# BILL’S PIZZA & PUB MUNDELEIN

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2017-08-22  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/08/22/bills-pizza-pub-mundelein

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## Analysis

Bill's Pizza & Pub in Mundelein, Illinois is a family-owned restaurant established in 1957 known for pizza and pub food. The venue features one Williams Fish Tales pinball machine in its game room, which has been relocated to the front dining area. The machine is playable but requires maintenance and cleaning.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Bill's Pizza & Pub has served pizza and pub food since 1957 — _Establishment history stated in article opening_
- [HIGH] Bill's game room was recently moved from near the rear entrance to the front of the dining area — _Explicitly stated in venue notes section_
- [HIGH] The pinball game at Bill's is a Williams Fish Tales — _Directly identified in caption and game description_
- [HIGH] Fish Tales costs 50 cents per credit, quarters only — _Explicitly stated in pricing section_
- [HIGH] The game is in dire need of cleaning and general maintenance — _Reviewer assessment based on visual inspection_
- [MEDIUM] Game operators collect money but do little periodic maintenance — _Reviewer's observation about local pattern in the area_

### Notable Quotes

> "Bill's has been consistently ranked in the top 10 'pub style' pizza restaurants in the NW Chicagoland area for nearly a generation."
> — **Pinball News review author**, August 2017
> _Establishes venue's reputation and longevity in the local market_

> "The game is playable, but is in dire need of a good cleaning and general maintenance."
> — **Pinball News review author**, August 2017
> _Key assessment of machine condition; signals common operator maintenance issues at location venues_

> "Unfortunately the game room and the one lonely pinball does not make Bill's a destination in itself."
> — **Pinball News review author**, August 2017
> _Reviewer concludes the pinball selection is insufficient to attract dedicated players_

> "If you have even the slightest peanut allergy STAY AWAY."
> — **Pinball News review author**, August 2017
> _Important safety warning about venue's peanut-in-shell service policy_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Bill's Pizza & Pub | location | Family-owned pizza and pub restaurant in Mundelein, IL, established 1957, hosts one pinball machine |
| Mundelein, Illinois | location | City in far north Chicago suburbs where Bill's Pizza & Pub is located |
| Fish Tales | game | Williams pinball machine at Bill's Pizza & Pub; requires maintenance |
| Williams | company | Historical pinball manufacturer; created Fish Tales machine at this location |
| Diamond Lake | location | Lake adjacent to Bill's Pizza & Pub location; influences game selection appropriateness |
| Pinball News | organization | Publication reviewing this venue; author conducted on-site visit in August 2017 |

### Topics

- **Primary:** location_review, pinball_venue
- **Secondary:** machine_maintenance, operator_quality
- **Mentioned:** chicago_suburbs_pinball

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.55) — Reviewer appreciates the venue's food, beer selection, and atmosphere (positive), but is critical of the single poorly-maintained pinball machine and limited game room offerings (negative). Concludes Bill's is not a pinball destination despite being a good pizza venue.

### Signals

- **[operational_signal]** Pinball machine at location-based venue is in poor condition with inadequate maintenance despite operator collecting revenue (confidence: high) — Fish Tales at Bill's described as 'in dire need of a good cleaning and general maintenance' with reviewer noting this 'unfortunately seems to be a common situation in our area where a game is put in a bar or restaurant- the game owners stop by to collect the money but apparently do little in the way of periodic maintenance.'

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## Transcript

Date:
August 2017

Location:
624 South Lake Street, Mundelein, IL 60060, USA

Phone:
1-847-566-5380

Bill’s Pizza & Pub is very well known in the far north Chicago Suburbs as a family
owned business that has served excellent pizza and other American ‘pub style’ foods
and drinks since 1957.

![The exterior signage at Bill's Pizza & Pub](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/02-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

The exterior signage at Bill’s Pizza & Pub

![Bill's Northsider pizza](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/01-bills-pizza-and-pub.png)

Bill’s Northsider pizza

In addition to their thin crust and double decker pizza, they are also known for their
fabulous ‘Chicago Style’ hot dogs. Bill’s has been consistently ranked in the top 10 ‘pub
style’ pizza restaurants in the NW Chicagoland area for nearly a generation.

![The menu at Bill's](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/15-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

The menu at Bill’s

On the inside, Bill’s decor reminds me of a rustic north-woods hunting lodge with its
exposed rough wood beams, fireplace, and wildlife ‘trophies’ mounted on the walls.

![The hunting lodge look](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/14-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

The hunting lodge look

![The dining area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/20-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

The dining area

![Don't touch the bear!](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/13-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

Don’t touch the bear!

Before carrying on with this review I want to mention a couple of important points.

 Bill’s game room was moved from near the rear entrance to the front of the dining area recently. This was done to accommodate the new ‘over 21’ gambling area where the pinball and video games had previously been. If you can’t find the pinball, just ask.
 Bill’s is one of those places that still serves peanuts in the shell in baskets on the tables and patrons throw the peanut shells on the floor. If you have even the slightest peanut allergy STAY AWAY.

![Great if you're nuts for nuts](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/12-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

Great if you’re nuts for nuts

![If not, you have been warned](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/18-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

If not, you have been warned

Bill’s beverage deals include:

 Monday $2 Coors Light pints
 Tuesday $3.50 Blue Moon pints
 Wednesday $2.00 Miller Lite or Miller Genuine Draft pints
 Thursday $3.50 Leinenkugel’s or NB Ranger IPA pints
 Friday $3.50 Samuel Adams pints
 Saturday $3.00 Lite, Bud Light or Coors Light pints
* Saturday $2.00 Miller Lite pints

Bill’s also has a great selection of craft and macro beers and a full bar.

![The beer and wine menu](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/17-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

The beer and wine menu

![Or pick a cocktail instead](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/16-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

Or pick a cocktail instead

Bill’s landmark location in Mundelein located on the corner of South Lake Street (State
Route 45) and Diamond Lake Road, has only one pinball game – a Williams’ Fish Tales. I
found this to be very appropriate for a business that adjoins beautiful Diamond Lake.

![The Fish Tales pinball](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/03-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

The Fish Tales pinball

The add-on fish tank topper complements Bill’s woodsy dining room decor.

The game is playable, but is in dire need of a good cleaning and general maintenance.
This unfortunately seems to be a common situation in our area where a game is put in a
bar or restaurant- the game owners stop by to collect the money but apparently do little
in the way of periodic maintenance.

There was a glare on the glass caused by an overhead spotlight, but I was able to reach
up and move the fixture to help reduce the glare. Unfortunately then the playfield was
quite dark- but it was certainly better than trying to see through the glare.

Fish Tales is 50 cents per credit, quarters only. There is a change machine nearby as
well as a couple of ‘claw’ games and video games.

![Claw games in the arcade at Bill's](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/09-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

Claw games in the arcade at Bill’s

![Another flipper game with some dispensers](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/04-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

Another flipper game with some dispensers

![A kids' driving video game next to the pinball](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/bills-pizza-and-pub/05-bills-pizza-and-pub.jpg)

A kids’ driving video game next to the pinball

Unfortunately the game room and the one lonely pinball does not make Bill’s a
destination in itself. However, if you are in search of a great pizza and cold beer, Bill’s
original location in Mundelein off of Diamond Lake is a top choice.

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 19ee21d6-fefc-431b-bc81-2a81d9f2630f*