Outstanding experience and while a bit pricey still a great value as all food was excellent and service was outstanding.

Wow - This is a hidden gem. First time we went was because we were in area and yelp said good things. Last 3 times was to try more menu items. Excellent food and exceptional service. read more

Greeted with bagpipes then ushered into a warm and friendly atmosphere. The service was cheerful and prompt and the food was excellent. Love the U.K. Imported beer selections. Excellent experience. read more

Good, food good Atmosfair Friendly Waitress it definitely was a pleasurable experience.

Wanted to impress my British wife with a meal from Scotland. What we got was more. We got an experience. From the moment of arrival with the bagpipes greeting our approach to the entrance to the moment of departure, we were captivated and entranced. Passing through the doors we were promptly cordially greeted and escorted to our table by the friendly and informative owner. Sabrina our server was attentive and very helpful in going through the various menus. She was very accommodating in making our first visit to be surly not our last. Awesome drink menu. Something for everyone with a whisky and Scotch offering seemingly comparable to Binneys Beverage Depot. Food as commented by my British wife was authentic and wonderful. For appetizers we enjoyed the Scotch eggs and the Haggis. I in particular enjoyed the Haggis. How they prepared it and presented it definitely made the dish delicious despite one knowing its content. My wife had the fish and chips which according to her were very spot on, I had the braised rabbit which was very tasty with the sauce used to dress it. It wasn't gamy, dry or tough in the slightest. My son had the duck which was expertly prepared and very much to his liking. Our dish choices came with a plate of mash potato's, beans, carrots, and croquettes. Very nicely done. For dessert we shared the bread pudding which equaled some of the best I've had in New Orleans. Price wise one is going to pay a little more here then other places. But your also going to receive top notch 5 star service. You'll dine on fine Scottish dinner wear, with very few to any details on your dining experience not attended to too your satisfaction. The owner kindly himself will check on you to make sure your satisfied. Looking forward to our next visit to Balmoral. read more

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My experience here was absolutely incredible, I celebrated my 20th birthday here and not only was the restaurant breath taking the entire experience was incredible. The food was some of the most tasteful and exciting food I have ever been able to enjoy at a restaurant, the bagpiper played happy birthday for me before I left and I had a huge smile on my face the whole time. I will definitely be back and recommend everyone to enjoy one of the coolest experiences one can have at a restaurant!! Thank you for making my 20th birthday one to remember. read more

Balmoral Restaurant - The Ben Nevis Chili and Honey Grilled Salmon - Scottish Near Me - St Charles, Illinois

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For my Scottish husband's birthday, he requested Balmoral. It's way out of the way for us here in Naperville, but wow, was it worth the drive! We were greeted by bagpipes at the entrance, and though this could have felt cheesy, it didn't. The guy was unassuming and not annoying. It was delightful. When we walked in, the owner greeted us with his real Scottish accent and seemed so genuinely pleased we'd chosen to eat there. We had our choice of seats and I love that you eat on real china. The manager came over and explained to us how the drinks and dinner work and offered to help us with any questions we may have. We had to order drinks to get the food menu. Our cocktails arrived quickly and they were delicious! The owner stopped by to check on us again and heard my husband's Scottish accent, and the two chatted warmly about back home and where they grew up. He just seems like such an authentic person! For apps, I ordered a Caesar salad and the husband got the hot smoked haddock dip. The dip was served with toast points (with an offer of more if needed) and was incredible. Reminded me of the amazing hot smoked fish we got in Oban when we were in Scotland. The Caesar salad was - without question - the best Caesar salad I've ever had. While I'd never had one with Stilton before, it was a tangy, welcome addition. The anchovies were briny, and the dressing was outstanding. For dinner I had the Stilton blue cheese filet, and it was outstanding. High quality and generously sized filet covered in Stilton and sitting in an irresistible blue cheese cream sauce oh my god that SAUCE. The sauce. I could have bathed in the sauce. Husband had pheasant which he loved - I was amused that they bring you a bowl of water for your hands. My mother got the lamb chops which were cooked perfectly. Somehow, we had room for dessert, so I got a giant mocha to survive the drive home and we also got ice cream, sticky toffee pudding, and spotted dick. The sticky toffee pudding was delightful. My mother loved the ice cream, and the husband was so pleased with his spotted dick (not a sentence I ever thought I'd type in my lifetime). I was a little bummed our server didn't have the bagpiper come play happy birthday for my husband (we'd seen it done a few times during dinner) but she was pretty straightforward the whole meal so I don't think she was into it, haha. Overall, one of my favorite dining experiences in recent memory and probably ever. It was very expensive, but so worth it. We will be back for brunch, for afternoon tea, and hopefully for about ten zillion more Caesar salads, in the future. read more

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This place is something really special. Hearty Scottish food and an awesome atmosphere. Bar -full bar, and very cool area. I'd like to come back just to sit and have a beer in the bar area. They offer a wide variety of beers from the UK. Also, small tables and large cozy chairs if you don't want to sit at the main bar area. Had a society club/library feel to it. Dinning -very unique dishes that are rich in flavor. I had the Highland Beef Suet Pudding which (according to the menu) is only offered at this restaurant. It was absolutely amazing. It tasted like a seasoned pot roast inside of a steamed pasty doused with rich dark brown gravy. I highly recommend it -but it is quite heavy so don't make big plans after eating it haha. Decor -to the T. Interesting artifacts scattered about, rich leather chairs, decorative dishes. Everything is thought out. They really created an atmosphere that makes you feel like you're in another country Staff -the bartender and waitress we had were both extremely friendly and punctual. Can't wait to go back! read more

Great great restaurant. Worth the money and a very unique menu. I highly recommend it.

To start, bread was bad. They were out of the trout & roast dinners on the menu at 5pm. It took a very long time for our food to come out. When it finally did all the food came out cold.. minus my vegetable soup which was luke warm (resembled murky water- should've been called farro soup with one carrot and some hard peas). Everyone was so hungry at this point that we just ate it. Overall, it was overpriced & unfortunately tragic. Needless to say I won't be going back.. Always like to end on a good note though - our server was very pleasant. read more

Today is the BEST DAY... My husband just told me that we are going back to Balmoral with my parents tomorrow night! Dinner with my favorite people, at our absolute favorite spot. I'm already craving those candied carrots. I try something new each time I'm there, but we ALWAYS start out with the Blantyre Chicken liver mousse, an absolute MUST TRY. I cannot wait to go back. read more

Absolutely amazing. Such a beautiful space and the service was great. The food was really, really good and you definitely get your money's worth. Can't wait to go back. read more

My friend and I dined at Balmoral earlier this week and I have waited to review it, to let my thoughts settle. The bottom line is that we were disappointed. After much contemplation, I believe the causes for our disappointment were the prices and the service, because the food itself was delicious. I knew the prices going in, but for that kind of money you expect exemplary service and it just wasn't. I'm also offended by the truly over inflated prices. $8 for a tiny cup of pea soup and $10 for Graham's ice cream? I mean come on! It all adds up on top of $30 -$50 entree prices. You don't even get your own potatoes and veg with your entree. They are served family style and aren't exactly generous portions. Finally, they were out of a few items the night we were there. If I had f/u money I suppose all of this wouldn't matter, but I think anyone who dines here as a special occasion will feel the same as we did. read more

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From the bagpipes that greets you to the elegant dinnerware, this place is very special. I started with the Scottish eggs. I have only had them at a few places in Chicago, and these were by far the best. The whole meal was fantastic. They had a limited menu, but what the made really shined. read more

I wanted to like this experience a lot more than I did, because I love cultural experiences. I read the good reviews and thought we would be in for a treat, but I have to say it falls short of the hype. The food was pretty good. The best thing however was simply the bread and salad we ordered. My main entree was decent as was my wife's, but perhaps I should have went with something different. We did like the dessert! One thing that annoyed me was that they actually charge for soda refills (without telling you in advance that they do so). I kid you not that we spent $28 for seven sodas for just my wife and myself. If you pay for a refill on soda you would expect it to be above the average Coke, and not to be filled with ice. I feel like our sodas had five sips in them and the rest was ice cubes. They were pretty crappy too (below average soda). Also, our server just kind of assumes we wanted another drink. She came and said 'Another Coke?'. I said 'sure' not knowing it was going to be $4 for that 'cup of ice'. I'm not sure if it was management or the server herself who was trying to nickel and dime us, but that was disappointing. I don't know if she was upset that we didn't order alcohol, but I am a non-drinker. I don't remember seeing it say on the menu that they charge for refills. It is shady to not mention that refills aren't free when you are offering them as many people are going to assume they are free like at most places. $4 is already on the high end for a soda charge as it is. Don't you think you were making enough of a profit already? I don't have an issue with the restaurant being pricey. It's just the matter of principle. We eat out often enough and know full well what the costs will be going into it. I have never spent $28 on sodas at a restaurant for two people in my life. Most of the time we spend between $5.50 - $8 for what we drank. I'm still laughing about how ridiculous that was considering they were not even very good sodas. I didn't have an issue with the rest of the costs even though most things were overpriced. The service was poor for what is supposed to be a fancy dinner. She was not helpful and nowhere to be found unless she was trying to get another soda out of us. This place got an extra star however for the decor and giving an effort on the theming. We do appreciate that sort of thing. The atmospheric touches were neat, and it almost makes it feel like you are there. I wish I would have liked the rest of the experience enough to come back. It's a cozy place with decent food, but given the service and refill cost it's a one and done. read more

Finally made it over to the Balmoral this past spring after moving here 2 years ago and hearing how wonderful and unique this place was. The bagpipes alone should get you in the door. Definitely a special occasion type of place with great food and fantastic atmosphere! read more

We reserved an outdoor dining "igloo". We had an absolutely wonderful experience. The staff is jovial and knowledgeable. We cannot wait to eat here again. Spectacular! read more

Balmoral Restaurant - Our cozy and warm outdoor dining "igloo" - Scottish Near Me - St Charles, Illinois

Great, great, great!! The food is fantastic! We had the rack of venison, which was mild & so tender, along with the red snapper awesome! Our waitress was perfect. It was a wonderful experience! I can't recommend enough. read more

We visited Balmoral with a Girls Night Out event. The food was outstanding. I ordered the Shepherd's Pie and it was steaming hot and delicious. My friend ordered the pork chop. It was the biggest pork chop I've ever seen. She said it was tender and delicious. read more

Nice atmosphere. Pea soup was good, dinner was haphazard, entrees came out, sides were late, we were half way through the entrees and vegetables came out and were not cooked, barely warm, carrots and beans raw, literally. A glass of house Cabernet was $18. I ordered the filet with stilton (most expensive item) and they charged me $3 for a ladle of mushroom sauce , (more like cream of mushroom soup). A coffee and tea were $8 each, granted you got a pretty tea and coffee pot to pour your own but seriously? It was not what I would expect from fine dining. And we got there at 5 PM to avoid the crowds, they opened at 4 so no excuse for just opening. Oh and she took our dessert order never telling us we got complimentary ice cream for our anniversary so there we sat with two desserts to share when we would have just had the ice cream at that point. The entire experience was over $200 with tip for 2 people, 2 cocktails (one Tito's martini, one house wine), 2 cups of soup, 2 entrees one filet, one Shepherds Pie and one ordered dessert, one coffee, one tea. read more

I'm going to try to be as detailed as I can in my assessment of our experience. We stumbled upon this cozy, lovely spot in the middle of a snow storm. We were not appropriately dressed, but they were kind and seated us regardless. I would recommend reservations! Our cocktails were perfection. The bread was amazing and the butter was a wonderful combination of cream and salt. We had appetizers, the marrow was new to us and though it wasn't my favorite, it's because I am not a fan of its texture. The flavor was better than expected. My husband ordered the egg and it was amazing. Our main dishes were not prepared properly. Beef Wellington should be medium rare and should be able to be easily cut with a fork. It's also the gold standard for savory sweet entrées. Unfortunately mine was bitter and over cooked. My husband ordered the pheasant which was also over cooked. We received six sides, mashed potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, brussel sprouts, green beans and new potatoes, all were exceptional. The star of the show was the soup. My husband ordered the haddock soup in cream which was so delicious that we pouted when it was finished. There's an extensive dessert and drink menu. The lobby bar is ridiculously fun and quaint. We will be back and I hope that we catch the chef on a better night. I think you need to check it out. Budget $150 per person to order freely with cocktails and I feel the price is totally justified. Our server was a soft spoken young lady with impeccable manors who we really enjoyed. read more

What an amazing find. Other reviewers will was more eloquently than I can. It starts with the Piper popping you in. We were greeted by the manager and seated at s table set with fine china and flatware to match. The decor takes you back to Scotland. We all opted to start with soups. We tried everything except the scotch broth, and each soup was excellent. My son and sister in law both had the Campsie Glen chicken. My SIL was ecstatic over the Stilton cheese sauce. My wife and brother in law both had the drunken pig, and couldn't stop praising it. I had the beef suet pudding, which was a little heavenly rate if Scotland. The service was impeccable. Sabrina too excellent care of us all. Colin stopped by our table a couple of times to chat and make sure everything was up to snuff. It was a bit of a trek for us to get there, but the dining experience made it well worth the drive. Well be back soon! read more

Balmoral was Amazing... The ambiance, the owner, the food, the service the delicious desserts.. ALL exceptional. I went there on a Tuesday night with six girlfriends who meet regularly for dinner. One had been there previously and suggested we try it. Each of us ordered a different entree, and every one was excellent. I had the Beef Wellington, which is hands down my favorite entree, and not many places offer it. I think this was the best Beef Wellington I have ever had. The shortbread dessert is to DIE for.. I have never had anything like it.. We also tried the toffee sticky pudding which was just as good! I am a picky eater.. and when I heard it was a Scottish restaurant I was afraid they would only have Scottish food.. Well they have the traditional Scottish fare for those that want that, but they have many many other selections as well. And they have the Beef Wellington! The place wasn't completely full.. it was a Tuesday night, so not sure if he always gets to every table, but on our night the owner spent time at each table telling us about his grandmother and her recipes and her china. Very warm and charming, and pretty funny too! Our server Sabrina was top notch. This girlfriend group has been meeting for over 10 years.. we have never gone to the same place 2 times in a row.. but we were all so impressed.. we made a reservation 2 months out for next diner at Balmoral! HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended!!! yes it is a slightly more $ than some other local restaurants.. but you get what you pay for.. compared to other restaurants with this level of food and service it is a bargain! We all LOVED Balmoral! read more

I wish I could give this a ten star rating! From the bagpipes to the lovely table settings to the decor and the comfortable chairs nothing was left to chance. We had the cheese platter appetizer which we wiped out every bite then enjoyed the traditional shepherds pie and the beef Wellington. All of which was perfect. We topped it off with the millionaire shortbread which was divine. Having learned to cook many Scottish dishes as a young girl at the knee of my Scottish grandmother this dinner was a culinary success and memorable event for us! We are already planning our next trip! read more

Excellent!!! Always perfect and too notch. Great fine dining experience. Cocktails wonderful.

3 1/2 stars. I was genuinely excited to learn of this Scottish restaurant. Surely it could be one to recommend to our Scottish relatives and friends. We looked forward to a nice evening out to celebrate our 30thanniversary. This was disclosed in writing on Balmoral's website (Note: I never received a reply to my message sent using 'contact us' form.), and on Open Table. A celebration was also mentioned when I phoned to confirm our reservation two days in advance of visit. Alas, the best laid plans... No acknowledgement by the hostess or server about our planned celebration. A misstep. No inquiry made as to why/what brought us to dine at this fine establishment. A nearby server was overheard repeatedly inquiring about special occasions his customers might be celebrating that evening. He was genuinely interested in hearing about them. A nice touch to have a Piper invite you in to a charming pub setting. Beautiful surroundings capture the feel of the isles. We were one of a handful of first seatings for the evening so it was unfortunate our hostess and server seated us at the first table for two across the aisle from the kitchen in the raised seating area. This should be a table of last resort since it is on the aisle, provides a clear view of front entry way, and kitchen traffic. The overhead cameras in this table area seem a bit intrusive; another distraction. However, more importantly we became so chilled with the overhead A/C vent blowing directly on us we needed to move to another table. I have never had to do this before in all my years. Tip: Bring a wrap or jacket. Our Recommended : Rosyth Haggis Drambuie (More crisp toasts please!); The True Scotch Egg (The best ever; marveled at their size.); Traditional Shepherd's Pie (Delectable!) A Miss : Musselburgh's Fish and Chips. Fish fried a bit too long? Although chips were good, it was unfortunate to hear that the well-crisped fried fish was described as tasting like it was 'wrapped in bark' and tasteless. Fish removed from coating. Disappointed, we passed on dessert. read more

Always awesome entrees and service! Now our favorite restaurant! The ambiance is unique and the bagpipes at entry is a charming touch!

This place falls into the "expensive but worth it" category. The ambiance is excellent with all the Scottish themed touches and the welcoming friendly staff. I've been here three times, twice for celebration events and once for lunch. Firs time I had the "Sunday Roast" beef which was kind of disappointing. It was a smallish thin piece in kind of a prime rib format. It wasn't bad but for those prices I expect excellence. Maybe it was toward the end of the piece. The second we stopped for lunch. They don't have a lunch menu and the dinner menu is pretty fierce for a lunch stop. Third time was a belated Christmas family dinner. Everything was spot on, fun and delicious. I had the beef Wellington which was savory and great (no liver thank you). Others had salmon and Campsie Glen chicken, all pronounced excellent. Desserts were mostly very good, I really enjoyed the nice light strawberry meringue, others had rum soaked cake, and the toffee shortbread which was a pretty intense and not for everyone. I like this place very much and can't wait to try the duck and pheasant entrees. The only request is for some lower priced options and/or a lunch menu. Tab for a party of four was $300 with tip. We would come more often with those options. read more

There's a reason one must call weeks or at times months ahead of time for a reservation. Balmoral is outstanding! My wife and I dined for our 20th Anniversary. I'm a steak guy and had the best Ribeye ever at Balmoral. Cooked to perfect. My wife's filet equally excellent. Their Whiskey selection is unmatched. The owner stopped by and chatted for a few minutes which we enjoyed as we have family from Scotland. I recommend Balmoral to everyone! read more

Marvelous!! My friends, along with my husband and I visited last weekend. Greeted by a true bagpiper totally set the mood! We had recently visited Scotland and we were excited to enjoy the tastes again. We were not disappointed. Sampled the scotch eggs, cullen skink, beef wellington, campsite glen chicken (with a the garlic sauce...omg) along with the shepherd's pie and the steamed salmon. Simply awesome. We did split some desserts...raspberry crainchan, a banana confection and my favorite..strawberry meringue with ice cream. All were marvelous. read more

Balmoral Restaurant - A Scottish dictionary...! - Scottish Near Me - St Charles, Illinois

This place is amazing. Great food and great service. Everything on the menu was perfect. The ambiance was great, staff is welcoming and friendly. read more

Great food great people relaxing atmosphere. I d highly recommend trying them out !!

Fantastic venue! The staff is extremely friendly and the food is incredible! Try the desert menu, you won't be disappointed read more

Holy shit.. what an experience. We were skeptical going in hearing how good it was, but it delivered. And yes, I had the Haggis and it was excellent. If you like liver pate', then the Haggis is golden. Be ready for an evening because it will take 45 minutes to prepare, but it is worth it, and ya know what... the conversation will be awesome until your food arrives. Highly recommend, and will be back! read more

Never disappointed, great bar and staff, food isand ambience lovely. Well-deserved top restaurant ratings.

Best dinner we have had in the suburbs with a 5 star city menu. You will not be disappointed if you dine here.

Extraordinary service, food, and Scottish ambiance! The moment you step into the Balmoral Restaurant you feel as though you have traveled 3,673 miles across the ocean to Scotland. The chef prepares the the tastiest dishes and the wait service is always top notch! read more

From the moment we were piped in to restaurant, it was impressive. Lovely bar, very attractive room. Service way beyond from Genvieve and team. Traditional haggis was delicious; black pudding, suet pudding rabbit pie all excellent choices. And a first: grouse with bread sauce outside Great Britain. I expected to leave and find myself back walking through the Cairngorms and the heather.If I want to be picky ,finger bowls were a lovely touch but need new napkins after. Food was 'tweaked' for American palate by addition of cream where it would have been richer in Scotland Best new find in many years for western suburbs. Look forward to Sunday roasts read more

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My my wife and I went to the Balmoral to celebrate my 86th birthday. I will have to say that it was one of the best birthday dinners we've ever enjoyed. From the moment we walked in until the time we left was a gourmet experience and we felt right at home although it was our first time dining there. The food was a culinary delight. Many restaurants have good food but the atmosphere and caring of the owner and staff was beyond anything we've ever experienced which only added to that special occasion. A piper came to the table and played happy birthday. As we enjoyed our dinner it was to the accompaniment of soft Scottish music including pipes. I felt I was dining once again in Scotland. This was our first time there but it will certainly not be the last as we look forward to many more wonderful dining delights at the Balmoral. read more

We have been to the Balmoral twice now and each time has been amazing. Atmosphere, service and food had been 100% EXCELLENT. From our drinks, to the appetizers, to our meals and through dessert - everything was fantastic. Our server Anthony was incredible and it is so nice to be in a restaurant that does not rush you. You actually get to enjoy your meal. After two and a half years living here, we finally found our go to place for dinner. read more