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Cafe Pyrenees
Category:
Local Favorite
701 Milwaukee Rd Ste 316
Vernon Hills,
Illinois 60061
We're in town visiting Chicago and Great America, and I came across this restaurant on Citysearch....
More 7 months ago
We're in town visiting Chicago and Great America, and I came across this restaurant on Citysearch. After reading all of the great reviews, we decided to give it a try as it was only a few minutes from our hotel.
We called to see if they have a kid's menu; they don't have a dedicated one, but were so flexible in wanting to create something that our kids would enjoy. When we arrived, there was first a complimentary wine tasting of 5 of their wines; this gave us an excellent preview of what we were wanting to drink for dinner! On top of that, their wines were 50% off, so we got an excellent bottle for $14.
After we ordered from Alejandro, our waiter, the owner Mari came by and took our 5-year-old on a personal tour of the kitchen (along with complimentary ice cream). She treated us like family.
Our dinner rates among the best we've ever had; Duck Duo was succulent and paired well with our wine, as did the Beef Bourgignon. Our children's meals were beautifully prepared and all of us gave it a 5-star rating. For dessert, more ice cream, a chocolate banana crepe, and the Delices des Pyrennes, a rich chocolate mousse combo.
Then the best part...the total bill, wine and all, was a whopping $97. We've had dinners for 3 times this amount that haven't come close.
If we were residents of Libertyville, this would be our new favorite restaurant...a truly wonderful start to our Chicago-area vacation.
Pros: Amazing food, personal service, great wines, affordable!
Cons: None to speak of
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Opa Estiatorio
Category:
Romantic Dining
950 Lakeview Pkwy
Vernon Hills,
Illinois 60061
The keys to a great restaurant are:
Don't take on more than you can handle
Use fresh ingredients...
More 1 year ago
The keys to a great restaurant are:
Don't take on more than you can handle
Use fresh ingredients that take advantage of the local supplies
Cook everything possible fresh
Prepare the food consistently without over or under cooking
Don't make the guests feel intimidated by the menu, especially in a non-American restaurant
Get the food out in a reasonable amount of time
Opa does all of these things flawlessly, all while staying true to their Greek roots. When I first saw the HUGE menu, I thought that they had taken on too many items. However, many of them are variations on the same types of food (grape leaves, lamb, meats, eggplant, etc.). This is a huge positive, because they have found a brilliant way to create a huge, varied menu without overstressing the cooking staff. This is the sign of a genius owner and/or head chef. So right there - HUGE plus.
I order an appetizer, vegetable, a 3-item combination plate, and dessert (I was REALLY hungry!!). My wife ordered an appetizer, vegetable, stuffed grape leaves entree, and dessert. Between the two of us, every items was flawlessly prepared. The chicken was not overcooked but was thoroughly cooked as well as nice and juicy. The lamb was soft, tender, pink in the middle, and full of flavor. The stuffed grape leaves were, to steal an Italian term, al dente, and the stuffing meat was cooked to a perfect medium. Let me repeat that -- the GROUND STUFFING was cooked to a perfect medium. That is downright difficult, especially with a 3/4ths full dining room on a Tuesday. The dessert was fresh, light, and very rich without feeling heavy.
The waitstaff are cheerful and flawless - I'd go into more detail if I had more room in this review.
Combine all that with a great wine list, and you've got a 5-star restaurant. Everyone will enjoy themselves here, so get yourself to Vernon Hills and have a great Greek dinner!
Pros: Great menu, fresh food, friendliest service for miles, and flavorful sauces
Cons: Maybe just too much white in the dining room (yeah - that's all I can think of...)
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Peacock India
Category:
Restaurants
700 N Milwaukee Ave Ste 130
Vernon Hills,
Illinois 60061
(847) 816-3100
If you're craving for tandoori chicken or chicken makhani with a South Indian flare, try this...
More 1 year ago
If you're craving for tandoori chicken or chicken makhani with a South Indian flare, try this restaurant out in Vernon Hills. Their lunch buffet is...
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The food, Italian with a contemporary spin, is splendid, and worth every penny. The difference...
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The food, Italian with a contemporary spin, is splendid, and worth every penny. The difference between Portofino and other socalled "Italian" restaurants is notable. The fresh seafood dishes are especially exceptional, so are the pasta dishes, with particular appeal being in the stuffed pasta family---raviolini di zucca, for example, is my favorite. The portions are generous, the fresh baked bread is limitless, and the atmosphere is Chicago's closest to the Italian Riviera. The wine list is extensive and offers some interesting Italian wines that are rare in this country. The net of all this is that Portofino is a restaurant for that special occasion or to impress a client or that extraspecial someone. Equally as impressive is the managing partner, Danny Legatos who makes each trip feel like home. Always a memorable experience....
Pros: Fresh authentic food, Ambiance, Service and value.
Cons: None.
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Peacock India
Category:
Indian & Pakistani Restaurants
700 N Milwaukee Ave Ste 130
Vernon Hills,
Illinois 60061
This is the BEST there is and as close to India you can get. Wonderful owner and staffs. ...
More 1 year ago
This is the BEST there is and as close to India you can get. Wonderful owner and staffs. Friendly, warm and you are treated like a King or Queen. Makes you want to go again and again. Excellent dishes, the softest Indian bread and delicious curries. Go and enjoy.
Pros: Thumbs up
Cons: None
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Tasty Thai
Category:
Restaurants
276 Hawthorn Vlg Comm
Vernon Hills,
Illinois 60061
(847) 367-1980
I love this place. I come here often with my boyfriend and friends. I've tried all their noodle...
More 1 year ago
I love this place. I come here often with my boyfriend and friends. I've tried all their noodle dishes, which are all full of flavor and nicely por...
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Yummy. Cant go wrong here! I've tried them all, but Rammys Hot Sub Sandwiches stand out and above...
More 1 year ago
Yummy. Cant go wrong here! I've tried them all, but Rammys Hot Sub Sandwiches stand out and above the rest. I would definitely recommend this place to a friend, in fact, I already brought my co-workers here and we make a point to visit Rammys once a week. My top three are the 2x4(clever play on words), the italian beef (always gr8), and the turkey. My fav is the turkey with xtra crispy bacon - yum! I kid you not, try this place out at least once, youre sure to go back. mangia-mangia.
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Hawthorn Coins & Cards
Category:
Baseball Cards & Sports Memorabilia
636 Hawthorn Ctr
Vernon Hills,
Illinois 60061
(847) 680-1660
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If you are looking for a fun, exciting atmosphere mixed with delicious Japanese cuisine, you HAVE...
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If you are looking for a fun, exciting atmosphere mixed with delicious Japanese cuisine, you HAVE to come to Tsukasa! They have the best food, hands down, that I have ever had from a Japanese restaurant. The chefs are brilliant, and make sure the entire table is having fun while cooking up the freshest food in front of you. The food (especially the golden shrimp) is to die for! The filet mignon will not leave even the most picky eater hungry! Try this place out, you will not be disapointed!!
Pros: fresh, exciting, delicious
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Barnes & Noble always has very helpful employees. Each time I am in search for a book that is...
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Barnes & Noble always has very helpful employees. Each time I am in search for a book that is not available, the employees have been more than willing to help me track it down. There is also a cafe in the back where you can study and read. Barnes and Nobles members get discounts on books and drinks. You can sign up anytime for a small fee.
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