Pinstripes in Northbrook

This is described as an American-Italian bistro that also has bowling and indoor bocce courts. The activities look fun but I am unsure of the food. Has anyone been there?

Pinstripes
1150 Willow Rd.
Northbrook, IL 60062
847-480-7676

I went there a year ago about a month after they opened and ate in the resturant as aposde to eating off the same menu while playinng bowling or bocce. We ordered the fried calamari as an apatizer and it was served with what they claimed was marinaria sauce, but tasted like tomato bisque soup. I asked the server about it and they said that it was marinaria sauce. I also remember that everything on the menu seemed to come with pesto on it. I don’t remember everything, but I don’t think any of the food was that good. There was also a server working in the resturant that was sweating so much that the entire back of his blue dress shirt was wet, you would think they would have pulled that server off the floor. The whole meal was really bad, so they gave us 50% off and we would not recommend going back. Maybe things have changed by now, but I doubt it.

Was there last fall and was underwhelmed by the perfunctory food, which is mainly geared towards undiscerning kids, imo. Sliders seemed like they were cooked with avoiding litigation as the primary goal, pizza was no better than average, deep-fried mac & cheese was dry and disappointing.

All the staff members with whom we interacted were remarkably friendly and professional. The space is bright, cheery and nicely-designed, and the concept itself -- real food while bowling/gaming in a lounge atmosphere -- has a lot of potential. But, I think the execution wasn't that great and they've pretty much set the bar at 'lowest common denominator.'

=R=

I had my first (and probably last) dining experience there last Sunday. We were a group of 13 with a reservation. When we arrived at 7, the restaurant was a 1/3 full tops. We still had to wait for them to set up the private room for us.

Besides the room being freezing cold, the music was annoyingly loud. No, I'm not a crabby old guy. When we asked if they could turn the music down so we could have normal conversation, they couldn't do that because there is only one volume setting for the entire restaurant.

The food was nothing special. IMO, a rather odd combination of items to choose from. Our server appeared to be fairly new on the job. Although he did do a good job of keeping the bread basket full and beverages refilled. They messed up two of the orders. They were promptly corrected.

I guess the highlight of the evening would be that another member of our group picked up the check.

I've been meaning to post about this place for a while. It seems to me that this may truly be a case of YMMV. While, personally, Pinstripes might not be my first choice for a dining spot, I have eaten there twice: once with a family group that included 4 young children (we ate outside on the patio, which worked well as the kids could play on the lawn while the adults finished their meals and conversation), and a second time (inside) with a larger group (14) of adults celebrating a friend's birthday.

I certainly defer to Ronnie's more sophisticated palate, but I have to say that I was initially skeptical, but then pleasantly surprised by Pinstripes' food. I had fish both times, first a salmon dish with very yummy garlic spinach and then a pine nut-encrusted halibut with asparagus, spinach, and risotto--both were very well-prepared and delicious, the fish was moist (and no pesto in sight). In fact, I just looked at Pinstripes' menu to refresh my memory, and only 3 dishes (out of more than 50 items--appetizers, pizzas, soups, salads, pastas, and entrees) mention pesto....

At the second dinner, a young couple from Manhattan (as in NY, not IL) admitted that they had been more than a little leery about eating in "a bowling alley." But they too said that the food far exceeded their expectations and even ordered a second round of the bruschetta sampler, which they especially liked, for the table. In fact, everybody at both dinners seemed to enjoy their food immensely.

Service on both occasions was very good, very efficient, and very friendly. My son and his wife also tell me they have eaten there several times and have never had a bad meal.

Maybe the difference in experience is due to expectations going in, or maybe to the type of food ordered (rather than sliders and pizza, we were ordering from the more expensive "large plates" section of the menu). Also I note that Ronnie and verno6000 were there last year, while our latest visit was this summer, so maybe Pinstripes has improved its menu to some extent. It's certainly neither an haute cuisine restaurant nor an ethnic or neighborhood discovery (which is what many of us in LTH are looking for). But neither is it (thank goodness!) in the TGIFriday's/Applebee's/Chili's/Olive Garden* vein. So, for what it is, I think Pinstripes has its place, offering a selection of tasty food, good service, and fun activities to a wide range of age groups. My current "to-try" list of restaurants is so long that I don't know if I will be back any time soon, but I would definitely go back....

*Pinstripes is not part of any chain--yet, as far as I know, but I do see where they just opened a second location in South Barrington last month.

1150 Willow Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 480-2323

100 West Higgins Road
South Barrington, IL 60010
(847) 844-9300

Some friends are going there this weekend for their grade school reunion and they are excited about it.

Tarte, I don't think it's a case of palate sophistication -- least of all, mine . The point you make about the different areas of the menu is probably worth noting. You had some more serious, adult-oriented entrees. We just had some kid-oriented bar snacks.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Some friends are going there this weekend for their grade school reunion and they are excited about it.

My 20th HS reunion will be there tomorrow..but i won't be there

I like Pinstripes. We've been there for dinner a few times. I got a pasta dish that was great and I love the bread served with the pesto.

We love sitting outdoors and listen to the live music on Friday nights.

You can sit in the adirondack chairs around the outdoor fire.

I've been to Pinstripes in Northbrook more then a few times all during work lunchs. I'm amazed how good the food is especially the fish entrees, I wasn't expecting much from a sports themed place like Pinstripes.

We've been invited to the South Barrington location tomorrow night for a Terlato wine pairing dinner -- planning to play a few rounds of bocce afterwards.

I went again since my last post (for work), I can't remember exactly what I had, but thought it had to many components and spices for what should have been a simpler dish. It also seemed a little lukewarm and made in a big batch before hand, which might explain why I think it was something called Italian meatloaf. Maybe I should have thought twice about ordering something called Italian meatloaf.

The fish I had on the two previous visits was fresh cooked well.

Pinstripes Inc. is bringing its mixture of bowling, bocce and banquets to a former warehouse in Streeterville, ratcheting up competition for entertainment dollars in the downtown neighborhood.

Northbrook-based Pinstripes leased 33,000 square feet on the ground and lower levels in River East Plaza, the 109-year-old brick loft building at McClurg Court and Illinois Street, said company founder and CEO Dale Schwartz.

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/a ... eterville#