Went here for an early Sunday dinner and was very surprised by how full the place was. By the time we left there was even a waiting line, guess it was good to get there early! Our waitress was very friendly and quick to come get our order. We ended up starting out with the cheesecurds and I have to say, they're some of the better ones I've had. The batter was thick enough and I got a full arm length of cheese pull. Very impressed! I also got the cowboy chicken wrap with tots. The wrap was packed with chicken and cheese and quite tasty. The tots had a nice crisp to them, just what I wanted. Overall, the place has a very fun atmosphere for kids and adults. There's always something to keep you entertained from the planes inside to the ones outside. Staff was also very friendly and service was quick, especially given how busy they were. Would recommend trying them out. read more

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This was our 2nd year going for their fish fry. Although there was a wait to be seated, the atmosphere and food were good. The fish portions were huge! Only negative was that the table was dirty when we sat down and they didn't have a lot of non fish/meat options for lent. I ended up getting a kids grilled cheese... read more

We have been coming here for years. Everyone knows their chicken finger and fish fry are top notch. Today I tried the Chicago Burger and now have a 3rd favorite item here. You pretty much can't go wrong with any menu item. On this visit it was a beautiful sunny day so the runway was extra busy. Even as my kids are older teenagers now they still enjoyed every minute seeing the planes and helicopters coming and going. If you've never been here then I highly recommend you check it out. If you have been, then you know what I'm saying is true! read more

Pilot Pete's - Chicago Burger - American Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

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Be prepared to wait, and don't believe the online estimate on wait time! The food is very mediocre, with relatively high prices. The ambiance and experience of watching the airplanes is definitely the draw! If you luck out with a window seat especially, it is very cool. It's a family-friendly place, and the airport lobby downstairs is open to the public. You can also look into the hanger while waiting for your table. read more

Phenomenal food and atmosphere. The hamburger, chicken fingers, and ribs are great! Awesome place to bring the family and watch planes takeoff and land. Great value and specials are really good read more

Pilot Pete's - American Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

I really wanted to have a great experience, but it was the food that let me down. I was so excited to finally make it there after reading, and hearing great reviews. But again disappointed in my selection of lunch entree. The Country Fried Chicken, garlic horseradish mashed potato's and vegetables. Very under seasoned chicken breast, same with potatoes and vegetables were cold, butter never even melted on them. However it was served with choice of soup ... and the French Onion Soup was absolutely delish ... I will definitely order that again , and I really want to come again and perhaps try the famous hamburger. Service was fine, had to ask for several things, but it was the rush time lunch and servers were very busy. This time though I was let down by my choice of entree. read more

I have eaten here many times with family and friends. I enjoy the food and the ambiance. My favorite dish is the chicken tenders.

The food and service was great. It had a robust menu for kids and adult. My husband and I both ordered the Reuben and enjoyed it. Kids loved the buttered noodles. My only complaint had to do with the waitlist. I joined from yelp before I arrived because I was trying to reduce the wait time with my three kids. I am not confident that joining the waitlist prior to arriving did anything and, if it did, then the estimated wait time / number of people ahead is very wrong. It said the waitlist was less than 10 min when I joined, which was equal to my drive time. Once I arrived, I notified them I was there. We ended up waiting about 30 minutes in the wait area and every single person waiting went in ahead of us, so there was literally no benefit to joining the list ahead of time. read more

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Please bring back the potato skins. Went into tonight for dinner and was looking forward to that and no longer on the menu.

We had really bad service. Had to ask for things multiple times as she kept forgetting. Never did get water or another drink. Won't be back anytime soon. read more

What a fun spot if you're into airplanes, lots to see, decor is so cool! Had friendly service and great seating! Food was good, really loved the tenders. Drinks were fun and good. Very sugary though. BUT good. For me, this is a one time visit, just to see & check out. For an avid airplane enthusiast this is definitely a must visit spot! read more

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Used to be great but a lot of changes in the past year or so, fish and chicken strip differ t now, new coating, nowhere near as good as it used to be. read more

Went on Good Friday, so we expected busy. But told 45 minutes, that turned into 90 minutes. We then went into bar for a drink and was able to sit at a table in there and eat, first come basis for those tables evidently! We all got the same exact thing, but every plate looked different. Some fish was barely cooked including soggy breading on the fish, some pieces nice, hot and well cooked. Some pieces were nice, some were super thin. Fries nothing to write home about. Cole slaw, bland dressing and includes apples. I don't like fruit in my Cole slaw. Hush puppies were almost raw in the centers. Ice Tea was to strong. Service...slow, we were forgotten about 4 times. So not a great experience overall, gave 2 stars for decor and ambiance. read more

Pilot Pete's - Thin piece and thick piece, big pieces and little pieces, different doneness and different colors. - American Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

French fries were cold. They did bring fresh ones out. Condiments bottles were disgusting like they were never wiped clean . Table was dirty. Salt shaker was empty and gross. Bathroom was out of TP. Not a very clean place! Won't be back . Manager didn't seem to care when I pointed these things out to him ! read more

Fun place for family to enjoy and look at the planes. Food service was quick and great. Would definitely come back for the plane experience read more

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Wow! What a cool airport restaurant. I had the fish and chips. While they were a bit more than I usually pay, I more than got my fill. The fish was cooked just right and the fries were very tasty. The ambiance is super-fun, if you are a pilot and plane nerd. Lots of stuff on every wall and more hanging from the ceiling. read more

Pilot Pete's - LARGE fish and chips. Notice the hush puppies hidden amongst the fries- very flavorful! - American Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

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excellent menu, amazing atmosphere and unbeatable prices. excellent servers and all around a excellent dining experience. lots of parking and easy to find. plan on going more regularly again. read more

Pilot Pete's - all you can eat cod fish fry (wednesdays & fridays),hush puppies and mashed potatoes w:4oz tarter & coleslaw - American Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

Great food and unique atmosphere. Very nice servers aswell. This restaurant is run very well with a great clean feel on the inside. Can't wait to come back with my family. read more

I tried the fish fry at Pilot Pete's. It came with tater tots, 3 hush puppies, and cole slaw. Also, a small cup of tartar sauce for the fish. I got a Mai Tai while waiting. Oh, I forgot, soup or salad. I got both because I was feeling a little piggy. Clam chowder was on tap that night. So, the food was pretty darn good. It was all you can eat fish, and I got a second helping. I could have used more tartar sauce but I didn't ask for it. It was really busy that night. I got there at 4:30, and they said it was about a 45 minute wait. We got our table at 5:50, so there's that, but we waited downstairs which is very comfortable on couches. Our server was very helpful and was quick to refill the waters. I went with my wife and sister and brother in law. Wife got salmon which she liked, sister got the fish fry like me, and brother in law got pot roast in a tortilla shell because he's weird. Everyone liked their food. I've been to Pilot Pete's about a dozen times, and they never disappoint. The portions are huge, the price is reasonable, the food is good, and the ambiance is lively. As you're being seated, you can glance at the kitchen and see what's coming out. I find this helpful when I'm trying to decide what to have. read more

Pilot Pete's is a neat restaurant at the Schaumburg airport. The airplane decor is plentiful and eclectic. It is nice to get a window seat and watch the small planes take off and land. The lobster nachos are delicious! Plenty of lobster and cheese with the usual nacho toppings on the side. So good! The burger was tasty. The chicken tenders and honey mustard dipping sauce are addicting. Yum! We had great service. They have consistently good food. A great place to eat. read more

Pilot Pete's - Yummy chicken fingers with honey mustard dipping sauce. - American Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

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Service 5 stars Ambiance 4 stars Food 1 star - on the loaded nachos with chicken n guacamole n cheese n all that goodies Worst loaded nachos ever tried How can one go wrong on loaded nachos There's literally 12 chips n they were soft, not crispy read more

Pilot Pete's - Nachos with chicken - American Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

We had a large group of people and they do not take reservations. We were told to reserve a table online and put the number of people in the comments. That did help but it was still almost a 2-hour wait from the time we put in our initial request. The food was good. A couple of people that ordered the horseradish salmon said there was not enough horseradish flavor to it and those of us that had the fish fry the fish was just a tad-dry. It was a very busy Friday night and it may have been sitting out a little while. The service was good though and overall our party was very happy. It was really cool to watch the planes come in and take off while dining. If you're looking for a quiet place to dine, this is certainly not it! We were seated in a round room where the voices all bounced right off the windows and walls. It was extremely loud! Still a cool place to visit read more

Had lunch at Pilot Pete's this weekend. Had Pete's "$100 Burger" -- if you have been around GA, you get it. The burger was very good, but I wish I had left off the red onion. Boy, was it strong! The burger in total was a bit dry--it needed a moist condiment, but the server upon request quickly responded with a little tub of Mayo, and application thereof to the burger solved the problem. Service was excellent. My son enjoyed his Cuban as well. And we got to watch some take-offs and landings from our table. read more

Great family restaurant. Food was good and reasonable prices. Management came by to check on us. They were very pleasant. Don't see that to often any more. read more

Pilot Pete's - Slab of Ribs dinner - American Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

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While the menu seems to boast of a handful of award-winning options, at the end of the day, you're here because your kid likes airplanes. With airplanes hanging from the ceiling and seats that look onto the runway where small personal planes take off during the meal, Pilot Pete's delivered the exact experience I was looking to provide for my kid. The chicken strips are fried like beer battered fish, resulting in a crispy but light crunch to every chicken finger bite. The accompanying honey mustard was tasty and complemented the chicken nicely. The burger was supposed to be exceptional but we didn't find it to be game changing. Overall, the food was pretty good, 3 solid stars with the chicken strips and honey mustard standing out. Portion-wise, while food was on the pricier side for sport's bar food, we definitely had more than enough to be sharing entrees. But let's focus back on the planes. The waiting seats were airplane seats with the little trays that come out of the armrests. The hostess saw our kids and sat us right next to a window with a nice view of the runway, close enough for them to ooo/ahh whenever a plane took off. The staff were friendly and more than comfortable with our kids walking around to see all the various aviation items they had all over the restaurant. So the fourth star is well deserved because we were here for the planes and our kids left fully satisfied at the fun plane restaurant. Come for the planes, maybe for the chicken strips and honey mustard, everything else so-so. read more

Pilot Pete's is worth going to for the experience of watching the nearby planes on the runway (given the restaurant's location) but honestly that's pretty much it. While we had been looking forward to dining at Pilot Pete's for a while, we were disappointed by both the menu, food, and service. The menus you find online (and even when placing an order online) are not completely accurate. We had planned to order a few appetizers (cheese curds and potato skins) but when we called to place our pick-up order, we were told they are no longer offered at the restaurant. Not a big deal but definitely a bummer. For takeout we ordered a Cuban sandwich with sweet potato fries which was good but we wouldn't recommend the chicken finger platter. The breading was pretty good but outside of that, the chicken sometimes tasted too rubbery. Watch out for the surcharges on the premium sides (around $4). I ordered a loaded mashed potatoes and was extremely disappointed when I received just plain mashed potatoes when I paid for the premium side. When I called Pilot Pete's to raise the order error, the resolution I received was unsatisfactory. The plain mashed potatoes were not seasoned at all so I would not recommend it whatsoever. Ambiance is a 10/10 but I wouldn't visit again specifically for the food or service. read more

We've been going to Pilot Pete's on and off for 15 years. The quality of the fish at the fish fry last night was .... not good at all. The batter was okay, but the fish itself was very bland and mushy. And the fries were just "meh". Things seem to be going downhill here. I'm a little afraid of trying the chicken fingers again and being sorely disappointed. read more

Amazing restaurant I have been going since I was a child. The food is what lost two stars. The dish that kept my family coming back year after year was the won ton nachos but since they took it off the menu we have not been back. Service is always good. Ambiance is absolutely amazing, the decor, the big windows to watch the planes, the balloon room. Great place for kids and aviation lovers. read more

We go to Pilot Pete's often. But... Had the best experience there tonitght because of a server named Carolina Of course the food was terrific, but she was so delightful, gracious, and attentive. Her personality was very happy, and glad to serve you! Felt so comfortable tonight,will ask for Carolina from now on! Thank you Carolina read more

Great choice of menu items and top shelf service, polite servers fascinating decor. Fun watching planes take off and land.

Been here twice, first for lunch and it was very good. Second time for a birthday dinner on a Friday for the AYCE fish. I found it to be bland like there was no seasoning in the batter. Also the clam shower was kind of watery and also lacking flavor. I'd have to have a good reason to return. read more

Good food. Nice portion sizes. Did not see any planes take off or land. Bummer!! I will support business again but earlier in the day.

This is probably like my third of fourth time coming to Pilot Pete's. I have to admit, it deserves more than a 3.5 stars. Everything that I have tried has not missed its mark. This time around I ordered the Lobster Nachos and a cup of their chili. The nacho's were on point. It was maybe around 10-12 tortilla chips but think of them as stuffed because of how much Lobster is packed on top of each chip. A must try. Their chili was amazing. Definitely something that goes well on a cold day. Our server, Natalia, was amazing. She was attentive, checked on us frequently and very accommodating. We were a group of 10 so she was great! We were there for our son's fundraiser so that's also something to make a note of. It was very family friendly. There is a section for everybody, adults and kids. I can't say enough about the food that I tried. It's bar food but their menu has a large variety and it's just good comfort food. As always, try it for yourself. read more

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No more Won Ton nachos ....... it was the main reason we went there ....... after 20+ of going to our neighborhood restaurant....... I am not motivated to go back...... so incredibly disappointed..... so sad read more

Famous for their Chicken Tenders and Honey Mustard Sauce. Don't skip dessert Key Lime Pie is epic.

so I'm staying just down the road a piece and it's been a while since I've been here and I kind of remember why. food is good and the views are too but it's a little steep and always has been - it's not outrageous mind you but technically it is airport food but with better parking. dining alone so I got a seat at the bar; started with water because it's not wise to drink on an empty blood stream (hydration is important) before moving to Friday's draught special which paired nicely with the chowder and potatoes. I didn't actually want all I could eat fishes since I wasn't particularly hungry but it was still two bucks less than regular so I eventually went with that. I started with the clam chowder with actual clam bits in there along with lots of chowdery goodness to which I added a couple packs of crushed crackers. didn't figure the garlic-horseradish masheds to travel well so I had those while finishing the soup. asked for the fish boxed to take with and they were fine for tomorrow's lunch on courtesy biscuits from the hotel, sadly the hush puppies didn't make it through the night... service was prompt and efficient if uninspired but hey, it's a long day rapidly becoming an even longer night so maybe the bartender was pacing herself? read more

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We have been here 3 times and have never had a bad experience. When their busy wait times were a little longer but the staff are amazing and friendly. Highly recommend with kids on a clear non windy day so they can watch the planes landing and taking off ! read more

I don't know where the bad reviews are coming from, but it's possible that some people don't want others to know how good this place is. Yes, you have to wait at busy times and there are no reservations, but it is so worth it. The batter on the chicken fingers and the fish sticks is the best I've ever had. You can't beat the scenery too. Wait staff are friendly. read more

Food was good, fish fry always good, just too much food! cocktails were very weak. Service was very good.

The wait was long, the service was fine, the atmosphere was excellent. The food was ok. The kids chicken tenders and fries were great. The burger was awesome, too. I had the chicken breast, which was fine, nothing amazing, and the veggies, which were lame, like they were out of a bag (disappointing). I would still return, just rethink my meal selection. read more