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!

Discovered this place 10 mins from me! The decor is a little too much in my opinion but great…read moredrinks and vibes. Parking is a little tight too but I parked across the street at Mugs pizza and walked over. The service and staff were great! Big menu as well, next time will try the food. The restrooms are a little small too.

This is the first time that I've been to the Greggory I have been here a few times after as well…read more The first time that I was there, I was with my friend celebrating her birthday for brunch, and our waiter was kind of bro-ish and we didn't really enjoy him, but the food made up for that experience. I decided to come back a second time to see if that was the vibe for each of the waiters and it wasn't. They were very pleasant very knowledgeable and didn't say inappropriate things to us. The ambience was awesome if I could design my house to look like that, I would love it. It kind of reminds me of a cigar room. the food for brunch, and the food for dinner was exceptional. If I were to recommend one dish specifically, it would be the octopus I ordered that all three times and I dream about it because it was some of the best I've ever had. This is probably one of the better restaurants in the suburbs outside of the city so if you're willing to travel a little bit to the west suburbs, I highly recommend checking it out plus it is around a lot of things stores shops entertainment, so it wouldn't just be a one and done you can go to a movie and then have dinner just to make it worthwhile.

Came here last weekend with my fiancé for her birthday and we had an amazing time…read more Our waitress was so nice and gave us a great rundown of the menu as it was our first time eating here. We ended up getting bread and two apps to start off to share. Couldn't have asked for a better way to start off our meals. Everything was great and a ton of good to share between us. We got the chicken and a pasta for our meals and we couldn't finish both because we were so full. We were very happy the next day to finish the food at home. Overall this is a great place for a date night or a place to celebrate a loved one. We will be coming back and have already told our family members they need to check this place out. I suggest getting a reservation as the place is packed!

Madcats is an unassuming lively music venue in Downtown Palatine. Every weekend, various types of…read morebands play with drinks served. If you want a table while watching your favorite band, come early and grab a seat! It fills up quickly. Good is served and service is fast! Delicious options and great drinks at a decent cost. You won't be paying high prices for drinks. It's a lively place, sound quality is also great, and the staff is friendly! We like coming here when we want to hear great music. Madcats is a great addition to Palatine!

Visiting from St.Louis & the reviews said this place had lively atmosphere & music…read more What a treat. The owner was amazing. Welcomed us in & brought over stools to a table. Told us all about the band playing that evening. Fugu Dugu. a balkan band. Fun stuff. The bar itself was on the smaller side but the drinks were strong & the service was great. Prices were average for cocktails. I was just very impressed with how kind & welcoming the owner was. Never had someone bring stools to a table & keep Checking with us tmake sure we were all comfortable. 6stars

Barista Tara is a rockstar!! I visited CoCo & Blu the other day and inquired about latte art. I was…read moretold that the amazing artist who'd once made my drink had moved out of state, but that everyone else there could make hearts and flowers. Enter Tara, who said she'd try her best to make something special. She delivered an adorable bear on my drink! She said she might be able to do better, but I loved her effort and enthusiasm. My friend and I headed outside to enjoy our drinks on the patio. Several minutes later, Tara came outside carrying another latte. She had PERFECTED the latte bear and gave it to us for free! She made my entire day. Thank you to Tara for the amazing art and for going above and beyond in your customer service!! I can't wait to go back for my next coffee and hope she's working when I do.

I came right when they opened to grab a latte and a breakfast sandwich. The food took about 5-10…read moreminutes to come out, and my latte was ready first. I tried the Lavender Blu, which was a unique flavor combination--interesting, but I would probably try a different coffee next time. The breakfast sandwich was really good and flavorful, and I was happy with the quality overall. The staff was friendly, and the interior had a really nice aesthetic. It is on the pricier side--I paid $24 for my order--but overall, it was a pleasant experience.

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?

The Foxtail on the Lake may be my new favorite restaurant in Chicagoland now after a delicious…read morebrunch time meal there. Can't wait to go back but will have to wait awhile since I live in St. Louis but I visit Chicago often and stay in the O'Hare area near thus location. I started with a half portion of the Little Gem salad and was happy that they make half portions of salads available since I didn't want a whole salad. For an entree I ordered the Brick Amish Chicken that was phenomenal and it came soul a roasted potatoes and a tasty and garlicky sauce that tasted incredible. For a dessert I opted for the Strawberry Chocolate Cake that was epic! One of the top desserts of my life and I've had incredible desserts all over the world. It looks like they have a nice selection of cocktails and other drinks but I just had ice tea so will hope to be back for dinner and want to try the paella for a dish next time and a martini. The atmosphere of the old church and the beautiful deck outside were very inviting. I had wonderful and attentive service as well.

Went here for a birthday dinner and was pleasantly delighted with the food, interior, and service…read more I really enjoyed the Crispy Duck Risotto. It was delicious and had deep flavors coming from the cherry bordelaise. The Chicken Shawarma Rolls were also tasty with an explosion of flavor within each bite. We had to order an additional roll though as the original serving only had 3 rolls. Our server was kind and gave great recommendations. There was nothing that I didn't like, and it was very satisfying.

Not child/family friendly. I have had issues with bringing my child here to eat every time. Tonight…read morewas not different. Made a reservation including my child in the head count. When we arrived we waited and then a table became available. They placed us in the bar section in to high top? I asked if a high chair will work here.. they said no and that it wouldn't be allowed for her to be in one at this table. I said well this isn't going to work then. They said we could wait 30 more minutes for a table that would work... seriously?! They then moved us outside to the heated patio area. Which was okay until it became freezing. I was told that I would need to call ahead to accommodate a high chair in the future. Seriously?!? No other restaurants do this. Don't bring your children here. Another instance was when I didn't account for my one child in the head count and they also made us wait until a bigger table was available.

I'm a big fan of this concept with comfortable seating in a spacious restaurant, plenty of parking,…read moregreat presentation, friendly service, and attractive decor. Compared to similar restaurants in this space, I prefer to go here with friends for its generally quieter atmosphere and overall vibe. Maybe the biggest complaint here is that the food preparation can be a bit inconsistent between dishes, and between different meat types. That is, that the output can range from delicious to somewhat average (and sometimes overcooked), depending on what you order. For example the birria was super flavorful and served with very crisp tacos and a delicious consomme, but the cilantro-lime rice and refried beans felt like an afterthought. The smoked pork belly quesadillas had a great flavor and just about the right amount of fattiness that was short of perfection due to the pork being overcooked. The tres leches cake also had a great creaminess and flavor to it, but parts of the cake weren't really soaked in the milk at all, which created an inconsistent experience - depending on where I took the bite. On everything I tried though, the presentation was excellent and there were enough great things about each dish to overcome some of the shortfalls. Overall though, I feel with improved execution on ensuring that all elements of the dishes are equally good in terms of texture and flavor -- there's a lot to love about Ancho & Agave. But even in its current state, it's still an enjoyable spot to take a group of friends for tasty food in an impressive looking spot.

Such a great little gem in Lake Zurich. The cocktails always impress! A bit on the higher end cost…read morewise, but the cocktails are so good.

We came in for the tour on a Sunday and it turned out to be a private tour with Amanda. The tour…read morewas more of a conversation and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Amanda's energy and passion was outstanding. The tour was about 45 minutes and includes a tasting flight. Since I do not drink bourbon, they allowed my to substitute a drink. There were so many options that I was interested in trying, but after discussing what I like with Amanda, she suggested the Lavender Haze. The lavender syrup is made in house and was sweet, with a floral taste . The drink was excellent. They have open mic nights and live music. They are expanding into the adjacent space in the next few months. It was interesting to hear all of the logistics involved in moving equipment into the new space. We will be back !

Corked is an interesting wine bar and restaurant. My manager made a reservation here for our team…read moreto end out the year after a two day regional meeting. As this was just down the street from our office in the Kemper Business District, she thought this would be a cool place to hang out to recap the year for our department and she was right. The place itself is a cute house with what looks like a cool outdoor space, when the weather is nicer. Inside is a small bar when you first walk through the front door. We we seated in a small room off from the main bar, next to a lovely fireplace. We started out with charcuterie boards. Prices range from 4 pieces for $30, 6 pieces for $46 and 8 pieces for $58. The selection of meats and cheeses and were very nice, but the prices seemed steep. The cheeses and meats were as follows: Wooley Rind (Green Dirt Farm) - soft ripened sheep's milk MontAmore (Sartori) - semi firm Italian style Cheddar Goat Gouda (Central Coast Creamery) - crumbly aged goat cheese "Creamy Sexy Blue" - German triple cream cow's milk with blue veining Jamon Serrano, aged 24 months Stagberry - Elk Salami with dried blueberries Finocchiona - Tuscan style salami with fennel seed Pig & Fig Terrine - Country style pork pate with dried figs, cinnamon, ginger All were very good and had a lovely flavor. Due to the number of people nibbling, I asked for extra bread and was treated with toasted sourdough, which was very nice. For dinner, I got the Chicken Tinga Panini (Tomato-Chipotle Chicken, Queso Oaxaca, Arugula, served with Salsa Verde & Guacamole). This was a very good sandwich. I loved the idea of Chicken Tinga in a sandwich format, and it worked. I had saved half of it to take home to have for breakfast the next day, but got wrapped up in good-byes and walked out and left it. Man I was mad! My manager ordered the Roasted Beets (with whipped Feta cheese, toasted pistachios, red onion, dill and a red wine vinaigrette). The serving was huge! She loves beets and said that the dish was very good A few people got the Broccoli Cheddar soup and said it was very good. I wanted to try the oysters as I love East Coast ones, but at $20 for 6, couldn't wrap my mind around that. The wine list was pretty good and on this particular night, we got bottles for a crazy low price. My manager got a bottle of red (can't remember the name) that was $75, but she got it for half price. Same for me for a lovely bottle of sparkling rose. The hostess had a list of wines on her tablet that she showed us as well that were 50% off. The location is quite a drive from Chicago, but the times I have to go to Lake Zurich for team meetings, I may just stop in to camp out for eats and drinks while waiting for my Uber and rush hour traffic to die out.

Loved this place! Everything was so good. Service was incredibly personable and efficient. They…read morehave many wine, cocktail, liquor & beer options. Their food is also super good too. The place is super comfortable and inviting. I love the fire place they have!!

Finally got to visit on a day they were actually open! Me and a couple friends had some delicious…read morecocktails, and the bartender was super helpful and friendly. Definitely you do over.

We went out with Park Ridge friends last weekend and they took us to this charming bar. I read a…read morefew reviews that said that Pines Room has a small town vibe. I disagree--I am a Chicago boy and it has a big city hidden gem quality about it. In fact, they promote themselves as a speakeasy. Of course you can get any cocktail you want, but my husband and I both opted for a special strawberry cocktail made with Hendrick's gin. It was refreshing, not too sweet, and garnished with a dehydrated lemon slice. Perfect! Our friends both ordered old fashioned cocktails that looked equally as good. It was a Saturday night and this tiny bar was jam-packed. We had to stand, but it was okay because we had only stopped in for one drink before heading to another restaurant for dinner. The bartenders were friendly and efficient. Prices are not inexpensive, but average to what you'd find in a downtown Chicago restaurant. If you''re looking for a cool place to hang in Park Ridge with a craft cocktail and have a small bite (they have a limited food menu, too), Pines Room is the place.