Yana's has a really cool vibe. When you get there you'll ring a bell and a "special " door opens…read moreinto the restaurant. The ambiance, from the lighting, music and decor is very seductive! We had caviar and drinks that were served in fun glasses and were topped with pretty little flowers. The whole experience really blew us away! I could've stayed all night but it was a stretch on the pocketbook. I truly recommend Yana's especially if you want to impress your friends. Great experience all around!

We recently made our way to Yana's for an after dinner cocktail on Valentine's…read more They take reservations which is nice for a cocktail spot! We had reservations for 9pm and were able to be seated straight away. We arrived to find the address brought us to a barber shop. Fortunately, my husband had done some research and knew the drill--we made our way to a organ against a brick looking wall. On top of the organ was a bell--we rang the bell and shortly after the brick wall swung open and a woman came out to greet us. She had us play a tune on the organ and then brought us back into the speakeasy. The vibes are pitch perfect. Dimly lit with candles on tables and artful films playing on screens. We loved it. We were greeted straight away and brought water. You can also get a full meal here which we did not know but noted for our next visit. They had a special Valentine's menu as well as their regular cocktail menu. For my first cocktail, I got the paper plane which was light, lemony, and lovely with the adorable touch of a small paper plane pinned to the cocktail with a clothespin. For my second, I got one of their Valentine's specials which was essentially a Boulevardier made with a small float of mezcal on top. What an amazing addition to this classic cocktail! Truly, gave it added dimension, depth, and smoky flavor. I loved it. We also enjoyed their Valentine's dessert special, which was princess cake. It was a lovely blend of tart raspberry and warm almond--we loved it! The service was lovely throughout our experience. Get to it!

Popped in with some friends for cocktails on a Thursday evening. The interior was cute and…read moreeclectic, and we had no problem finding a table right away. Which made it a little disappointing when we were asked to move about ten minutes later to accommodate a large group that came and expected 15-20 seats. The cocktail menu had a good variety. I ordered a dirty martini, which was fine but not something I would seek out. The olives were standard olives and, maybe I'm a snob, but I kind of expect a blue cheese or garlic stuffed olive at a place where I'm paying $16 for a cocktail. For my second round, I got a vodka soda, which was exactly what I expected. We ordered french fries and truffle fries, both of which came out quickly. They were crispy and hot, a solid pairing for a dirty martini adventure. I'll definitely come back - I might stick to wine or a more basic cocktail next time - but I loved the vibe.

Next Door has a very cute interior and some nice couches out front to enjoy a drink with friends…read more They have a nice variety of cocktails, and the drinks came out in pretty glasses, but it was hard to look past the lack of knowledge by the staff. My group ordered our drinks and waited for around 15 minutes before the server came back out asking for our order once again. My friends all ordered cocktails and I ordered a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. The server clearly wasn't sure what Cabernet Sauvignon was since she repeated it back to me as Sauvignon blanc. I corrected her and the cocktails came out, but another server/bartender came out asking what I had ordered. I repeated once again a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. He brought out a glass of white wine. I had to tell him that Cabernet Sauvignon was a red wine, not white, and then finally got the correct drink. It was unfortunately at least 30 minutes of being there and four conversations before I got my drink. All in all, I was pretty disappointed. With the type of bar this place is aiming to be, I wouldn't expect it to be so difficult to get a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.

My hubby and I were looking for a place with good drinks and decided to try this place. We parked…read moreand almost passed by the place because its like a small little bar with very little signage. It was before 6pm so we were able to find a seat. I think they have seats for only 25 people so prepare to stand when it gets busy. Our bartender was Edward and he was really nice. I ordered a Tiramisu Martini and then a Porn Star Martini. They were both good, but I preferred the Porn Star one. We also ordered a Smash Burger, which was actually from Holt's, connected to this bar. That burger was tasty - brioche bun & onions = yum. The chips it came with were crunchy. The Bacon popcorn was good but way too salty for me. Im glad we found this little bar and plan on coming back in the future.

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.

I have been wanting to try this place because my sister was raving about it. When you first walk…read moreinto the place it's really nice. The service was great they were checking on us and following up on everything and very attentive. Now let's go to the food my sister recommended the shank I opted for the pork tank I think they also have a lamp one but the pork one was really good and super tender you don't even need a knife for it you just cut it with your fork or spoon in the meat comes off the bones right away. The pasta we ordered was also good came with the sausage it was the sausage rigatoni with sausage. My sister recommended the crispy brussel sprouts she said it was really good but we opted to go for the octopus I feel like the octopus was over seasoned a bit but it was cooked perfectly really tender. Will definitely be coming back to this place to try more stuff on their menu. Happy eating!

We had made a reservation a month in advance to try a new restaurant on Father's Day. However, as…read morethe day approached, the weather forecast consistently called for thunderstorms, heavy rain, and possible flash flooding. We decided it was not a good idea to drive to an unfamiliar area in inclement weather and canceled the reservation on Friday night. We were fortunate that Social Inn is close by and is a great restaurant for celebratory dining. Best of all, they still had reservation available. As it turned out, it was just light rain the entire evening on Father's Day, but we didn't regret the change at all. Although the restaurant was not filled to capacity, it was bustling with many families celebrating Father's Day, creating a festive vibe. It's the first time that we met the owner, Daniella, who's so warm and welcoming. She invited us to choose from available tables in three different dining areas. We selected the table right by the lounge that had a large TV, homey décor, couch and cocktail table. It was also right by the big window overlooking the small and charming front patio. Our server, Chis, was very friendly, pleasant, and attentive. I ordered a Lemonade ($3), my husband and daughter each enjoyed a glass of Mer Soliel Reserve Chardonnay (2 for $26). We shared a Grilled Octopus ($22) which was cooked to perfection. The warm, lightly charred pita points paired well with the creamy and tasty beet hummus. I had a Slow Roasted Lamb Shank ($39) which was tender and full of flavors. It was a very generous portion that I shared a big piece with my husband; and still had leftovers to take home. It made a delicious lamb sandwich for my next lunch. My husband liked his Spiked White Fish ($29) so much last time that he ordered it again. Our daughter enjoyed her order of Rigatoni Sausage ($23), another generously portioned dish that she couldn't quite finish. By the end of the meal, we were too full for individual desserts, so we shared a Crème Brûlée ($8), which was the perfect sweet ending. All in all, it was a wonderful dinner. With consistent delicious dishes, warm hospitality, comfortable seating, and a convenient location, we will definitely be back again.

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!

One of my FAVORITE restaurants!! Everything is good here!! The drinks, the service, the beautiful…read moreambience. I feel like this is my hidden gem. My sister and I have come for their brunch, happy hours, lunch, and dinner. Everytime I come here I like to try something different, but the beef empanadas are a must!! Always so good and flavorful. I can't recommend this place enough, you will not leave hungry or dissatisfied.

We were in the area and stopped in on a Sunday afternoon. They have a rare 'Happy Hour' on a…read moreSunday. We had great quac and chips, and some really good sliders. Sadly they had no tap beer due to a wedding the night before. (Never heard that one before...) We ended up with a gin and tonic and a Sea Breeze. It was not busy but it took a while to get the food and drinks. The staff were very pleasant but I could imagine if the place was jammed the wait time would have been far longer. It seemed there were only 2 staff on duty. If you are on a tight schedule, this place may not be the best choice... This was a nice bar overall. Very pleasant staff!!

Nice, upscale restaurant in downtown Glenview. We went for dinner on a Sunday night and the place…read morewas packed. We had the artichoke dip, steak tartare, fish and chips, steak frites and white fish. Everything was solidly good, not quite great. Portions were reasonable, prices were a little on the high side. Service was friendly, but a little slow. They were very busy so it's understandable. I'm very excited to have a high end restaurant in Glenview so I'm really rooting for them to dial things in as they mature.

Great restaurant, great vibe, and will go back. Love me a new restaurant and this checks the boxes…read more One quick review....you know the rules Food: Good food, good choices. Fish was a little dry but good Service: on top of it and great input on what to get and the restaurant Cocktails: great drinks as well. Will for sure go back...

Just had dinner here with a friend for the first time. The food, ambiance, and service (Emily) were…read moreall excellent. The tapas-style sharing plates were a great way to begin. We started with the Deviled Eggs with black truffles and candied bacon mousse. As delicious as it sounds. The Roasted Tomato Bruschetta - served deconstructed so you build your own - comes with whipped ricotta cheese. Next we had Asian Pork Dumplings and then the Pork Belly Bao Buns with an asian barbecue sauce, homemade pico jalapeño and a sriracha aioli. Crazy good! My friend also had the Alaskan Halibut and enjoyed it. I had a bite and thought it was a tad overcooked for my taste, but in all fairness, my friend thought it was good. The cocktails were excellent, as was the service throughout the evening (great job, Emily). Next time I'll bring my wife!

Nick Paul gave the best service, very attentive, kind, and funny! will definitely be coming here…read moreagain!

Our server at the Wonderverse recommended we stop in the Ghost Trap after dinner so we did. It's a…read moreneat 21 and over speakeasy with a bar and a handful of tables. I don't think there's table service here, we ordered and paid at the bar but they did bring the drinks out to the table. They had a few Ghostbusters themed drinks that aren't available at the restaurant. I had the Death Chill Slushie which was good and strong, I enjoyed that it came with a rock candy swizzle stick. Hubby had the Wax On Wax Off which was a little more sweet and more up my alley. Overall a nice place to grab a drink and relax for a bit. Cute for a date night.

Cute spot inside wonderverse! Glad we came during soft…read moreopening weekend because I can tell this place will be packed. Shout out to Hedeia (spelling may be off) at the bar. She was hustling and patient with the guests. Things to keep in mind: you are paying for the theme. Their specialty drinks run $20. Tip your bartenders appropriately on that amount. Recs for the team: qr code, menus on tables would be helpful for when the crowds pick up. Fun time!

933 Speakeasy is located inside Embers in Downtown Lockport. I loved that getting to the bar was…read moretruly an "in the know" experience. It just so happens that I visited the night of a holiday bar crawl in lockport so the inside wasn't set up how it normally would be. For being packed, we were still able to grab a cocktail table to enjoy our drinks at. The bar was decked out in holiday decor to get everyone in christmas spirits. My group got two rounds of drinks which included the Toasted Pecan Old Fashioned, Figgy Smalls, Christmas in a Cup, Happiness is a Warm Puppy, Milk & Cookies, and Maple Bacon Old Fashioned. My favorites by far were the Toasted Pecan Old Fashioned and Figgy Smalls. My group also loved the Milk & Cookies. The bartenders hustled to get drinks out and still took time to smoke the old fashioneds to perfection. I'd love to come back on a normal night and re-enjoy this lockport hotspot.

Ever since I learned that there was a speakeasy in Lockport i've always wanted to check it out but…read moreI didn't want to go there by myself so I finally convinced my wife to visit the Speakeasy with me. We figured it would have been the perfect way to top off our evening. For first-timers it might be hard trying to find the speakeasy since at first I thought you had to access it from the Busy Street and walk up three flights of stairs. Actually you just walk inside of the Embers building, find the elevator that's kind of hidden and take it to the Third floor. I thought that the little trip up felt exclusive already. Once you're at the third floor you are treated to a beautiful array of scenery. Exit to your left and you were treated to the bar and some great tables with a cozy, intimate setting. I'm not sure if it was open seating since there was a little podium right off the elevator so we just sat ourselves. Some speakeasies require a certain dress code to keep up with the times. This one thankfully was casual though many people dressed business casual. We actually loved how the staff dressed as well. I have to try their Japanese sex drink and I absolutely loved every ship that I took. The drinks are fairly price. They did have a food menu but it was mainly snacks and small plates that were a bit overpriced. If we're having a large Gathering they have a big private room next door. This place does have a lot of great events going on as well with their upcoming Valentine's Day event that looks really interesting. It does get pretty busy as well after 7:00 p.m. from our experience. Overall, I was excited and enjoyed our visit coming to the 933 speakeasy!