My cousin was in town on his birthday and wanted to get together somewhere for a drink and decided…read moreon Arthouse in downtown Aurora. This was my first time there and I am surprised I haven't heard more people talking about it. I stopped in a little after 9:30pm to meet up with the rest of the group of 6 on a Saturday night. I didn't realize until I got there that my cousin's cousin who is a friend was actually bartending so that was a nice surprise because he's got a lot of experience. Our server was really nice and came up to our high top as I was looking over the drink menu to let me know that the kitchen would be closing soon in case we wanted to order any food but we had all already eaten. I do kind of wish that I had looked over the food menu though because some of the last plates I saw being served for the night looked pretty good. Both the server and our friend did a great job of checking in throughout the night with our party and the others. This was the same night as the Pride Celebration in Aurora that was literally just outside on Stolp Ave but it wasn't very busy for a while but a good amount of people trickled in for a nightcap after the show at the Paramount let out. The 2 drinks I had were really good. The first one was the featured cocktail: Naughty Nellie's Nectar which was a great Tiki-esque drink with spiced rum and bitters mixed with various fruit juices including passion fruit, guava, pineapple, and lime. It was right up my alley so I was a little sad when I went for a second one and the bartender said that they had run out of some of the ingredients but that he would make me the other drink on the menu that's similar, the Twilight Tixi. I liked that one a lot too. What really made the night great though was the chill and relaxing ambiance of the space. The nice lighting gave the mood of a mix between lounge, restaurant and bar. The music was good and although they had the TV above the bar playing the last game of the NBA finals it was not the focal point. I'm looking forward to more fun nights at Arthouse in the future.

The tacos have had me in a chokehold for a few months now, especially the steak one they had. Each…read moremonth they switch it up and add a new burger and taco to the menu. Recently I tried the Ribeye (Medium Rare) and Mac and cheese for a very patriotic meal before the 4th of July. I really like the chimichurri sauce, hot tip - add a little to your Mac and cheese. So delicious. I'd say the steak could have used a little more of a crust but overall was still really yummy. The service is always wonderful, tonight Poncho was working and he always remembers my drink and makes my friends feel welcome. If you haven't been before the ambiance is really great. I challenged you go to in and find a new bad you haven't heard of, or count all the ones you recognize in the decor. I also really love the Arthouse Salad

First thing I want to mention is our server I believe her name was Jenn . This was Sunday…read more11:45-ish. She checked on us a number of times and really made us feel welcome. I had Caesar salad and steak and eggs on the brunch. It was delicious. My friend had the same and also commented delicious. Just a small mention. We both had wine and I took the ice cubes out of my water to put in my glass of wine and another server, not even ours a young gentleman Walked over with a glass of ice and a spoon. I have never seen teamwork like that. Prices here are a great value for great food. On my Favorite list and has been since they opened. Thank you for a great meal!

Baby, we started off on the WRONG foot. I came here with my family of eight, which I understand can…read morebe a little complicated for a restaurant, but honey, I made this reservation THREE WEEKS in advance. Three. Weeks. So I thought we were all set. Our reservation was for 6:00, and we arrived at 5:54. We were told to wait until six, which was perfectly fine. Six o'clock rolls around and we're told they're still cleaning the table. Okay, we wait. Then we wait. And wait. Thirty minutes later, we find out the people who had the table STILL hadn't even left. Baby...what exactly were we reserving three weeks ago, a future dream? They offered us a complimentary appetizer, which I appreciate in theory, but when you've got a party of eight waiting 40 minutes past their reservation time, I'm not really looking for the cheapest appetizer on the menu. I'm looking for the table I reserved. Eventually, we were seated, and thank GOD for our server Alexis B, because they completely turned the experience around. Funny, knowledgeable, incredibly kind, and genuinely one of the best servers I've ever had. If I could give them five stars separately, I would. They made us feel welcome and somehow kept the whole table laughing after that rocky start. The food had some hits and misses. The crab cake was a little too spicy for my taste, although the rest of the table enjoyed it. The mini sliders, however? DELICIOUS. That buttery, well seasoned bun was doing exactly what it needed to do. Then came my Entourage burger, and baby...THAT burger understood the assignment. It was absolutely packed with flavor. So good that I practically inhaled it. My server even asked if I wanted another one because apparently I ate it fast enough to qualify for a second round. Unfortunately, the management situation left a lot to be desired. After the issues getting our table, the managers seemed to keep watching our group throughout the night. If you're going to stare, baby, at least commit to the performance! It made an already awkward situation feel even more uncomfortable. Honestly, my server Alexis B, was the ONLY reason this experience ended on a positive note. They were so charming and personable that by the end, they felt more like a friend than a server. I'm genuinely going to miss them. The food was good, and that burger was fantastic, but a three-week reservation should not turn into a 40 minute wait with a party of eight standing around wondering when they're going to eat. So unfortunately, I'm leaving with two stars. The food gave me reasons to come back, but the reservation experience and management gave me reasons to stay home. And to my server: you were the star of the night. Protect this person at all costs.

Food was great, the peach flatbread was 10/10. Our server Bryan was also great. He was super kind…read moreand accommodating!

My friends and I went to the Buffalo Grove location. Our server Juan was fantastic! Very attentive…read moreand helpful and the food came out right away. We will definitely be back!

Cool English pub setting with great, friendly service, craft beer on tap, and amazing comfort food…read more Highly recommend the short rib. Generous serving and melts in your mouth. But start with the Kiss My Grits blackened shrimp appetizer! The chili is also delicious.

Stopped in for dinner…read more Madeline was our server. Did a great job Had cocktails , apps, and a dinner Great service Excellent food Good prices Dining room very cozy

Ambiance is nice, service is great and the food is very good. Nice place…read moreThey have hundreds of bourbon brands and they make there own beer. They have charcuterie boards of all kinds you can mix and match Fun place to drink and dine!

The service was a little slow but our server was very polite l…read more Whiskey sour was sort of flavorless. The beet salad was also disappointing. I expected more flavor but the texture was good. The baked goat cheese was excellent! As was the old fashioned. This place just has great whiskey. Their summer wind cocktail is good too. The ambiance is fabulous. This place puts a lot of thought into their menu, ingredients, etc.

I've been here twice, once this past fall, and the other just last week - it was great both times!…read more This most recent time I was there with a group of teachers, having pre-comedy show lunch & drinks, and everyone (there were 6) loved their food, and really enjoyed their drink options. Our server was fab, super friendly and quick (shout-out to Brody!), and had great suggestions from his menu faves. The previous time I came was post-comedy show, just for drinks, and the 3 of us all enjoyed our drinks then, as well. I also love the decor vibe, especially as a (elder) millennial, because MJ IS the GOAT. Stop by and try it, definitely worth a shot!

We stopped in on a Friday night and this place was crowded! We were told there would be about a 20…read moreminute wait but we were fortunate to be seated in 5 minutes. We were greeted by Ian our server immediately which was very nice. We noticed they have Happy Hour Tues-Fri from 4-6pm so we took advantage of their half off cocktails and a few food specials. I had the Wisconsin Old Fashion and my wife had the Poli Old Fashion which was tequila based. Both were fantastic! We started with an order of their Street Corn Deviled Eggs which were amazing..super creamy. They do have a GF menu so my wife had a bowl of their homemade chili and I had their Italian Beef Bao trio. Both were delicious and very meaty. They have an extension whiskey/bourbon list plus their burgers looked amazing. We will definitely be back!

Our visit was for an early Mother's Day dinner I chose the steak sandwich.. I had plans on ordering…read moresomething else, however, when I saw and smelled someone else's order being served, I quickly changed my mind I'm so glad I did it was delicious just perfect!! My hubby ordered a chicken sandwich that was just as good.. All of our food was very tasty and we really enjoyed it. Portions are generous so hopefully you're very hungry or be prepared to bring plenty home. I was only able to eat half of my food and brought the other half home and my sandwich seemed better the next day which isn't always the case when you bring things home!! I recommend giving this place a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. We had a very pleasant experience the food and service were fabulous

Torn on how to score my review. If it was just based on quality of drinks, they would get a 5/5…read morefrom me. However, the poor service from behind the bar is what dropped down my score. Came in on a busy Saturday night after attending another event in the area. The bar was hopping and we snagged the last 2 available seats. At first, it appeared they had 4 bartenders, a manager, and a barback behind the bar. However, other than the barback consistently washing/unloading dishes I am not sure what was going on with the service. Manager was not providing any assistance to his staff. However, he was filling his own water bottle. Other staff were taking selfies with guests. It took awhile to order a second round as well as pay our tab. This was a one and done visit for me.

We reserved Gray's Mill for my son's Rehearsal Dinner. They set us up on the 3rd floor with our…read moreown bartender and servers. The wait staff service was outstanding and Adam, the bartender was excellent. Appeitzers were delicious - spinach artichoke dip and meatballs with marinara. We provided our guests with the choice of Fish&Chips, Grilled Chicken Sandwich or the Wienerschnitzel...kids were given a Chicken Tender Meal. Everyone truly enjoyed their meals. I appreciated they allowed a special meal for the MOB who is a vegetarian. The sugar donuts at the end of the meal were a hit! :) Alyssa, the party coordinator for the venue was super accomodating and super easy to work with. It does take a few days for response time - BUT, I always got a response. And she was always willing to give us everything we asked for! The venue even let us in earlier than requested to set up our decor. We would definitely recommend this venue for a bridal/baby shower or birthday party - any special event that is smaller in numbers. The venue has been advertising a new addition to the space next to building but it seems the construction has haulted. It is a shame because it is a bit of an eyesore - BUT, if they complete this addition, it will be beautiful. Hope they are able to complete it. The Gray's Mills has history with it's town so I hope locals will continue to support it. When we come back to visit our son and my new daughter-in-law, we will definitely be back for a visit - especially if the weather is nice!! They have a great outdoor patio along the Fox River just outside the restaurant on the bottom floor. Thank you Gray's Mill Estate!!

Great Service, food, & beer, ya go ahead and get a Liter. For us 8-9:30 was fun. Live music!read more

Held Rehearsal dinner there recently and was perfect! Well…read moreworth the stop not just for dinner as well.

When was the last time you had homemade pasta at a restaurant? Honestly, I don't even want to eat…read moreItalian anywhere else after coming to Vai's. Unless it's in Italy. Walked in with starving teenage boys on a Sunday after noon. The place was packed. Ordered a Margarita pizza with 6 slices for an app. We have high expectations of this one and we were all so busy eating it and looking up. Wondering is this really this amazing. Hell yes, it was. The sauce, the crust. The amount of sauce. Etc. all hit it just right. Second app was a plate of fresh cut fries. Once again this place does not cut corners. Perfectly fried with a crunch and sea salt on top. That was a busy plate getting gobbled up before our entrees showed up. For my entree, I got the mushroom parpadelle with shrimp. I had no clue until I started to eat it that it was homemade pasta. In my head I kept thinking there is no way this is not made in house. I asked the waiter and yes indeed he said they are making pasta all day long. With the amount of people in this restaurant. I can only imagine how busy that kitchen is creating this soft and fresh beautiful pasta. If you have ever made pasta. You know how much time and work it is. Sorry, back to my dish: the shrimp we cooked to a perfection. Quality high, the mushrooms were fresh and I could not wait to find more. If you want Italian. Skip the chains. You will not get this quality and love like this place.

For some reason my Cheesecake Factory experience hasn't always been the best. I don't know if I'm…read morejust picking the wrong stuff on the menu. But two of my fellow yelpers Celeste and Alice convinced me to try it out one more time so I did. First off Cheesecake Factory restaurants the place always looks amazing. Our server gave off a very energetic and friendly vibe his name is Will and he tells us if there's a will there's a way. Now on to the food this time I did order the Cajun pasta and I do love me some Cajun style anything so I did love my pasta. I was able to try the Louisiana chicken pasta as well and there was a bit of a kick to it but I did like it too. Will also recommended the Godiva cheesecake because of you were looking for something chocolatey and he was right it was Fluffy and not very heavy and it was really great he did recommend some banana cream cheesecake thing that I would definitely try out the next time I go back. Their calamari was also great it's super tender and perfectly cooked. So yes I would definitely be going back and trying more stuff. Happy eating!

My friend stopped here to pick me up lunch last Sunday. He ordered Chicken Potstickers and order…read morearrived in a timely manner. These were delicious and full of flavor. The sauce that accompanied potstickers so tasty. I thoroughly enjoyed my dish and could have easily re-ordered for dinner.