The Lantern Tavern & Grill
NapervilleFood Editor
Local team review
Every bar in Naperville is trying to be something — this one just is. The poured beer is genuinely the coldest in town, and regulars will argue about why with the kind of passion usually reserved for sports. The homemade chili, thick and meaty, appears when the weather turns and disappears when it warms up, which gives it a seasonal urgency that makes each bowl feel like an event. After a night at one of downtown's polished restaurants, ending up here for a nightcap on a worn barstool feels like the most honest thing you can do.
About the Restaurant
The Lantern has been pouring drinks in downtown Naperville since 1966, making it the city's oldest continuously operating bar, a title it wears with zero pretension. Founded by Don and Pat Feldott, it's the anti-trend: no craft cocktail menu, no Edison bulbs, no small plates. What it has is the coldest beer in town, a tavern burger that's been satisfying downtown workers for six decades, and homemade chili that appears when the weather turns. It's Naperville's dive bar, in the best possible sense, and the regulars who hold down the barstools are part of the furnishing.
Insider Tip
The chili is homemade and only available in cold weather, if you see it on the board, order it immediately.
Photos
Hours
Details
8 W Chicago Ave, #1, Downtown
Open in Maps → (opens in new tab)
