Claimjumper

Has anyone been to either of the locations yet?? (Lombard and Hoffman Estates). I went to the one in HE for dinner right after they opened and I was pretty impressed, then I tried to go there the other night and there was a 2.5 hour wait for a table!!

What do you all think about Claimjumper?

i believe there is also one opening in wheeling/buffalo grove, by the new hotel that's going up on lake cook and milwaukee.

i've been to one in seattle, the food is very cheesecake factoryish (large portions, diverse menu). i didn't see the appeal of it.

We used to go there a lot in SoCal. The food was pretty good but the portions are ridiculously large. You could easily feed two people with one entree and have better than average chance of having leftovers.

I woudl have no objections to eating there but it is not worth a long wait ... of course, what place is?

jlawrence01 wrote:I woudl have no objections to eating there but it is not worth a long wait ... of course, what place is?

Johnnies?

Been to the Lombard location about 3 times over the past year. After this last time, I don't feel any particular need to go back. Nothing bad, just nothing spectacular. They took one of my favorite appetizers off of the menu (spicy buffalo chicken rolls). They are also a little pricy. The interior of the Lombard location is HUGE but gorgeous if you like the woodsy, fireplace type (I do). Just nothing special. Too much else to try out there!!

I had to go to the Claim Jumper location in Wheeling yesterday for a work related lunch. Figured I'd play it safe and order a cheese burger with a side salad. Maybe I'm shooting fish in a barrel, but this place just smacks of corporate chefs and market research, specifically research that indicates their diners want additional sugar added to their food when ever and where ever possible. The old west theme and scattershot menu is a post for another day. My burger had a sickeningly sweet ketchup/relish mixture that I was luckily able to wipe off after the first bite. There's a time and a place for salty and sweet, but this wasn't it. My salad with blue cheese dressing had croutons made from sweet bread. Ick. The corporate chefs who source their products have also managed to find burger patties that will remain dry and juiceless even when cooked to a perfect pink medium. Bravo. I'm not a total chain restaurant hater, honest. The pickle that came with my burger was pretty good. The last item to provoke my contempt was their chocolate cake. It's literally 2 feet tall and looks like a stovepipe top hat without a brim. Stupid.

Claim Jumper
WHEELING, IL
781 N Milwaukee
847.520.9922

I loved the large portions served at Claim Jumper's in AZ. There's no exception at the Claim Jumper near Woodfield mall, it's good food for the price. (it's a better Friday's/Chili's if you want a comparison)

I ate at Claim Jumper in Wheeling last fall, and I was quite disappointed. I should note that I don't automatically have a negative predisposition towards chains the way some on this board do. I was hoping that it might be similar to the Cheesecake Factory, which I think is quite good. Unfortunately, it just wasn't very good, for food or for service; among the chains, I would call it a significant step down from Friday's or Chili's.

Our server took our first order of a round of drinks, then took forever to bring them. We then started with their "Appetizer Combo": Artichoke, Buffalo Wings, Zucchini, Mozzarella Sticks, Parmesan Garlic Rings, Loaded Skins, Cheese Potatocake & Southwest Eggroll. The rings were tasteless, the artichoke was tasteless, ... you get the idea. We also had the calamari appetizer, and although they were somewhat tasteless, they were actually surprisingly tender, one of the few high spots. We had salads that were okay (it's kind of hard to ruin a salad). After we had taken about three bites of the salad, they brought the main courses, so we were juggling plates and snarfing down food to make room. One member of our party ordered a tri tip steak medium rare, and it arrived well done (no pink at all). When this was pointed out to the server, he brought another, which arrived medium well (but at least it arrived quickly). The tri tip was also WAY too overseasoned and peppery. I had the prime rib, which was okay - not the best I've ever had (which would be at the Black Ram in Des Plaines), but not the worst either. Could have been more tender, but I've had some that are more chewy than theirs. It came with mashed potatos with a huge pool of gravy I could have done without. I also ordered a side of peanut Thai slaw which was not very good at all.

For dessert, I got the English toffee pudding, which was good (not as good as at Aigre Doux though), and their best dessert IMHO. Others had the green tea and ginger creme brulee (it was okay) and the deep-dish berry pie (not very good - very plain pie crust, soupy contents).

Where Claim Jumper distinguishes itself is in quantity, not quality. Their portion sizes are enormous, particularly the desserts. Their chocolate layer cake is well over a foot tall, and one slice can easily serve four people. (I am NOT exaggerating.) So can their "I Declare" version of an eclair. Oh, I should note that they have two categories of desserts - big desserts ($9-11) and little (i.e. normal-sized) desserts ($3-4). The toffee pudding and creme brulee were in the latter category. But even many of the savory courses came in large portion sizes, and they encourage you to get the large sizes. For example, a 16-ounce portion of prime rib is quite large. The Claim Jumper offers two sizes of prime rib: a 16-ounce portion for $28, and a 24-ounce portion for $30. At those prices, you would be a fool not to get the larger portion size, even if it just means you'll be taking the additional eight ounces home.

The decor is nice - kind of generic "chain restaurant" with a big bar, an "exposed" (but not rough-hewn) beam look, a few big-screen televisions over the bar (the dining room is huge, so these were not a distraction while dining). It was a fun place, where you could get a bit loud if you wanted and no one would mind - but, by the same token, it was LOUD, so if you're looking for a place where you can hear all the members of your party easily, it might not be the best. People were dressed *extremely* casually, significantly more sloppy than I would have expected (really, "anything goes" would be an accurate description); this is not how people typically dress in comparably-priced suburban chain restaurants.

I can see why they do such a big business: casual attire, generally reasonable prices, and huge portion sizes. But when you come down to it, the food was mediocre (some things were good, others were not, nothing was "to die for") and the service was erratic. We haven't been back.

lk wrote:Has anyone been to either of the locations yet?? (Lombard and Hoffman Estates). I went to the one in HE for dinner right after they opened and I was pretty impressed, then I tried to go there the other night and there was a 2.5 hour wait for a table!!

What do you all think about Claimjumper?

What was it that you found impressive? (I'm not challenging, but with the damning commentary above, I'm curious).

I have been to the one in Lombard several times now and agree with most of the other posts that quantity is their thing and not quality. Their drinks are on the expensive side and seem to be more "filler" and very low on alcohol. My dining companion and I sat at the bar at one visit and watched each bartender very carefully measure each shot and actually pour alcohol out when they had too much in the glass. We ordered the Garlic Parmesan onion rings as an appetizer and were extremely disappointed as there was absolutely no flavor of garlic to be found and very little parmesan either. We both had the fish n chips and they were just ok. The first visit we went there, the fries were the extremely thin very small crisp fries that I absolutely love. The next time we went back, they said they were no longer using this type of fries and they had thicker ,steak cut style fries which I am not too fond of.

Dessert was not bad, we shared the bread pudding and it was pretty good. On another visit we shared the massive eclair and I would not recommend that. It had a strange flavor to the filling, canned or something else. The only good part was the excellent chocolate fudge topping.

We will not be back most likely unless friends really want to visit and we can't persuade them to go elsewhere.

nsxtasy wrote: I also ordered a side of peanut Thai slaw which was not very good at all.

I also have no interest in bashing chains at all. I like a few things at a few chains, though I can't think of what they are right now - but that's not important. Nsxtasy's post here reminded me of when I went to Claimjumper after getting a gift card. Not to be a jerk, but I posted about my meal there in the thread titled "Worst Thing You've Eaten Lately" It's halfway down this page

That "Thai peanut slaw" was absolutely disgusting. The server we had billed it as a "must try." It was one of those things that just ruined any chance I had of enjoying any other part of the meal. One bite. Crunchy cabbage, onion, vinegar, sesame oil, and the foremost ingredient was sugar. Like, give you shudders amount of sugar. I should have spit it out. Anyway, I'm really posting this to steer some ppl away from the slaw unless you like sugar frosted cabbage flakes. Honestly, I get the heebie jeebies just thinking about it.

Is this chain any relation to the 80's restaurant on Clark called "Claim Company"? I just always remembered that place & the name of this place always sounded like it.

And on that note, anyone remember the restaurant on Lincoln in the 80's called "2350" it was down the street from Children's Memorial Hospital. I always liked that place, young pup that I was back then ;>

And while we are on memory lane - anyone remember Clark Street Cafe?

Just tripping down memory lane...

It had been hyped by friends, so I tried the Lombard location a few months ago with my parents in tow. Nobody was impressed, unanimous not to return.

Now, my parents sometimes get in the mood for the Oak Brook location of the Cheesecake Factory after I took them to the Prudential Center location in Boston for a late lunch, so none of us are adverse to corporate food. But the claim jumper's menu was just not appealing, and the food was very uninspiring.

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:Is this chain any relation to the 80's restaurant on Clark called "Claim Company"?

I don't think there's any connection. If you Google — "claim company" site:lthforum.com — you'll find plenty of information on the old restaurant.

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:And on that note, anyone remember the restaurant on Lincoln in the 80's called "2350" it was down the street from Children's Memorial Hospital.

Ah yes, the 2350 Pub was at 2249 N Lincoln, insuring confusion for many first time visitors.

I have eaten at the Lombard location 4 times, and have had the filet, the allegedly aged Porterhouse, a burger, and the Grilled cob sandwich on my visits. I found the food about what I expected, not very good, the burger, and the filet being the better of the options I tried. The allegedly aged Porterhouse was one of the worst steaks I have ever eaten, but I wasnt paying so I was not that upset. Perhaps I am just used to top notch prime, or really dry aged steaks from the restaurants I frequent, or the steaks I get from my butcher, but this porterhouse was fatty, and flavorless.

I enjoy the honey wheat beer they have on tap(very similar to Leinenkugels Honey Wheat). Shots of tequila are overpriced.

To me ClaimJumper is abour the same as Cheesecake Factory, not very good, and not someplace I would go if I was picking up the tab, or had a choice in the matter. For a work lunch, I will go, other than that no.

We go to Claim Jumper because they are one of the most baby friendly restaurants that we have ever been to, and that is now a huge factor in choosing where to go to eat.

Steaks are not worth it, but the chicken fried steak, meatloaf, and roasted turkey supper are pretty good. Their chocolate cake is indeed huge and will probably feed you for a couple of days. It's probably one of the better chocolate fudge cakes around. Not sure why it being so big (as all portions there are that ridiculously large) makes it stupid.

I guess I find it stupid in the same way as bottomless drinks, endless baskets of fries, Maggiano's pasta bowls, etc.-massive portions of low cost items restaurants push on consumers to convince them they are getting a good deal. Quantity over quality is understood in this equation, I just find it bothersome, that's all.

I have eaten there often. I did the appetizer platter as well. It all sucked. Most of their meals were blah as well. They do have one really good thing and I would recommend this. That is the Jamaican sweet potatoe. It is jerk chicken and sauce in a sweet potatoe and it rocks. Very tasty and by far the best thing on the menu. Their is a pizza version of it as well which I tried but it is not near as good as the potatoe. Try it and let me know what you think

davecamaro1994 wrote:I have eaten there often. I did the appetizer platter as well. It all sucked. Most of their meals were blah as well. They do have one really good thing and I would recommend this. That is the Jamaican sweet potatoe. It is jerk chicken and sauce in a sweet potatoe and it rocks. Very tasty and by far the best thing on the menu. Their is a pizza version of it as well which I tried but it is not near as good as the potatoe. Try it and let me know what you think

I returned to finish off the balance of my gift card last year, and ordered the jerk chicken sweet potato thing on a whim. I liked it. Too bad that when I asked our server to bring me a cloth so I could wipe the crumbs off of the table after our entrees, he could not take a hint, and simply dropped off a wet cloth.

But yes, I did like that sweet potato deal.

I've been to the Wheeling location three times and pretty much don't feel the need to ever go back.

I agree with (mostly) everyone -- portions are big, but the food and the service are mediocre. Each of my visits has had either a server mistake or food sent back.

I also think, in comparison to other family friendly restaurants nearby (RAM or Blackie's) it is expensive.

We went back the last time because we had coupons for free meals for our kids. I don't think even free coupons could get us back again.

Rene G wrote:Ah yes, the 2350 Pub was at 2249 N Lincoln, insuring confusion for many first time visitors.

I used to love the sunday brunch at this place, but for the life of me I can't remember a single dish they served.

The loaf of onion rings was big. And they made a great spinach salad.

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:The loaf of onion rings was big. And they made a great spinach salad.

Tell me "loaf of onion rings" isn't described as such on the menu. "Loaf" of onion rings? Yeech.

Christopher Gordon wrote:"Loaf" of onion rings? Yeech.

Obviously from someone who's never been to Hackney's ...

nr706 wrote:

Christopher Gordon wrote:"Loaf" of onion rings? Yeech.

Obviously from someone who's never been to Hackney's ...

Never been(on my list of places to get to eventually).

also have issues with the word "loaf"

Christopher Gordon wrote:

nr706 wrote:

Christopher Gordon wrote:"Loaf" of onion rings? Yeech.

Obviously from someone who's never been to Hackney's ...

Never been.

also have issues with the word "loaf"

So, what would you call a loaf of bread?

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:

Christopher Gordon wrote:

nr706 wrote:

Christopher Gordon wrote:"Loaf" of onion rings? Yeech.

Obviously from someone who's never been to Hackney's ...

Never been.

also have issues with the word "loaf"

So, what would you call a loaf of bread?

Woohoo...thread drailment. Loaf of bread is fine...meatloaf(though I love it)...ick..."archers of loaf"...feh...

loaf is just one of those words...shudder

Christopher Gordon wrote:Never been.

Another word sometimes used for the french fried onions at Hackney's is "brick". In fact, on their menu, it says "Original French Fried OnionsTM - Is it a loaf? A brick? These classic onions are deep fried to perfection." Love it (loaf it) or hate it, it's a true Chicago-area classic IMO, just like deep-dish pizza, Italian beef, etc.

You can see a photo (poorly lit, unfortunately) on this website.