large helping, along with the fries. Our waitress was speedy with the check once our food was done, and we both left that night more than satisfied. O’Leary’s is definitely a place I would like to visit again. I recommend it for people of all ages. If you in the DeKalb area, it’s worth checking out. I give O’Leary’s Grill and Pub a 4 STAR overall rating.

O'Leary's Irish Pub
260 E. Lincoln Hwy
DeKalb, IL 60115
(815) 748-0000