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!

We had a really nice time last weekend at Bar Salotto. While they do not take reservations, we did…read morenot have a wait - and it was an enjoyable experience in the back room. We were able to snag a back table so not loud and we can hear the whole table. We started with the Hearts of Palm salad to share. It was perfect to share with three people as a starter and we all loved the lemon vinaigrette. For entrees - I got the thin crust Garden Pizza special - artichokes, pesto, pine nuts, other veggies. I thought it was delicious and it reheated very nicely the next day. Others at the table - got the salmon, sausage pizza and spicy vodka pasta. Everyone enjoyed. Our server (AJ) was fabulous and joked with the table - he made the experience enjoyable as well as the atmosphere of the restaurant. While we're not in Arlington Heights often, it is a place I would recommend.

The evening began with the sort of optimism that has historically led men into bankruptcy, war, and…read moresecond marriages. The hostess appeared wearing a blue-and-white striped sweater hanging off one shoulder like she'd stepped out of an Italian perfume commercial. Around her neck was one of those little cornicello pepper necklaces, dangling just enough to suggest fate had finally decided to throw me a bone. Blue eyes. Not "blue." The kind of blue sailors used to abandon families over. She laughed at one of my jokes. That was all the encouragement my diseased brain required. I immediately conducted a full tactical assessment of the restaurant. The P.O.A. Index... ...was approaching DEFCON 1. Every direction I looked was another devastatingly attractive waitress carrying Aperol Spritzes with effortless confidence. It was like wandering into a government-funded supermodel relocation program. Then... A shadow fell across the table. A man. Our waiter was a man. Christ Almighty. The emotional whiplash nearly snapped my neck. It's like going to the zoo hoping to see lions and discovering the enclosure has been replaced with an accountant named Kevin. There are beautiful women everywhere, and somehow I'm discussing pasta recommendations with a guy who probably knows three different olive oils by taste. Cruel. Absolutely cruel. To his credit, the b@5tard was outstanding. Friendly. Fast. Knew the menu inside and out. Kept the drinks full. Never interrupted. The s.o.b. gave me absolutely nothing to complain about, which only deepened my resentment. The food, meanwhile, was infuriatingly good. The pizzas arrived looking like they'd been blessed by an Italian grandmother carrying unresolved anger from 1947. Thin crust. Fresh mozzarella. Just enough char to remind you that ovens are supposed to flirt with fire, not electricity. The pasta had that unmistakable handmade texture that makes Olive Garden feel like a felony. The cocktails disappeared with alarming speed. By my third Negroni, I was convinced I could hear Dean Martin narrating my life. Walking out, I glanced back toward the hostess one last time. She smiled. For approximately three seconds I considered abandoning my entire life to become a part-time sommelier with absolutely no qualifications. Then reality returned. The male waiter handed me the check. Four stars. The food was phenomenal. The cocktails were dangerous. The hostess should be classified as an Italian national treasure. And our waiter deserves a raise... despite committing the unforgivable crime of existing between me and the waitresses.

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.

Came here for the first time on a Saturday. Was fortunate enough to walk into town and walk in…read morehere. On a Saturday morning at not even 9 AM. Expect a line as there was a long line when we arrive. Unfortunately there's only one person at the cashier register and I think there's only one register and there's only that one person who's taking the orders. While I understand that this is a small run shop I will say that standing in line and waiting on a Saturday morning really is discouraging. The food however, a super delicious and came out very timely. So absolutely no complaints for me and they also have a water station set up so you can help yourself to water which is fantastic. After sitting around for about an hour to an hour and a half this place got super packed with families's children and strollers which made it even harder to move around. The ambience is fantastic so definitely worth it for your social media. I would come back here again, however I'm not really someone to order alcohol here at this time but for breakfast I think it's great.

Lola's Pizza is part of Kahala Koa Tiki Bar, and if you're going to drink a few Zombies or Navy…read moreGrogs, well, you'll need something to sop up that booze, so it's a good idea to order one of these tasty pizzas! We got the beer crust, which was a nice matrix of crisp and chewy. The pepperoni was pleasantly spicy with a dash of herbiness. They also have thin crust, extra thin crust, and pan pizzas as well. We will be back for more drinks and more pizza!

This is the most amazing place! Decor is perfect! Drinks are SO fun and delicious. So many to…read morechoose from. Every time we go we get the pizza, and I am picky about pizza, it's alway really good!!! GO enjoy and have fun!! Service is always on point also!

Quite a marvelous discovery in the local AH area. I ended up here for the first time last fall…read morewhilst looking for a place to catch a cubs playoff game with my girlfriend. Gatsby's was a short drive away so it seemed worth checking out. The main parking lot was full by the time we arrived, but I suppose thats a good thing. At first look, the inside definitely checked the boxes of a local establishment. Sports memorabilia, photographs, neon signs, etc. It did take a little bit to be greeted, but honestly I forgot pretty quickly since I was focused on the ball game and because our server was really friendly. I wish I could remember his name, but he defintly made night go smoothly. The food/drinks came out at seemingly reasonable pace for as busy as it was. We didn't really venture too much into the menu since we were there mostly for the game. I got a few apps to try from their big menu. They have quite few things to try from. The french fries were good. Nothing special, but they came hot and just right. I got some mozz sticks that were good also, again nothing else to write home. The marina was a great pairing for sure. The highlight though was for sure the cheese curds. They were succulent and very delicious. Classic Wisconsin curds friend to golden perfection. The cherry on top was the homemade ranch. Oh man, was that perfect! I went a second time about a month (ish) later, this time with a friend to catch a hawks game. Again, we were both pleased with the overall service and felt they had great consistency. This time, I tried a thin crust pizza, while my friend had the Texas BBQ Burger & Saganaki. I quit enjoyed the pie. It was pretty good quality for a bar pizza. Crust and flavor was excellent. My friend seemed to like his burger and appetizer, though he didn't finish it all. Truly an awesome place to hang at. I hope to back soon to try some more things.

I went to Gatsby's Pizza and Pub on a Thursday night for their trivia night. It was hosted in a…read moreside room and we could hear the host clearly. My husband and I had the southwest BBQ pizza. It was really good and came with lots of chicken, onions, and barbecue sauce. For dessert, we shared a Snickers pie. This was also very good. The bathroom is small, crowded and not very clean. Overall, Gatsby's is a nice family-owned neighborhood bar. I recommend Gatsby's Pizza and Pub.

Our Burger Club finally made it's way to Jimmy D's back in December of 2025. It was a Monday night,…read moreand kinda cold outside. There were seven of us and we all converged from Buffalo Grove and Vernon Hills. Jimmy D's doesn't come up on your normal burger place lists in and around the area, but we saw a post somewhere and knew we had to check this place out, especially if it ended up being across from the future home of the Chicago Bears. We'd probably end up hanging out there and wanted to make sure it was a good enough place to hang and be a part of the action, whilst not paying for said action. Anyhoo, we all pulled up to find a nice parking lot next to/behind the restaurant. It's a cool place with a couple entrances (one in the lot and the other from the street). It's a nicely adorned building and has the requisite sports decor on the inside with plenty of televisions to watch many games at once. There was plenty of seating for our group as it was quite empty on a Monday night and there wasn't any game of note when we were there. We called ahead letting them know our numbers and they accommodated us with a reserved table. They were attentive and constantly refilled out waters and sodas and brought more beer when needed/requested. The service was friendly and attentive. We were there for the burgers of which there are four options: the House burger, the Fried Egg Burger, the Mac Daddy, and a Black Bean burger. However, stipulations for being in our club is that you can only order a red meat-based burger. We did order the buffalo sauced wings as an appetizer to share. They were sauced nicely, not too hot, and quite good. I would definitely recommend getting them if you visit. I also ordered the cream of chicken soup. It was a perfect option for the cold night and I rank it among one of the better cream of chicken soup options in the suburbs. While not a sommelier of cream of chicken soup, I do rank it quite well: I think it matches Jameson's Char House for quality, thickness, and flavor. Mama clearly knows what she's doing with her soup. I opted for the Mac Daddy burger. It's prepared with: black angus beef, boom boom sauce, house mac n' cheese, bacon, fried onions, sliced jalapeños, toasted brioche. I normally don't opt for the special/signature house sauces as I've been burned before by these so-called "recommended" house sauces (I'm looking at you, Lucky Burger, with your terrible "dijonnaise" sauce - ugh, don't get me started on THAT sauce). However, I was told it's a hot sauce for the burger and figured it wouldn't overpower everything else on the burger. The mac n' cheese was a tad creamy, but so what, the bacon, fried onions, jalapenos, and boom boom sauce cut into the creaminess a bit and it worked. And it didn't overpower the flavor of the burger, which I thought it would, but somehow didn't. I really liked this burger, the bun held up, the bacon stayed crispy, and jalapenos and sauce added a nice kick but not overwhelmingly so. I would get this again. The sandwiches come with housemade fries or tots, but I know that if tots are offered, you can (generally) never go wrong with tots (I'd point out Puck's Pub but they closed and did the world a favor in doing so). Everyone generally liked their burgers and would return again. In our 5 point scale, Jimmy D's District got a 4.25. They have a nice brunch menu and drinks to match and I want to try them out someday. Let me know if you're going and I'll meet ya there if available.

Talk about a hidden gem! Jimmy D's sits in Arlington Heights - a Northwestern burb of Chicago…read more Having a heavy Greek influence, Jimmy Ds was started by Demetrios "Jimmy D" Demarakis, after he migrated to America from a small village in Greece back in 1968. In 1986, Jimmy D's was born. Food & drinks I tried: Buffalo mac & cheese Cream of chicken with rice soup The Mac Daddy Burger with Greek Fries Apple Walnut bread pudding Espresso martini Mapleberry breeze The Mac Daddy Burger deserves respect lol It comes with their boom boom sauce, mac & cheese, fried onions, bacon and sliced jalapeños on a brioche bun! The buffalo mac & cheese truly surprised me. It's covered with an ale cheese sauce that is full of flavor and on top, there are buffalo chicken crisps! So good! The Greek Fries were my other favorite! It has a roasted garlic aioli, crumbled feta and oregano. I could eat an entire plate of it with no problem! On Fridays and Saturdays in the evening, there is live music but outside of the live music, the environment is lively, the service from everyone was pleasant and attentive, and there are TVs everywhere, like literally! I can totally see why this place is a neighborhood favorite and if you visit, you'll understand why too! Stop by and tell em that Bri from Planes and Plates sent you!

We have had a group of 13-15 of us friends gather here to celebrate a couple August birthdays the…read morelast few year. There is no shortage of dining/entertainment venues in the area. However WE KEEP COMING BACK TO BIG SHOT! The great food, service, drinks, atmosphere, close free parking and more are why! Larry and his team are all great!

Big Shot Piano Bar has been my go-to spot for years, and it never disappoints! After a nice dinner…read moredate with my girlfriend, we ended our night here with some drinks and a big slice of tiramisu the perfect finish. The prices are always fantastic, the drinks are consistently delicious, and the atmosphere is unmatched. The live piano music creates such a fun vibe, especially since you can make requests and sing along. Every time I've been here, the crowd is full of people just looking to have a good time. It's rare to see so much dancing, singing, and pure enjoyment from a group of well-respected, upbeat people all in one place. Whether it's for a date night or just a fun evening out, this is hands down one of the best places in town. I'll keep coming back as often as I can!

Cool place for music listening…read more Cool place for music listening ! Great entertainment!

Went here to catch my brother-n-laws band Yellow Pills. Band killed it! Had to grab drinks from…read morethe bar up front which was no big deal. Bartenders were friendly. Hope there new concept takes off.

This was one of my favorite lunch spots when my house was being remodeled. The shrimp tacos are…read morehands down my favorite and I get them nearly every time I go. Usually, I just plopped down at the bar and would chat it up with the bartenders who were always friendly if not too busy. Pricing is great and I always enjoyed the food and drinks.

We went for the Iowa/Illinois March Madness game (It's an Iowa bar and we are Iowa fans). People…read morefrom an upstairs private Illini party were throwing food at us and yelling slurs directly at us. My two young nephews were with us as well. It was clear they were pretty drunk, however there was no security to manage the private party. We spoke with the waitress about it who said that the manager would address the issue. We never received any response. We won't be returning to this establishment. I would give this zero stars if I could.

We're sat outdoors for our meal. Our server, Juan G, attended to our table quickly. He provided us…read morewith a Mole' sampler platter, which was a nice way to try their different Mole' options. Our food was prepared well and had great flavor. The food temperature was perfect. We enjoyed our dining experience.