Elgin - Lunch Assistance Please

I just found out that I've gotta schlep out to Elgin on Monday. I'll be around Big Timber & McLean. Any decent lunch spots in the area? I'll be headed back east from there. Thanks in advance.

I don't know about Elgin but on the way back east try to stop at a little place in Streamwood. Burrito Bronco. Small little place in a strip mall on Schaumburg Rd. between Old Church and East Ave. The tacos, burritos and everything else are very authentic. No rice and bean fillers here. All steak or whatever meat filling you want. Family run and nothing special inside. Hard pressed wood booths etc. but very, very good! I like to eat inside or it is just as great taken home to eat. Cheap - cheap - cheap, but very good!

Using "cheap and good" in the same sentence works for me. Thanks for the tip.

No Problem - remember none of the regular fillers in the steak burrito. Just good old steak, guac, cream, lettuce and some great salsa. I see the regs. and working landscapers in this place eating the soup (rumored to be a hangover helper) all the time. Never tried it but when its 90 degrees out and they are still eating it, it must be good.

You'll be very close to Sushi Station - Chicago's First Rotating Sushi Bar!

NOTE - They close from 2:00-5:00 on weekdays between lunch & dinner.

http://www.sushistation.us/english/

Sushi Station
2486 Randall Rd.
Elgin, IL 60123
847-783-0040

bensmom9 wrote:You'll be very close to Sushi Station - Chicago's First Rotating Sushi Bar!

NOTE - They close from 2:00-5:00 on weekdays between lunch & dinner.

http://www.sushistation.us/english/

Sushi Station
2486 Randall Rd.
Elgin, IL 60123
847-783-0040

Thanks. A definite possibility. I've been to the Rolling Meadows location.

Hello!
Does anyone have any healthy, inexpensive options in Elgin near The Hemmens theatre? We'll also take recommendations for what Mr. Pie calls "all-purpose restaurants", i.e. Sally's, Sander's, Kappy's, Omega, etc. No Mexican, por favor.

Pie Lady wrote:Hello!
Does anyone have any healthy, inexpensive options in Elgin near The Hemmens theatre? We'll also take recommendations for what Mr. Pie calls "all-purpose restaurants", i.e. Sally's, Sander's, Kappy's, Omega, etc. No Mexican, por favor.

Are you looking for dinner or lunch before a performance? I know the area pretty well and just need to get a rough idea.

LikestoEatout wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:Hello!
Does anyone have any healthy, inexpensive options in Elgin near The Hemmens theatre? We'll also take recommendations for what Mr. Pie calls "all-purpose restaurants", i.e. Sally's, Sander's, Kappy's, Omega, etc. No Mexican, por favor.

Are you looking for dinner or lunch before a performance? I know the area pretty well and just need to get a rough idea.

It will be for dinner around 6.

While I was looking up some addresses of places I know of in the downtown, I came across this website which lists all that is available downtown. Two which are the closest are Gasthaus Zur Linde and Villa Verone. Gasthaus you could walk to from the Hemmens parking lot while Villa Verone is about 5 blocks away. I haven't been to Gasthaus in years and I know it changed hands at one point. The Downtown Dining Guide indicates there are a few sports bar/pub type places nearby that I'm not familiar with. I've been to Al's Cafe a few times, it's a nice relaxed atmosphere but probably a bit too far to walk from the Hemmen's. Parking otherwise can be difficult. I've only been to the Geneva location of Villa Verone.

Another place but not in the downtown is Alexander's which is on Route 31 just north of the I-90 ramps. It's old school Greek family place, looks nice and has good food. Our family eats there every few months because it's a good half way meeting point for us.

http://www.downtownelgin.com/Page.aspx?ID=20&PID=15

http://www.alexanderselgin.com/

Just a little further west of Downtown Elgin on McLean Blvd and Big Timber is Big Skillet Restaurant.

Always good food. Big portions, great prices and they always have some great soups and specials.


http://www.bigskilletrestaurant.com/

It is my understanding the Gasthaus does not serve food any longer, but that info only came from an online review I read. May want to call and double check if that is the plan.

I made my first visit to Pita Puff earlier this week. Tucked in the corner of a strip mall off of Golf Rd/Rt. 58, it has that feel that Naf Naf had when it first opened in an old Taco Bell. All of the kabobs are grilled to order over hardwood charcoal. They have a spit for beef shawarma and one for chicken shawarma. Falafal was fried to order. The name is a bit of a misnomer as the pita here is very thin and flat, not at all puffy. It has good chew and pull, but I much prefer the pillowy soft version from Naf. The pita sandwiches are like a wrap. The hummus was great. Completely smooth, excellent garlic accent. Both of the meats we tried were excellent. The hot sauce packed a nice punch, but it's not as good as the lovely green harissa from Naf Naf.

Beef Kifta Kabob Plate


Beef Shawarma Pita


This place is a bit of a hidden gem on the far east side of Elgin. I don't know if it's a destination spot from Chicago, but it's certainly worth a stop if you're within a 20-40 minute range. I'll be back soon to try other items on the menu.

Pita Puff
512 Waverly Drive
Elgin, IL 60120
847-622-7833
http://pitapuff.com/

the wimperoo wrote:I made my first visit to Pita Puff earlier this week. Tucked in the corner of a strip mall off of Golf Rd/Rt. 58, it has that feel that Naf Naf had when it first opened in an old Taco Bell. All of the kabobs are grilled to order over hardwood charcoal. They have a spit for beef shawarma and one for chicken shawarma. Falafal was fried to order. The name is a bit of a misnomer as the pita here is very thin and flat, not at all puffy. It has good chew and pull, but I much prefer the pillowy soft version from Naf. The pita sandwiches are like a wrap. The hummus was great. Completely smooth, excellent garlic accent. Both of the meats we tried were excellent. The hot sauce packed a nice punch, but it's not as good as the lovely green harissa from Naf Naf.

Beef Kifta Kabob Plate


Beef Shawarma Pita


This place is a bit of a hidden gem on the far east side of Elgin. I don't know if it's a destination spot from Chicago, but it's certainly worth a stop if you're within a 20-40 minute range. I'll be back soon to try other items on the menu.

Pita Puff
512 Waverly Drive
Elgin, IL 60120
847-622-7833
http://pitapuff.com/

Good to know! I live in Elgin and had tried the previous middle eastern restaurant in that spot and didn't like it. It had smelled greasy and the shwarma wasn't very good. I'll have to give it a try.

I live in South Elgin. Are there any other places in Elgin that you are a fan of? Any cuisine.

I've had good experiences at Roll N Donut, Elgin Public House, Walnut Speakeasy, Elgin BBQ Pit.

I am a big fan of Ramiro's Mexican food that is located in the flea market (in the back) on Big Timber near the N Mclean intersection. They are closed on Tuesday's and close for the night around 6:30-7. They have some great quesadillas, huaraches and pambazos. The quesadillas and huaraches are huge and made fresh to order. They also have tacos de cabaza (steamed beef) that are super tender and delicious. I highly recommend.

Also, in St. Charles, Jalepeno Grill has some delicious steak tacos on yellow corn tortillas.

Ramiro's Restaurant (bring cash as their POS system frequently has issues)
1600 Big Timber Rd, Elgin, IL 60123
(847) 888-0481

Jalenpeno Grill
602 Geneva Rd, St Charles, IL 60174
(630) 587-1918

Probably the place I go to most often in the area is Benedict's in East Dundee. They only do breakfast and lunch. I usually go for breakfast and really enjoy the "skilletless" skillets, especially the veggie with sundried tomatoes, roasted peppers and feta. The pumpkin pancakes and tart cherry stuffed french toast are my go-to choices when I want something sweet. There's a "California scramble" which is scrambled eggs on potato pancakes with avocado, crumbled bacon and a bit of hollandaise. They are very accomodating there and I usually ask for poached instead of scrambled. Their breakfast potatoes are really good: cubed, not greasy and not underdone. They serve Intelligentsia coffee and Mighty Leaf teas. I've been going there for years now, and never had anything bad.

I also like the burgers at the casino. Not worth a trip from the city, (I think they've slipped a bit recently), but tasty when you want a decent sized burger. I like the mushroom burger with truffle fries. They also make some pretty great shakes.

I like Elgin Public House, will have to check out Walnut Speakeasy.

knitgirl wrote:

the wimperoo wrote:I made my first visit to Pita Puff earlier this week. Tucked in the corner of a strip mall off of Golf Rd/Rt. 58, it has that feel that Naf Naf had when it first opened in an old Taco Bell. All of the kabobs are grilled to order over hardwood charcoal. They have a spit for beef shawarma and one for chicken shawarma. Falafal was fried to order. The name is a bit of a misnomer as the pita here is very thin and flat, not at all puffy. It has good chew and pull, but I much prefer the pillowy soft version from Naf. The pita sandwiches are like a wrap. The hummus was great. Completely smooth, excellent garlic accent. Both of the meats we tried were excellent. The hot sauce packed a nice punch, but it's not as good as the lovely green harissa from Naf Naf.

Beef Kifta Kabob Plate


Beef Shawarma Pita


This place is a bit of a hidden gem on the far east side of Elgin. I don't know if it's a destination spot from Chicago, but it's certainly worth a stop if you're within a 20-40 minute range. I'll be back soon to try other items on the menu.

Pita Puff
512 Waverly Drive
Elgin, IL 60120
847-622-7833
http://pitapuff.com/

Good to know! I live in Elgin and had tried the previous middle eastern restaurant in that spot and didn't like it. It had smelled greasy and the shwarma wasn't very good. I'll have to give it a try.

I finally tried Pita Puff today and really enjoyed it. I order chicken a shawarma plate to go. The gentleman at the counter asked if I had tried the felafel, I hadn't, so he made me a tiny felafel sandwich and gave me a cup of mint tea. They were both delicious. The first impression from the sandwich was how fresh the lettuce and tomatoes tasted. The felafel was crisp, but not too dense or oily. The bread is actually not puffy at all, but it is nicely chewy and very thin. The tea was sweet, but not cloyingly so.

When I got home, I ate most of my chicken shawarma. It included a nice salad with romaine, radishes, green peppers, tomatoes and lemon dressing. There was a pool of hummus, which I thought could have used a bit more garlic. The chicken was spiced with warm spices, I'm thinking cinnamon was in there for sure, don't know what else. There was also a large bed of long grain rice, and 2 small containers of sauce, one spicy, the other a bit garlicky. It was very satisfying, and I imagine I will be back frequently, I really like to spend my money at places with such nice staff and great food.

Talk to me folks. Thanks in advance.

Another rec for Pita Puff which along with White Pearl can make for a very nice 1-2 international punch when out this way. They're still grilling over charcoal and make a perfect lentil soup. I also really enjoy the grape leaves which are stuffed with ground beef and served warm. Eight half smoken cigar sized pieces make for the perfect snack. I still haven't found a place in the city making them as good as these.


Hot Grape Leaves

ChiTownGreek wrote:Just a little further west of Downtown Elgin on McLean Blvd and Big Timber is Big Skillet Restaurant.

Always good food. Big portions, great prices and they always have some great soups and specials.


http://www.bigskilletrestaurant.com/

Agree with you completely.

My wife and I ate at Big Skillet last night and we were both very pleasantly surprised at how good the meal was. Sure, the menu choices were a bit "old school" but the execution was excellent.

I am not a fan of sauerkraut by any means but the Big Skillet version is cooked with bacon and caraway and has a great flavor. Ditto on the potato pancakes and the roast pork.

I will be in Elgin this week and will be slipping back for another meal.

christine wrote:It is my understanding the Gasthaus does not serve food any longer, but that info only came from an online review I read. May want to call and double check if that is the plan.

Just to update.

The Gasthouse is still open as a bar, serving "bar food." It no longer serves high quality German food since the death of its prior owner which I believe was around 2004.

the wimperoo wrote:I made my first visit to Pita Puff earlier this week. Tucked in the corner of a strip mall off of Golf Rd/Rt. 58, it has that feel that Naf Naf had when it first opened in an old Taco Bell. All of the kabobs are grilled to order over hardwood charcoal. They have a spit for beef shawarma and one for chicken shawarma. Falafal was fried to order. The name is a bit of a misnomer as the pita here is very thin and flat, not at all puffy. It has good chew and pull, but I much prefer the pillowy soft version from Naf. The pita sandwiches are like a wrap. The hummus was great. Completely smooth, excellent garlic accent. Both of the meats we tried were excellent. The hot sauce packed a nice punch, but it's not as good as the lovely green harissa from Naf Naf.

This place is a bit of a hidden gem on the far east side of Elgin. I don't know if it's a destination spot from Chicago, but it's certainly worth a stop if you're within a 20-40 minute range. I'll be back soon to try other items on the menu.

Pita Puff
512 Waverly Drive
Elgin, IL 60120
847-622-7833
http://pitapuff.com/

I tried the place last night. Actually, the chicken schwarma was quite good and served with some of the best, smoothest hummus that I have ever eaten.

What was unusual was that the parking lot was full but no customers were in the place or in the other businesses.

Thank you for posting this . I am one of the carpenters screwing up your commutes on Maclean. I am always looking for a close -by place for lunch with decent food. At least, something above "Fast Food". I'm working at Maclean & Rte. 20 and Maclean (Big Timber) & 90. Any tips would be helpful. Half an hour lunch.

eddie y wrote:Thank you for posting this . I am one of the carpenters screwing up your commutes on Maclean. I am always looking for a close -by place for lunch with decent food. At least, something above "Fast Food". I'm working at Maclean & Rte. 20 and Maclean (Big Timber) & 90. Any tips would be helpful. Half an hour lunch.

McLean and Route 20? You're only a couple blocks from White Pearl, an excellent Lao/Thai restaurant, mentioned above. Have a look at Da Beef's write-up here. I think it was Leela Punyaratabandhu (SheSimmers) who first drew attention to several stellar dishes on their menu. I should have more to say about White Pearl, as well as Elgin's Lao markets and temple festivals, but for now I'll echo the praise for their larb and sausage (both among the best I've had anywhere). Hey, Eddie—Have you and the guys ever gotten around to replacing that sidewalk?



(just kidding!)



I'm slightly less enthusiastic about some other things I tried (though none were bad at all) including the beef jerky that Leela highlights. The pho and other soups are popular and look like a good choice. I'm sure there are other gems on that menu. Prices may seem a bit high for certain dishes but the quality and skill are evident. Consider yourself lucky to be so close to such an interesting restaurant.

White Pearl
265 S McLean Blvd
Elgin IL
847-695-3399
http://www.whitepearlelgin.com/

Thanks Rene. Don't you know in this day and age, everyone is a specialist ! We are bridge guys. Up and over or down and under. If it's flat, it"s beyond our expertise. Thank again Keep em coming. LOL.

Jester's is a pretty good hot dog/ gyro stand in front of the Big Skillet.


Jester's
96 Tyler Creek Plaza
Elgin, IL 60123
847-622-0749