A group of family and friends visited Pappadeaux (with an advance reservation) this past Saturday,…read moreSeptember 5, my mother's 93rd Birthday. With disappointment, I write a review that is for the first time less than stellar. Our family and friends have been guests of Pappadeaux for many years. And for the past several years, it has become her restaurant of choice to celebrate her birthday each year. She loves Pappadeaux. It is only because of her love for Pappadeaux that we continue to arrange dinner for our group that averages between 20-25, simply because Pappadeaux is not group friendly; does not extend itself to make efforts to accommodate. Let me qualify the review by saying I am very aware of Pappadeaux's policy to reserve space for a maximum of 10 in one party, though they do accept reservations for more without guaranteeing the private dining room but would endeavor to accommodate. What we are told each year and clearly understand is the use of the private room requires its own staff and logistical advance planning, which is why I make the reservation well in advance. Though they can't guarantee the room, they make a note of our request and advise us to check with the manager on duty, who would make the decision. On September 5th, we were told by the manager (Julio) that the private room was not available because they didn't have any staff that could cover that area. He said he would have to pull staff from other areas to accommodate us. And in order to assure us a good dining experience, he would seat us together with the public to guarantee us a better dining experience. Being a business owner, I clearly understood and graciously accepted the area he suggested which indeed could accommodate us all. UNTIL, I walked by the private dining room by coincidence soon thereafter and noticed a group of 10 that was not only seated in the private room but was being SERVED by a SERVER, who Julio (the manager on duty) told me minutes before was not available. On my way walking by the room sometime later (it was nearby), I noticed a different group of 10 was seated and being served in the private room that was not available to us. I do realize our group was larger (21) but however they assigned to serve the two groups of 10 (total 20) could have accommodated us. We waited hours for food anyway. Thus, my complaint is not that the room was not available; it appears that we were lied to, as the room in fact was available and STAFFED. Julio's reasoning for accommodating us in the public dining area was to ensure we'd have a wonderful dining experience. Well, that didn't work out so well either. We received less than quality service. The food was exceptional as always. We were assigned four tables and three servers. Patrick and Chey were phenomenal servers. However, 3 guests at the table to whom the third server was assigned, had not received their meal after two hours, while others at their table had eaten. I know the timing because I know what time we were seated and looked at my watch after noticing the guests still without food at 6:08pm. When I asked one of the guests what they ordered, it was simply gumbo and a salad. No one was preparing their food; there was little to prepare! They were forgotten! I asked another server for assistance, who went to the kitchen, got approval to serve us and immediately assisted until the entire group was finally served. But they unfortunately opted to take their food home by that time. The assigned server did not return until near check time. I could have lived with all of it, except BEING LIED TO. The private room was always available, was STAFFable and STAFFED. Whoever the space was given to came in after us. Though my mother loves Pappadeaux, coupled with the fact that we spent nearly $2k Saturday and each year before at this event, not including what we spend in visits during the year, we would need to be TREATED AS WELL AS THE OTHER GUESTS to return. We must not be made to feel UNWELCOME, UNDERAPPRECIATED and UNDERVALUED at any time. Otherwise, it would become necessary for us to explore other restaurant options that are more customer friendly to groups and would appreciate our business. Again, I don't mind the policy, but why not staff the room in advance when a reservation is made 1-2 weeks in advance, rather than having to check and see who is available or willing to stay in the moment, especially when you know we are coming! I believe that is a policy that needs to be revisited. I would hope that Pappadeaux's values our business enough to respond and contact us. Looking forward to hearing from you. Pastor Olivia Johnson

As a California girl If there's a Pappadeaux anywhere within an hour of where I'm staying, ima…read moregoing to go. I loooove it and everything I've ever tried is delicious . My go to is the salmon Alexander with white rice but I did try the potatoes this time around and it might just be my new favorite aide . Pappadeaux please come to CA!

My favorite thing here was the fried pork chops... this isn't what the use to serve. It's still…read moreseasoned well but not the cut/size the use to have. I hope y'all bring it back

I actually like the food here, but I changed my rating because my oxtails have been TRASH on my…read morelast 3 visits. As much as I pay for oxtails they need to be fresh and perfect! I cant get jiggy with old spoiled bogus oxtails! Thats a no no. When they correct this, I'll let yall know! Then we haven't been able to get drinks because theyre always too busy when we've gone in the last few visits. Im giving them a break for awhile!

Service is always top notch here, everyone seems genuinely nice and approachable…read more Ambiance is pretty chill, inside there's low lighting average noise and outside on the patio is super nice (as long as the weather permits) Crab cakes are one of my favorites, they're so good! Burgers and salads are also really good. I am a repeat customer :-)

We had a great dinner here! We booked our reservation on the earlier side and called in to take a…read morespecial request for seating. Since they normally only seat 6 at the table, we had 6 adults plus 1 toddler and needed a high chair at the table. They told us they were able to accommodate, which we were grateful and said that we'd have a little less elbow room, which we were totally okay with. Our party ordered some apps to share (artichoke, shrimp, bread) and we ordered 3 salads to split between 6 adults. I ordered a delicious espresso martini! The food came out promptly and our server was fantastic, however the cook on my husbands's steak and my father in-law's prime rib didn't have the done-ness they ordered. My husband ordered his steak "rare" and my FIL ordered his prime rib medium, but the done-ness on both were swapped when they came out. The server took care of it and the manager came over to apologize and also offer a salad/soup or something for them to eat while waiting for their meat to be redone. This was the only reason for the 4 stars, but otherwise our meal was fantastic! We ordered one dessert to share (between the adults) and a goblet of vanilla ice cream for my kiddo. Great meal all around. J Alexander's is a great place for a party (up to 6 adults) for a special and/or celebratory meal. The food was delicious and the service was great. 4 shining stars.

Food was good and reasonably priced. We ordered off the lunch menu. Our waiter ( Jason?? Justin???)…read moreWas great! Attentive & very personable if I didn't live so far away I would make this place a regular ​​​​​​​​​​

We have been here many times with our friends and respective pups…read more We came for Labor Day dinner with our dogs. It was busy and they said thirty minute wait. We got seated and waited some more. After asking one woman who said she would find someone- 15 mins later we went inside about getting service. The manager Alexander came to the table apologizing profusely that we were overlooked. He took our orders promptly and the food was great as usual and the doggos got their beef bowls and water. At the end of the meal Alexander comped our meal which was totally unexpected. Thank you Alexander for rectifying the situation with class and aplomb. Of course we will be returning.

Wanted to confirm that this place is CONSISTENT in terms of the quality of their service and…read more(delicious) the taste of their food. This time, I tried their Brisket Smashburger. It absolutely satisfied my cravings. If I had ONE suggestion for Blackwood BBQ (in Oakbrook, Illinois, specifically), it'd be to EXPAND their (indoor) dining area. This place can get PACKED, especially on weekends. The tables are pretty close together, so when this spot is BUSY, you can really begin to feel a bit suffocated and overstimulated, with all the people being all packed up tightly. Regardless, the food is delicious. It's worth the (temporary) discomfort (for those who choose to eat inside, as opposed to taking it to-go). It's worth mentioning that they DO have an outdoor dining area as well. Normally, I am a fan of sitting outdoors, but in this case, it was a stormy afternoon.

Met a friend here in the suburbs while running errands and the location is easily accessible. Be…read morewarned- the restaurant is next to a Costco and we were there during peak hours, so parking was a little rough. We ate outside and it was pretty quiet and well kept. I had the Elotes Smashburger and was impressed with the quality of the meat and there was a good amount of all the toppings. The quality of the meat was great along and everything was fresh. The service was pretty quick. I added fries and was pleasantly surprised with the amount I got and the fries were really well seasoned. Only thing that was slightly surprising was when you "make it a combo" to add fries, you still don't get a drink. The prices were a bit steep, but I read online that when you eat at their locations they donate a meal to school kids. We read online that you get complimentary cobbler but it wasn't advertised anywhere, so when we were done eating we asked about it. No fuss about offering it up once we asked. The cobbler of the month was s'mores and it was so good! Once again had great quality and decent sized portion. There are multiple locations and I will definitely be open to going to other locations and trying other menu items again based on this experience.

Made a quick stop at Perry's in Oak Brook and grabbed a seat at the bar, which, quite frankly, is…read moremy favorite way to enjoy Perry's. I ordered the Texas Sausage and a Caesar salad that was anything but traditional. The seasoned pumpkin seeds and anchovy took it up a notch. A friend joined me last minute and ordered the Gulf Fried Shrimp with Cajun fries, and that was another 10/10. And we can't forget the Raspberry Refresher--a blend of house rosé, Hendrick's gin, lychee, and raspberry purée. Delicious and officially my drink of Summer 2026! Simple bar eats with an unexpected twist, and I loved every bite. The only thing that made it home was the rest of the sausage stack, and that was intentional! I love throwing them in the air fryer the next morning and pairing them with fried or boiled eggs. Yum!

A group of us visited Perry's Steakhouse in Oak Brook for a celebration dinner. We were sat in the…read moreprivate dining room which was just off the entry. A beautiful circular room that was glass enclosed with views of outside and the bar area. They had sheet curtains incase groups wanted a bit more privacy. The room also had a personal fan for air circulation and an independent speaker system to adjust music volume. For drinks, our group got a variety of cocktails, beer, and wine. I got the Hugo Spritz which was a great portion & tasted amazing. While some cocktails on menu were expensive, my Spritz was $14 and my friend's tito's dirty martini was only $13. Definitely consider just ordering a classic versus one of their mixology offerings if you're looking for a budget conscious option. For starters, we shared the Stuffed Mushrooms, Calamari, and Spinach & Artichoke Dip. The portions were good for sharing. The Stuffed Mushrooms had a seafood mix in them with a delicious sauce paired under. The Calamari had a hint of spicy to it but nothing crazy. The Spinach & Artichoke Dip had a good truffle note and was creamy; the dip could have used a few more chips but some individuals used the complimentary bread slices. Most individuals got a soup or salad before the mains. The Lobster Bisque Soup was rich and creamy with a good amount of lobster. Others tried the Caesar, Chop, and Field Green Pear Salads. The Pear Salad could have been shared by two people since it was a starter salad. Everyone raved about the flavors of these. For mains, most people got steaks and shared side dishes of Brussel Sprouts, Truffle Steak Fries, and Asparagus. The sides were shareable for 2-3 people I would say. I ordered the Seared Scallop Pasta and loved it! The noodles were al dente, two sauces paired nicely together, and loved the vegetables that brightened up the dish. For desserts, we shared the Rocky Road Bread Pudding, Fudgy Chocolate Cake, and Orange Vanilla Cream Cheesecake. Every option brought its own flavor and offered something for everyone. I tried the Bread Pudding and Chocolate Cake and WOW! I'd certainly order either one again. While all of the food, drinks, and atmosphere were great, I struggled some with the service. Our main server was Christine who guided us through the menu nicely, made sure the room was comfortable for us, and had a sweet demeanor. The pacing of food was a bit off where it felt like dishes were being taken off the table with a couple of bites left just to serve the next course. I'm not a fan of wasting food when out and I felt these little bites could have been saved and sent home with guests. If we paid for it, we should ALWAYS be asked. There were a couple of side requests that came to the table very delayed and one meal that came at the end of dinner. I'm sure it is difficult to manage a large group setting but I felt disappointed to see items wasted, pacing rushed, and certain people waiting to enjoy till additional items came.

Ok. I'm officially done. Before I start, yes I know Sundays are busy for any restaurant especially…read moreafter church. I came in at 330 on a Sunday to order cornbread. That's it. But I entered the soul food circus. The parking lot!!! As much money as they bring in it is night time to refigure the parking situation. It's cramped, no flow of in and out and it takes forever to get out. Or in. Once in, I waited to place the order but there was so much chaos! Wrong orders, orders never made, customers ordered items, waited only to be told the item they had been waiting on was sold out, changed the item and wait some more. Door dash and pickups were extremely chaotic and the waiting room was crowded. One woman was literally waiting 30 min on an extra order of potato salad. It seems like ordering ahead did not help cut down on anyone's wait time. I had no issues with staff. They remained professional in the midst of this chaos but I would just like to see more organization to their set up!!! I truly want to support local, especially POC, but I can't waste any more time hoping for them to get it together or revamp their systems. I can't speak to the taste of the food because I only order cornbread. After today, Jiffy Mix will be back in rotation because I can't handle this much chaos and stress.

I'm back, On a lunch date. been trying to catch me some oxtail at Priscilla. So I'll settle for the…read moresmothered chops, turkey greens, mashed potatoes and candied yams I love me some down home cooking. The services are amazingly pleasant and the place e is big and spacious.

Food was quick and fresh, soup was good as always...I didn't have any cheese curds but my grandson…read moreloves them We came out for the live music and Man was it good!!! Service was quick and out server was wonderful, friendly and well knowledgeable about the menu!

We were told we couldn't make a reservation so we arrived an hour early and had our name on the…read morewait list so we could watch the US match. Got there and learned that they had the upstairs closed (by the big TVs). They squeezed us into a much too-small table outside away from the small TVs. We asked several times for a bigger table but kept being told that someone had reserved that table. How? I wish we knew instead of waiting the hour for a bad table that won't fit our entrees. The hostess was so apologetic, but was clearly more interested in packing more people in at the tables than actually fit. I won't be recommending this place for watching matches again.

Mission BBQ never disappoints. We tried the burnt ends today for the first time, delicious! You…read morewill not find these on the menu, but you can request and they will make it. Thanks Antoinette for making sure the customers always feel welcomed. Your entire staff at the Downers Grove store is always so friendly and attentive.

Came here on a whim and was pleasantly surprised by how nice the experience was. The staff were…read moreextremely friendly and welcoming, and the manager even stopped by to say hello and made sure we were happy with our overall experience. The food was excellent, the brisket was tender, juicy and full of flavor, and the portions were generous. Prices felt fair for the quality and amount of food. The atmosphere was comfortable with large booths, although the décor was more political and patriotic than barbecue-focused, with a lot of war memorial and 9/11-related displays. Overall, the service and food were outstanding, and I would definitely recommend Mission BBQ.