We had a free night in the Chicago area and found this ridiculously AWESOME tiki bar, Kahala Koa…read moreTiki Bar. The selection of drinks is downright encyclopedic, and the drinks were outstanding. In addition, we ordered a plate of bacon-covered water chestnuts, and they were so effing delicious!! I mean, they were a serious revelation!! So we ordered another plate. The atmosphere is amazing. The family that owns this wonderful tiki bars has put some serious work into adorning the place with amazing tiki decor. And this has to have taken YEARS to do. The outside of the building does not say, "Hey!! I'm an awesome tiki bars!!" But step inside and you are transported to tiki land extraordinaire. And then there is the staff there. They are so friendly, attentive, and helpful, and just very authentic and genuine. I CANNOT WAIT to return to Kahala Koa Tiki Bar the next time I'm in the Chicago area. The place totally rocks!!

This was a spur-of-the-moment choice but ended up being very fun for drinks and dinner!…read more I LOVE tiki bars and my husband noticed this one in the area near where we happened to be on Google maps, so off we went! We had about a 15 minute wait for a table but it gave us time to peruse the menu in the car. They offer many classic tiki cocktails, a page full of seasonal drinks, a page of "Designated Driver" mocktails (nice to have an option for something other than just a Shirley Temple!), Polynesian appetizers and entrees, and then Lola's Pizza. For drinks, I got the seasonal Gingerbread Painkiller and my husband got a Green Flash mocktail. (Pro tip on the seasonal drinks: check the regular cocktail menu to see how many skull and crossbones are listed under the regular version of your drink, if applicable, to see if it's a super strong one!) Mine was creamy and spicy but quite powerful. Props to our waitress, Makayla, who checked if anyone at the table was epileptic, because normally the "flash" part of my husband's drink is a strobing LED ice cube; I actually am photosensitive, so it came in the drink in non-strobe mode and just glowed an alien green. She said this was the first time it had actually paid off to ask, but I'm glad she did! The food was tasty: I ordered rumaki, an old-school appetizer of bacon-wrapped water chestnuts that you don't see very often these days, and he got loaded fries. We also got a small Lola's Pizza, which was very good, with a crisp but also chewy crust. The atmosphere here is pure tiki, with a fountain, swag lamps, bamboo, and Hawaiian-influenced Christmas music playing for the season. Lots of big groups here; everyone seemed to be having as good a time as we were! What a laid-back gem in Arlington Heights! We'll be back. Mahalo!

Definitely love this bar, I'll be your bartender here at H…read moreBar. I'm excited and ready to serve you, come and join me for some specialty cocktails

Hyatt really hits it out of the ballpark with their bartending staff. From New York to Bloomington…read moreto Chicagoland, we've had the pleasure of spending wonderful evenings learning from people incredibly passionate about their craft, and Don is no exception. The enthusiasm he has for what he does can't be manufactured. He's a rare gem that no bar should be without. Forget about dogs and Dolly--is cloning people a thing yet?

Had some great cocktails at this bar in Itasca. It has a casual but classy feel and a funkiness…read moreabout it too. No School Tomorrow is a great place for playing hooky or whatever. A lot of great cocktails to choose from. The prices are okay for quality. Checked it out after finding it was around here. It's at the golf course so you may think it's fancy stuff. This is actually a lot more casual looking though. A lot of crazy concoctions. The bartender was competing on the Drink Masters show. Eclectic cocktails. Lots of variety. It's about $16 for a cocktail. Worth it for the flavor and presentation. Best we had of these was the Cool As A Cucumber. This was made with Planteray Coconut Rum along with cucumber syrup, lime, and Vita Coco coconut water. Also has a few selections of small bites. It's about $10 for appetizers such as Shiitake Potstickers. Actually pretty limited. The drinks are better than the food obviously. Got to say it's an experience. It's located on Orchard Street. They're closed on Mondays to Wednesdays.

This place is so cool. If you've seen the Netflix show "Drink Masters," you'll have been wowed by…read morecontestant Tao Zrafi's insane creations, and wished you could drink them in real life. Well, this is about as close to doing so as you can easily get, because Tao opened NST, and this is his creation (in fact, I saw him there during my first visit!). Many of the other reviews cover the drinks really well, so there's little else to add. If you're there for "classic" cocktails, this isn't really the place (although, the foie gras old fashioned was super, sort of classic, but also unique). The point of the place is to drink flavors you've never tasted in a glass before. The BLT cocktail...literally tastes like an actual BLT (literally!)...except you're drinking it rather than chewing it. This place is so great, employees seem to really love their job. The only negative experience I've had there was related to a group of 10 or so who showed up, and this was clearly not their first stop of the evening. They were loud and already clearly buzzed, and just ordered Modelos. Not NST's fault, but I say this to say: if you come here, you should come to get completely immersed in this one-of-a-kind experience.

By far the best cocktail spot in East Dundee! The first floor has a beautiful bar and some larger…read moregroup seating areas. Upstairs feels like a swanky lounge with sofas and chairs. The entire place was beautifully design and played into the concept well. I ordered the Fox River which was spirit forward, smooth, and subtly sweet. My husband ordered the Gin Blossom which was frothy, bright, and balanced. The drinks both tasted good and were presented well. This was definitely a favorite spot of mine and I'd certainly come back!

If you love a chill hangout spot that has delicious craft cocktails and a modern-chic speakeasy…read moredecor then The Distance Social is for you! I've been here a few times with the guys and each time we love it. We've had the back room, with a big screen TV, all to ourselves and we've also posted up on the balcony. Not matter where we sit the seats are comfortable and the surroundings are swanky! Ordering from the menu is a chore because everything sounds amazing! Rest assured... it is! I have yet to have a cocktail here that didn't wonderfully wet my whistle. And the same high remarks go for the staff, who are always welcoming and accommodating. I dare you not to become a fan of TDS upon your first visit! Will I be back again? Absolutely!

I went to The Greggory for my first time on Saturday and it was absolutely phenomenal. I started…read moreoff with the Sakura to drink which was very refreshing and tasty - as someone who typically likes Lemon Drops, I really enjoyed it. We ordered the Pop Over Rolls to start off our meal and they were some of the best rolls I've ever had. I really liked that they had a hint of cheese and the butter was also delightful. To eat, I ordered the Summer Corn Ravioli and it was one of my favorite pasta dishes I've probably ever had. I did get it without the mushrooms as I typically am not a fan of mushrooms but the ravioli was perfectly cooked and the flavors were simply divine. My party also ordered various meat dishes that they all raved about as well. We did order the brussel sprouts and asparagus to share - I enjoyed the asparagus but did not try the brussel sprouts given they had bacon in them. We didn't order dessert BUT did get a fantastic vanilla cake with raspberry sauce for dessert that our server brought given it was my mom's birthday dinner. The cake was SO delicious and I was very happy we got it! To top it off, our service was amazing throughout and it was an overall wonderful experience. Thank you, The Greggory team, for a great first experience! We cannot wait to be back!

Highly recommend this place. Their steaks and chops are phenomenal. Had the lamb with Israeli…read moreRisotto: absolutely phenomenal. Wife had the Dover Sole. Absolutely amazing, and they debone right at your table. Also had the crab pasta and had a good taste of our friends market Wagyu steak. It was like butter. Keep in mind. This is not going to be cheap though. If you're gonna go to this place, expect not only excellent service but not your McDonald's prices. Saw a couple of the next table come in and order a hamburger and fries. Seriously? You come to this place for a burger and fries? (Lol). I'm sure the burger and fries was excellent, but this place is not known to be a burger joint, even though it's on the menu but again, to each his or her own. I wouldn't come here just to have a burger. There are many other places that do that. Step it up a little. Come here for a higher tier of food caliber. That being said: Our server was excellent. The manager along with the chef / the wine "professor"- (he was excellent as well- extremely knowledgeable, and paired our bottle of wine perfectly with all our meals) along with everyone else who came by to check on us. But our server was absolutely attentive and great. He wasn't pushy and he was very easy-going but very astute and had all the attention to detail. So hopefully we made his night when we came to the tip. (we weren't slouches, nope.). I wish I remembered his name, it wasn't a typical name, but he was outstanding. That being said, make sure that you pack away a couple "bones" when you see the check- also make sure that you tip your waiter for the outstanding job that they do. So don't skimp on that either. So again: It isn't cheap, but a place like this shouldn't be. We had a great experience overall- Also, this isn't your T-shirt and shorts type of place. You have to dress up. No schleps.. Capeesh?!!? leave your sandals at home. Which it should be. This is an experience, not your local In-N-Out Burger joint. Excellent and tasteful decor- excellent service highly highly highly recommend.

Came here on a Friday night. It's a pretty chill, casual spot with couches to sit and kind of has a…read morelate 2000s vibe. The bartender and server who greeted us was really friendly and let us sit in the "VIP" section, which is a raised area near the back with more sofas. The couches in the general area were all filled. There's a bar and a few high tops by the bar as well. They have a huge selection of martinis with decent prices. I'd love to come back to try more, especially the dessert ones. They also have live music on Friday nights, and luckily we got there just in time before they started. Tonight was a jazz band and they were great!

Came here with some friends after eating at El Patio down the street, great Mexican food there by…read morethe way. After we ate, we decided to try the Martini room.it definitely has a cool bar and vibe. Tons of places to sit and sip. Our waiter was very attentive and came around just in time as I was finishing my drink each time, I tried about 4 Martinis which I know is a lot. I heard they have a special during the week too so definitely check them out. I tried a the strawberry shortcake/cheesecake which I did enjoy. The banana foster wasn't exactly what I expected a little artificial. The starburst and jolly rancher martinis were good. Overall a great place to stop by for drinks in downtown Elgin!

Too noisy. Menu suggests a fine-dining experience but, the noisy vibe and disinterested staff…read moresuggest sports bar vibe. Food was just so-so. The Moroccan Tagine was overly salted. The Tuna Poke was heavy on the wasabi (even though it was requested to go easy).

We went to the new glenview location and it was awesome!!! Sasha was the best server, highly…read morerecommend this place and him!

imagine the best corn bread you've ever had - it's westwood taverns no competition!…read more We came after the a round of golf in schaumburg and sat at the bar. The bartender seemed a bit distracted and took a while to take our order which was frustrating, however she made up for it by continuing to check on us throughout our meal. We got the nachos, steak and eggs, and a thai salad with the cornbread being the standout. The sushi rolls looked very good so i'll have to try that out next time!

Westwood gets three stars out of me because it was OK but unmemorable. I'm unlikely to return…read more My pros are mostly ambience and service-related. They have many TVs; a large bar; and outdoor seating. My server was also very gracious in making multiple rounds as I was a bit indecisive. Cons: The booths are REALLY low to the ground IMO (I am 6'4"). The food offerings are a bit random and simply were not appealing to me. I.e., I don't go to an American pub for sushi. Also, I didn't like that the appetizer prices are literally only $5 cheaper than entree prices.

Everyone has their own experience and mine wasn't the greatest first impression. Went here for…read morekaraoke and it was packed. Barely anywhere to sit or stand. Only 1 bartender who only went to regulars. Would skip right over people she didn't know. Extremely rude service. Signed up for karaoke waited over an hr and my name still hadn't been called the regulars sign up back to back. Eventually just left because it was crowded and non existent service. A dive bar who only looks out for their own.

I love this lil dive bar!! My lil hole in the wall!! The place that puts a smile on my face! I am…read morehere with my friend basically every weekend and maybe some weekdays! I like to switch it up on em! The atmosphere is fun and laid back and on weekends they have karaoke and these customers are passionate about their karaoke okay! The drinks are great and i basically know all the nighttime bartenders. They are such cool and down to earth people! And I can't forget the karaoke DJ, I think his name is Marcos! omg his voice is amazing! When he sings Tennessee whiskey I know he is singing it just for me! lol! The food is typically bar food, burgers, fries, wings pizza etc and Emilio the cook does his thang and he is so sweet.. Doyle is amazing.. a lot of regulars but we welcome all

​Out at Woodfield Mall, we tried City Works based on a Google Maps suggestion. It's a large,…read morecorporate, upscale dining spot. If you're a beer drinker, they have a massive selection on tap (about 90 taps--and no, that's not a typo!). They also have a large patio that looks like a great spot when the weather is nice. Inside, there's a good mix of low-tops, high-tops, banquettes, and booths. All the tabletops feature copper tops with wood trim, and exposure to water and food over time has given each table a unique patina. ​We arrived right as they were switching over from the brunch menu to dinner, and the staff made us feel very welcome. ​What We Ordered: ​Smoked Brisket Reuben Eggrolls: We ordered these special eggrolls for the table. My friend has a shellfish allergy, and since many traditional eggrolls contain shrimp, he was excited to try these. He said they were the best eggrolls he's ever had (though he admitted he doesn't eat them often!). He paired it with a Guinness Zero non-alcoholic draught and was amazed by how close it tasted to the original. ​Fish Tacos ($19): Recommended by another reviewer, these come with three cornmeal-battered, fried Mahi-Mahi tacos topped with cilantro lime cream and fresh micro cilantro. They were crispy and very tasty. If you're usually sensitive to cilantro, you might still enjoy these--I mostly tasted a bright, lemony freshness rather than heavy cilantro. ​Sides (Broccoli Rabe & Asparagus): I substituted chips for a vegetable side. Due to a mix-up in the kitchen, I got to try the broccoli rabe first, though it turned out way too spicy for anyone at our table. My actual order was asparagus--my absolute favorite--but it was a bit disappointing, as the bottom half of each stalk was woody and fibrous. ​Fish & Chips ($21.50): My friend went with this traditional entry. At that price point, he was expecting three fillets, but he couldn't finish the two that were served and took some home. Overall, a solid entrée. ​Classic Breakfast ($15.50): My husband got this from the brunch menu. He was very pleased with the scrambled eggs, potatoes, thick-sliced bacon, and sausage links. ​Overall, a solid visit with great variety on the menu!

This was a great pop in!! They have alot of restaurants in the area but this one has a rather…read moreunique menu so that drew me in. It is located in an easy to find area however the parking lot fills up pretty fast being that it's connected to a hotel. The restaurant was very clean inside and outside. All the staff was friendly from the hostess to the waitstaff was friendly. As far as s be beverages go, they definitely have something for everyone. They offer lot on tap, mixed drinks and mocktail/NA options which o always think is great. For the food, let's talk a bout the food!!!!! Those crab rangoon mozzarella sticks was a favorite for sure. They were a. Ice size, very crispy and the filling was top tier. Don't let me get started on that dipping sauce! 10/10 must try again. We also tried the loaded tater tots which were also delicious. For meals, we tried the bacon cheeseburger which was cooked to perfection but needed some seasoning. We also tried the fish tacos which were amazing. I would visit again.