Glenview and nearby? Give me something good.

So the wife and I have a babysitter for Saturday afternoon and this is rare. We have tried a good portion of the recommendations in the city but on Saturday are heading up to ABT Electronics in Glenview. I know NOTHING about the North burbs or where may be a good place to eat up there. It doesn't necessarily have to be Glenview, but I'd love something on the way or in the area. The only place I think we've been up that direction even was Burt's Pizza (great, by the way). So if anyone has any suggestions on how to turn this break from the kids into a nice lunch/afternoon, I'd greatly appreciate it. Anything from a 15 dollar burger to a greasy Hot Dog stand is welcome but we're not necessarily going for fine dining. We'll probably be in sweatshirts and jeans.

Thanks again everyone.

If you go over to The Glen (formerly the Glenview Naval Air Station) you'll find a Disneyland of dining - mostly small, out-of-town chains. Yard House has 100+ beers on draft, Mitchell's has good, fresh seafood, and Flight (a non-chain) has pretty good, semi-upscale dining. There are quite a few others. It's worth wandering around and checking out menus.

nr706 wrote:If you go over to The Glen (formerly the Glenview Naval Air Station) you'll find a Disneyland of dining - mostly small, out-of-town chains. Yard House has 100+ beers on draft, Mitchell's has good, fresh seafood, and Flight (a non-chain) has pretty good, semi-upscale dining. There are quite a few others. It's worth wandering around and checking out menus.

I'm headed to the Yard House tonight; if noteworthy, I will post about.

Depending on the time and such there is always GNR Winner fRedhots & Fries. Certainly more towards the hotdog stand but you won't be out of place wearing sweats .

Abt is at the extreme western end of Glenview, which means it's very close to towns just to the west, such as Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, and "restaurant row" in Wheeling. If you want to go to a place that is truly LTH-worthy, I suggest going to Flamingo's Seafood in Mount Prospect, for their amazingly creative Mexican seafood. It will only take you maybe 15 minutes to drive there from Abt. Open for lunch 7 days, and grubby clothing is perfectly acceptable.

Flamingo's Seafood
1590 S. Busse Road
Mount Prospect IL
(847) 364-9988
Link to restaurant website
Link to LTH discussion

Easiest directions from Abt: Left out of the parking lot onto Milwaukee Avenue heading northwest. Go 1 mile to Euclid Avenue/West Lake Avenue and turn left, westbound. Go 3.4 miles to IL-83 and turn left, southbound. Go 3.7 miles to Dempster Street and turn right, westbound. Go 1.0 miles and when you cross Busse Road, it's on the corner on your right.

I also like the previously-mentioned Mitchell's Fish Market a lot. For example, I think it's much, MUCH better than Bob Chinn's. (Although both have fresh seafood, I think the preparations at Mitchell's are far tastier. I recommend the kung pao calamari appetizer, and the shang hai preparations on the entrees.)

And if you're just looking specifically for a good burger, from Abt you can head north on Milwaukee Avenue about 4.5 miles to Hackney's in Wheeling (241 S. Milwaukee Ave.).

David Hammond wrote:I'm headed to the Yard House tonight; if noteworthy, I will post about.

Hammond -

Don't get your hopes up. Hopleaf it ain't.

ChiNOLA wrote:

David Hammond wrote:I'm headed to the Yard House tonight; if noteworthy, I will post about.

Hammond -

Don't get your hopes up. Hopleaf it ain't.

Oh, I'm sure, but I figure with 100 beers, I should be able to find something interesting.

Disneyland is a good way to describe those places in the Glen. On Saturday it'll probably be a zoo. I would go to Flamingo's, Periyali, Cafe Lucci or Prairie Gass in Northbrook-- checking to make sure they are not closed for lunch on a Saturday.

David Hammond wrote:

ChiNOLA wrote:

David Hammond wrote:I'm headed to the Yard House tonight; if noteworthy, I will post about.

Hammond -

Don't get your hopes up. Hopleaf it ain't.

Oh, I'm sure, but I figure with 100 beers, I should be able to find something interesting.

Strictly beer-wise, you'll do OK, but the food is pretty weak. To illustrate, the last time I ate there, I ordered a burger medium rare & was told that they cannot cook burgers less than medium due to "corporate policy".

ChiNOLA wrote:Strictly beer-wise, you'll do OK, but the food is pretty weak.

I can basically second that - it's corporate bar food. But they do make an effort to serve some of their beers - the Belgians, especially - in traditional glassware.

bibi rose wrote:Disneyland is a good way to describe those places in the Glen. On Saturday it'll probably be a zoo.

Not necessarily. Oh sure, there will be plenty of people shopping at the stores and going to the movies, but they have tons of parking in the big parking garages/lots behind the stores on the west side of Tower Drive (and space is often available in the smaller garages/lots behind the shops on the east side, too). I don't know about the Yard House, but Mitchell's isn't usually all that crowded during lunchtime, Saturday or any other day.

Link to the Glen Town Center website
Link to store directory (.pdf format, with map showing location of parking garages/lots)

bibi rose wrote:I would go to Flamingo's, Periyali, Cafe Lucci or Prairie Gass in Northbrook-- checking to make sure they are not closed for lunch on a Saturday.

As previously mentioned, Flamingo's is open all day for lunch, seven days a week. Periyali is open for lunch on Saturdays. Prairie Grass Cafe serves brunch on Saturdays as well as Sundays; it is on the far side of Northbrook from Abt, slightly further from Abt than Flamingo's. Cafe Lucci is not open for lunch on Saturdays.

Abt is just a few miles south of either Bob Chinn's. A mile or two further and you'll hit Osteria Di Tramonto.

Bob Chinn's Crabhouse
393 S. Milwaukee Ave
Wheeling IL 60090

Osteria Di Tramonto
601 N Milwaukee Ave
Wheeling, IL

Best,
Michael

Thanks guys (and girls)...as always a great help. I think we'll take the advice on going to "The Glen" and let the wife decide what kind of food she's in the mood for...I may overstated our sloppiness by the way, I just meant jeans and casual in case people were thinking I may have been requesting a 5 star restaurant or something, but I appreciate the ribbing either way.

Is anyone else kind of freaked out by The Glen? It always reminds me of the Truman Show.

I would go to Flamingo's.

"Anything from a 15 dollar burger to a greasy Hot Dog stand is welcome but we're not necessarily going for fine dining. We'll probably be in sweatshirts and jeans. "

Right near Chinn's is that Hackney's if you're in the mood for a 15 buck burger. Charlie Beinlich's in Northbrook too. These areas are my lunch stomping grounds during the week. Knowing what I know, I'd save $, and get a great 1/2 lb burger a little trip west on Dundee road at Market Square. It's a diner - nothing fancy at ALL. I'd do a patty melt and a turkey rueben. The sides will all be standard diner quality - don't expect too much. Chili is vile. If you are lucky enough to have split pea soup offered, by all means, go for it. Your sammiches will make up for any shortcomings with the other food, and the price will make you happy as well.

Market Square Restaurant
600 West Dundee Road
Wheeling, Illinois 60090-2673

You can also give that Pita Inn a whirl. It's right there. Matter of fact, heck, here's the Northbrook lunch thread:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=8547&highlight=northbrook+cheap

jesteinf wrote:Is anyone else kind of freaked out by The Glen? It always reminds me of the Truman Show.

I would go to Flamingo's.

Disneyland and now the Truman show? I'm getting scared. Isn't it just an outdoor mall or something? What am I missing here? I figured the wife would like all of the shopping options while also having a bunch of restaurants to choose from all in one location. Maybe take in a movie too.

I'm so used to city life that these little suburban meccas of consumerism can occasionally be a treat-no driving store to store etc...I brave Oak Brook mall with her about once a year and I can handle that just fine (the scantily clad suburban girls certainly don't hurt to pass the time people watching) so I'm sure I can handle this place. I think.

Flamingo's and fRedhots are both fine suggestions, based on my experience.

Also, I really like Siam's House in Niles, which is only a couple miles down Milwaukee Avenue from Abt.

Another place I had a very nice meal recently was Kochijip, a tiny Korean spot in a strip mall in Glenview, also on Milwaukee Avenue.

And I second the recommendation for Cafe Lucci in Glenview, which I posted about not too long ago on this thread. I thought their food was surprisingly good.

Last but certainly not least, I do love Prairie Grass Cafe but it's relatively far east from where you'll be. That said, they have an excellent brunch on Saturdays that runs from 10 am to 2 pm.

=R=

Siam's House
7742 N Milwaukee Ave
Niles, IL 60714
847 967-2390

Kochijip Restaurant
773 Milwaukee Avenue
Glenview, IL 60025
847 486-8048

Cafe Lucci
609 Milwaukee Ave
Glenview, IL 60025
847 729-2268

Prairie Grass Cafe
601 Skokie Blvd
Northbrook, IL 60062
847 205-4433

DitkaFan wrote:I brave Oak Brook mall with her about once a year and I can handle that just fine (the scantily clad suburban girls certainly don't hurt to pass the time people watching) so I'm sure I can handle this place. I think.

LOL!!
Aaaah - Oak Brook in summer.....

Gusto Ristorante at Carillon Sq. (just north of the corner of Lake and Waukegan in Glenview) is a good choice for classic Italian.

Moondoggies at the corner of Lake/Euclid and Milwaukee (SW corner) is good for burgers, fries, grilled chicken, and '50s nostalgia -- and it's just a few blocks north of Abt.

On Milwaukee south of Abt, you run into a long line of places, as you enter Niles. Pita Inn, Periyali, a Korean place (sorry, can't remember the name), and then just turn right on Golf (west -- I'm assuming you're heading south from Abt) and in a few blocks you reach Golf Glen, where Cid's Ma Mon Luk and Filipiniana are options, and Mykonos (on the north side of Golf shortly after you turn off of Milwaukee) is great for Greek. Or instead, turn left (east) and turn into Four Flags mall and go to the back to Himalayan. While you're in this general area, you can go crazy shopping at Asian grocery stores, as well.

And everything else that has been stated is also good.

Hi,

If I had to choose between Cid's Ma Mon Luk and Filipiniana, then go to Cid's. I have been to Filipiniana's buffet, which is pretty mediocre. They do a good halo-halo dessert, though it is not enough to get me to go there.

Regards,

DitkaFan wrote:Disneyland and now the Truman show? I'm getting scared. Isn't it just an outdoor mall or something? What am I missing here? I figured the wife would like all of the shopping options while also having a bunch of restaurants to choose from all in one location. Maybe take in a movie too.

I'm so used to city life that these little suburban meccas of consumerism can occasionally be a treat-no driving store to store etc...I brave Oak Brook mall with her about once a year and I can handle that just fine (the scantily clad suburban girls certainly don't hurt to pass the time people watching) so I'm sure I can handle this place. I think.

Go there. It's fine. Some people don't like it because it's a pre-planned community. It's on the site of Glenview Naval Air Station, and the former control tower is still there at the center of the entire development (hence the name Tower Drive). I think they did a nice job of it. The development is called The Glen, of which I think the Town Center portion refers to the commercial area centered on Tower Drive. There are a variety of housing options throughout the development - single family, townhouses, etc. They created a whole new dining and shopping district from scratch, the stretch of Tower Drive we're talking about. It looks a little artificial, just because it was planned and seems to be laid out perfectly, and also because it's new so all the trees are tiny, unlike the massive arboreal foliage in the older, surrounding communities. What it has to offer, in addition to lots of dining options (as mentioned) and a few big box stores and movie theaters (ditto), is a museum about the air base (a nice touch), and the shopping options also include a location of Callebaut chocolatiers (that's good stuff there) as well as a location of the Artisan Shop for hand-made American crafts. So your instincts are correct - you really can have a good time spending the day there. I suggest you check it out and judge for yourself.

ronnie_suburban wrote:I really like Siam's House in Niles

Wow, we hated it when we tried it a couple months ago. Oh well.

ronnie_suburban wrote:And I second the recommendation for Cafe Lucci in Glenview

As previously noted, Cafe Lucci is not open for lunch on Saturdays.

nsxtasy wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:I really like Siam's House in Niles

Wow, we hated it when we tried it a couple months ago. Oh well.

LOL! As they say, there's no accounting for taste

nsxtasy wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:And I second the recommendation for Cafe Lucci in Glenview

As previously noted, Cafe Lucci is not open for lunch on Saturdays.

True, but since others with different parameters will likely view this thread in the future, I wanted to make the recommendation, regardless. That said, they do open at 4 pm on Saturdays.

=R=

DitkaFan wrote:Thanks guys (and girls)...as always a great help. I think we'll take the advice on going to "The Glen" and let the wife decide what kind of food she's in the mood for...I may overstated our sloppiness by the way, I just meant jeans and casual in case people were thinking I may have been requesting a 5 star restaurant or something, but I appreciate the ribbing either way.

Don't expect anything too much better than the aptly described "Disneyland" type mall food at any of the restaurants in The Glen. It's all corporate chain type eating. Think TGI Fridays dressed up or down a notch (depending on your choice).

Abt has free (and hot from the oven) chocolate chip cookies and coffee on weekends, so you could just do like many people: grab a handful and settle in to watch one of the big screen tvs. If you've never been to Abt, you'll find it hard to spend less than a few hours, as it less a store than a museum of electronics and appliances (albeit a profitable one). I've been spending lots of time this week with Abt repairmen, as my six-year old double oven (Kitchenaid) stopped working (actually, first it took to turning on by itself, heating up to a million degrees and then locking shut, then refusing to turn off; now it's just dead), and despite two visits and two days down the drain, no combination of appliance repairmen and electricians has been able to bring it back to life. Abt service is really admirable, though; Monday the head of service is coming out to see what's going on. I am calm despite the fact that my in-laws arrive next week to spend the holidays with us; since they are Jewish they've never really been happy with the ham anyway, so it may well be Chinese food for us, too, this Xmas.

jesteinf wrote:Is anyone else kind of freaked out by The Glen? It always reminds me of the Truman Show.

For me, it's not so much the mall, but it's more the neighborhoods of "perfect cookie cutter" homes that remind me of The Truman Show.

Back to the OP, Pizano'sopened up a branch in Glenview:
1808 Waukegan Rd
Glenview, IL 60025
(847) 486-1777

jesteinf wrote:Is anyone else kind of freaked out by The Glen? It always reminds me of the Truman Show.

For me, it's not so much The Truman Show as it is Pleasantville before they got color. The Glen gives me the willies!

Pucca wrote:Pizano'sopened up a branch in Glenview

Do you know for sure that they are actually open now? The website only says "coming soon" for that location, and I just tried phoning and got no answer. Given that it's 5 p.m. on Friday, that makes me think they're not open yet.

Another place for deep-dish pizza near Abt is Giordano's on Golf Road in Niles.

stevez wrote:For me, it's not so much The Truman Show as it is Pleasantvillebefore they got color. The Glen gives me the willies!

Don't forget Stepford.

And yet I go every now and then, and don't hate it. It's fun to go as a tourist and see if you can get out before you turn into one of them.

Of places there I've been, the one I don't loathe is Mitchell's Fish House.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

If I had to choose between Cid's Ma Mon Luk and Filipiniana, then go to Cid's. I have been to Filipiniana's buffet, which is pretty mediocre. They do a good halo-halo dessert, though it is not enough to get me to go there.

Regards,

Yeah -- at Filipiniana, a la carte is a safer bet than the buffet. It's not my favorite Filipino restaurant, but it can be pretty good if you don't have the buffet. But I agree -- IF you can get in (and that can be a pretty big IF), Cid's is better, and cheaper, too.

nsxtasy wrote:

Pucca wrote:Pizano'sopened up a branch in Glenview

Do you know for sure that they are actually open now? The website only says "coming soon" for that location, and I just tried phoning and got no answer. Given that it's 5 p.m. on Friday, that makes me think they're not open yet.

Oops, no I don't know for fact. I was at the Loop location 2 weeks ago, and there were signs that their Glenview location opened. Hopefully this will help someone in the future!