Algonquin Recommendations

Hi,
My parents are planning to drive from the NW side to Algonquin by taking Algonquin road. ( My dad had relatives who had a farm there 50 years ago and his family used to make the drive.) My mom is a little less enthused, so I told her that if they had a destination it would be more fun. So I was looking for a fun, good place for them to eat. Nothing fancy. Maybe something that is unique to Algonquin. Thanks!

I would go to Port Edward's which is kind of a kitchy seafood place right on the river. It's been around forever. For just a cheap diner-like place, Reese's would be a non-chain option. It has also been around forever. It is right downtown just a few blocks south of Algonquin Road (62) on Main Street. The Texan has been around for "only" about 25 years. They serve passable BBQ. It is just north of 62 on Main Street.

Whatever you do, avoid the hideous commercial area that has sprouted up along Randall Road.

I second the Port Edward recommendation. Great lobster and fairly good fish entrees in a beautiful setting right on the river. They've got a nice lounge, too. (in case your parents just want to stop for a drink and some bar snacks).

You are not real clear on food preference but I would suggest the newly opened EL Faro # ? on route 31. I have been a big fan of El Faro from their terrific sopes and gorditas to their shrimp tostadas I have yet to have a bad meal. I haven't been to Reeses in sometime but if memory serves me they are only open for breakfast and lunch. Their is also some controversy as to the original Reeses, the one in town on route 31 or the one in Lake in the Hills on Randall rd.

Thanks for the tips. They probably would not get Mexican because Mom would fear the long ride home.

I'll second the recommendation of The Texan. It's not Kansas City BBQ, but it's pretty good. Definitely worth the trip out to Algonquin a few times a year!

See here for recommendations in and en route to Algonquin.

Personally, I would pass on the Texan for BBQ. The last few times I have tried it, the product has been overdone and has neem pretty awful.

Reece's has changes hands in the past several years.

There is a steakhouse which is called Bellino's in the downtown area and a recently opened Italian Bistro.

I avoid the IL-31 portion of Algonquin like the plague as it is one of the worst traffic nightmares in the county.

I'm going to also recommend Port Edwards, it's been around over 40 years and has more than just the seafood. The dining area is broken up into several areas at varying levels and has some fun hiden spots. People can come by boat and you can walk along the Fox River there on their nice Riverwalk. My family moved to Algonquin almost 60 years ago, I may know the farm your dad went to, it was a very small town then and easy to know everyone. I've been gone from there for 40 years but my dad lived there until he died in 2002, I still make it back to Port Edwards once a year at least to meet friends for the Sunday brunch.

jlawrence01 wrote:Personally, I would pass on the Texan for BBQ. The last few times I have tried it, the product has been overdone and has neem pretty awful.

It has been a little over a year since I've been there, so maybe it's gone downhill. I guess, for me, any BBQ in the NW suburbs is better than Russell's, which seems to be other people's standby, which I just don't get.

Well, if they wanted to try either the Texan or Port Edwards, they are less than a block away from one another.

abe_froeman wrote:It has been a little over a year since I've been there, so maybe it's gone downhill. I guess, for me, any BBQ in the NW suburbs is better than Russell's, which seems to be other people's standby, which I just don't get.

Famous Dave's is a lot better than the Texan. Several of us did a tasting of the products and FD pretty much won hands down.

abe_froeman wrote:I guess, for me, any BBQ in the NW suburbs is better than Russell's, which seems to be other people's standby, which I just don't get.

Smokin' T's in Long Grove is quite respectable.

The last few times I went to the Texan, it does seem like it's not as good anymore. It was my favorite BBQ place for a long time, but I also prefer Famous Dave's.

The Reese's in Downtown Algonquin is the real deal. The one on Randall Rd. is not.

Slim wrote:The Reese's in Downtown Algonquin is the real deal. The one on Randall Rd. is not.

The one on Randall is now a Burnt Toast location.

I would also recommend:

El Molino 2112 Elgin Ave, Cville-- on Rt 25 just south of Algonquin Rd--really good Mexican
Kaminari 2124 W Algonquin LITH--Even better Japanese, sushi--On Algonquin east of Randall, near the 76 station
Tacos El Norte-- next door to Kaminari- more a hole in the wall place, authentic Mexican

Montarra-- 1491 S Randall, On Randall, at County Line--fine dining, more upscale and more expensive. Good American 'bistro'

Either direction on Randall Rd are your standards, Applebees, White Castle, etc, Rudy Tuesdays, Buffalo Wild Wings, Panera, Red Robin...and then you get to Algonquin Commons shopping--Biaggis, Red Star Tavern. Bonefish Grill, Cheeseburger in Paradise, On the Border. There'a a new all purpose, American place called Mimi's. Good, filling breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I almost forgot the Gourmet House. Chinese.
It's on Algonquin Rd. on the East side of town. In between Lake Cook Rd. and the Butera's Grocery. It's across the street from Jewel.
I love the lettuce chicken wraps, the shrimp toast and the kung pau.

aviva5675 wrote:I would also recommend:

El Molino 2112 Elgin Ave, Cville-- on Rt 25 just south of Algonquin Rd--really good Mexican

This is my favorite mexican restaurant. For 18 years I have pretty much ordered the Carne Oaxaquena, which is a perfectly cooked skirt steak covered in a chipotle salsa (of varying spice level) and cheese, served with rice, beans and bit of chicken chilaquiles. It really is a fantastic dish. The tables salsas served with chips are also VERY good. chips are crisp and light.

Jamie

jlawrence01 wrote:Famous Dave's is a lot better than the Texan. Several of us did a tasting of the products and FD pretty much won hands down.

Hardly! The ribs at Daves are so greasy they make me sick.

Texan ribs, and other BBQ items are the best around. Better than anything I found on my trips to Texas. And their "flammable liquid" sauce is great. I've been in love with the place since I found it when we first moved out this way.

Port Edward is expensive, but a first class place.

Just a bit down 31 (I second the traffic comments on 31 in Algonquin - just awful) is the Algonquin Sub Shop. The owner used to work for Banchet at Le Francis before he decided to go out on his own and open this place. Imagine Le Francis meets Subway and you have the Sub Shop. Gourmet ingredients make great sandwiches. Homemade soups are also great.

And a few places we've found in the great expanse along and past Randall Rd...

Aroma Tapas
Bangkock (used to be Lamai Thai still good)
Biaggi's
Kosta's Gyros (used to love their Palatine location when we lived there)
Tea Gschwender - not just for tea

j r wrote:

jlawrence01 wrote:Famous Dave's is a lot better than the Texan. Several of us did a tasting of the products and FD pretty much won hands down.

Texan ribs, and other BBQ items are the best around. Better than anything I found on my trips to Texas. And their "flammable liquid" sauce is great. I've been in love with the place since I found it when we first moved out this way.

We used to use the Texan for a number of company events but the quality and the service deteriorated so we switched over to the Crystal Lake Rib House. The CL Rib House has excellent food.

Another poster decided to use both FD and the Texan at the same event and pretty much came to the same conclusion.

Most of what I had in person at the Algonquin location has not been very fresh.

Didn't FD recently move out to Randall?

LikestoEatout wrote:Didn't FD recently move out to Randall?

Yup. There's now three consecutive closed restaurants outside Spring Hill Mall: Fridays, Daves, and Rosattis. The last two relocated, Fridays just closed. I still don't understand why, they were always pretty busy.

I heard Fridays decision was also relocation. Supposedly, they're moving down near 90. And speaking of closings, Woodfire Pizza shut it's doors, as did Govnor's Pub.

jleblanc05 wrote:I heard Fridays decision was also relocation. Supposedly, they're moving down near 90. And speaking of closings, Woodfire Pizza shut it's doors, as did Govnor's Pub.

Govnor's Pub---That place closing is a real shocker. Whenever I was there, the place seemed to be fairly busy. I always found the food to be decent enough, albeit not great.

What is really discouraging is the fact that there is now one less independent restaurant on Randall Road--- Pretty soon the street will be 100% chains.

cito wrote:

jleblanc05 wrote:I heard Fridays decision was also relocation. Supposedly, they're moving down near 90. And speaking of closings, Woodfire Pizza shut it's doors, as did Govnor's Pub.

Govnor's Pub---That place closing is a real shocker. Whenever I was there, the place seemed to be fairly busy. I always found the food to be decent enough, albeit not great.

What is really discouraging is the fact that there is now one less independent restaurant on Randall Road--- Pretty soon the street will be 100% chains.

I agree. Unfortunately, this stretch of Randall Road is somewhat of a culinary wasteland. One of the biggest issues that I have found is that the people in the area don't seem to want to support a locally grown restaurant. I have lived in the area for almost 10 years and the only establishments that seem to have taken hold are chains.

Although, if you look hard enough there are a few pockets of decent fare:

Lilly Garden - Old school Chinese cuisine right down to the tropical drinks. I know better but I really do enjoy their sesame chicken. If a Christmas Story was based in Algonquin/LITH this is where Ralphie would have had his Christmas duck.

EL Faro - I really love this place. The Horchata is homemade and their masa based snacks are the best in the area. On top of that this appears to be a family run mini chain and I feel really good supporting their cause.

Tommy's Red Hots - Great little spot for burgers, hot dogs, etc. By area standards the prices are very reasonable ($4.25 for a pizza slice, fries and a md drink).

Village Squire - The pizza and sandwiches are fine. They also have an extensive drink selection.

Been meaning to try:

Village Pizza - I have heard great things about this place. The pizza is thin crust (do anyone but tourists eat pan pizza anymore) and the sauce is supposedly unique.

The new Puerto Rican restaurant in Dundee. I am not 100% if they are open but I will drive by and correct the post with their name.

M.T. Barrels - I have heard that this is a great little brew pub.

J.C.s Barbecue (sp?) - This little spot has bee at the corner of Dundee and 72 (next to the pawn shop) for sometime. It never looks busy but something is keeping the lights on.

If you are willing to travel a bit out of the area then I suggest these destinations:

Red Ox - Their Thursday 1/2 price pizza night is one of the better deals in the area. They offer one style, thin, and the ingredients are fresh and plentiful. They also have one of the better versions of fried calamari that I have had in awhile. Located in Hampshire.

Chik-n-Dip - They make a pretty decent broasted chicken. Their sandwiches are also pretty decent. Also, you cannot pass up one of their terrific shakes or sundaes. Note they are closed from mid Nov - Feb. Located in Hampshire.

Thai Pavilion - Happily surprised by this place. Who would have thought that you could have gotten a fairly decent curry or Tom Yum in Dekalb.

Bea's Wok and Roll - Bea's cooking is unique. It is Vietnamese with her own touch. I really, really enjoy her soups. Once again who have thought that you could get such terrific home style S. Asian cuisine in Dekalb.

Taxco Restaurant - Decent, if not a bit pricey, Mexican food. The restaurant offers a nice tequila list and the menu is a bit upscale. All in all a decent spot but given a choice I would go to EL Faro for a large horchata (hold the ice) and a couple of gorditas. Located in Sycamore.

And if all else fails there is a Portillo's in Sycamore.

jleblanc05 wrote:I heard Fridays decision was also relocation. Supposedly, they're moving down near 90. And speaking of closings, Woodfire Pizza shut it's doors, as did Govnor's Pub.

Where is Friday's relocating? And why close a place so far in advance of the replacement being ready to open? Daves didn't do that.

I looked at Friday's website [ugh ], and see a vast amount of empty space around this area with nothing close by. Are they moving near 90 as 90 & 31, or perhaps 90 & Randall? Or to the new mega mall at 59 where Michaels and others moved that I refuse to patronize?

I noticed yet another empty storefront along Randall recently. I think it may have been where Station House subs was located.

BTW, I notice relatively few contributions here from the far NW suburbs in and around McHenry county. After a frustrating experience with another site that thought the suburbs ended at Schaumburg, I'll need to see what I can do to fix that here. Have there been any get togethers way out here?

j r wrote:

jleblanc05 wrote:I heard Fridays decision was also relocation. Supposedly, they're moving down near 90. And speaking of closings, Woodfire Pizza shut it's doors, as did Govnor's Pub.

Where is Friday's relocating? And why close a place so far in advance of the replacement being ready to open? Daves didn't do that.

I looked at Friday's website [ugh ], and see a vast amount of empty space around this area with nothing close by. Are they moving near 90 as 90 & 31, or perhaps 90 & Randall? Or to the new mega mall at 59 where Michaels and others moved that I refuse to patronize?

I noticed yet another empty storefront along Randall recently. I think it may have been where Station House subs was located.

BTW, I notice relatively few contributions here from the far NW suburbs in and around McHenry county. After a frustrating experience with another site that thought the suburbs ended at Schaumburg, I'll need to see what I can do to fix that here. Have there been any get togethers way out here?

The Station House Subs has closed down in the last 90 days (or so). I was there once and was unimpressed. The quality of the ingredients were high but so were the prices and there was nothing unique about their subs.

BTW - Why the love for Fridays? The food is medicore at best.

BTW 2 - There are several contributions on the food scene west and northwest of Schaumberg. It takes a bit of time to search for them but they are there.

j r wrote:BTW, I notice relatively few contributions here from the far NW suburbs in and around McHenry county. After a frustrating experience with another site that thought the suburbs ended at Schaumburg, I'll need to see what I can do to fix that here. Have there been any get togethers way out here?

[quote=mousec1]

BTW 2 - There are several contributions on the food scene west and northwest of Schaumberg. It takes a bit of time to search for them but they are there.[/quote]

I'm in the Geneva area and I post as much as possible on places to eat in the lower Fox Valley area. There seems to be an idea by many that we're in the part of the world that fell off.

LikestoEatout wrote:I'm in the Geneva area and I post as much as possible on places to eat in the lower Fox Valley area. There seems to be an idea by many that we're in the part of the world that fell off.

The same could have been said about Northwest Indiana (NWI) until Rene G and I made a deliberate effort to collect information. While information on that region was few and far between before, there is starting to be a regular chorus of NWI recommendations.

Years ago when I began providing information around where I lived, there would be silence as a response. However over time people tried some places and other locals joined in as well. You just need to plug on with your finds, because eventually people will follow your trail.

Ron's Cajun Connection did receive Great Neighborhood Restaurant status this year. Still no GNR in NWI yet, but there is always next year.

Regards,

mousec1 wrote:BTW - Why the love for Fridays? The food is medicore at best.

1) My daughter actually liked it! The majority of the places we try get a thumbs down from her.

2) Their small portions dinners fit both our appetites and our budgets.

3) We'd get the gift cards from cashing in our Discover rebate with a bonus. Ends up cutting another 10-15% off the price. [Red Lobster and others offer similar deals through Discover rebates - if you're going to eat there any way, it saves you a few bucks]

We live 2 miles from the Spring Hill location, but 10 miles from the next nearest location in Crystal Lake. With the recent price of gas, we just didn't go that far when we did dine out.