Ballers Bar &amp; Grill

Chances is a strip mall bar super close to home. I've never seen a crowd there. It's kind of a…read moreboring place but good enough to tie on a drink right near home or if you just need to unwind without a lot of action. It's got kind of a weird 1980s vibe but Chances is clean. The gentleman behind the bar was an absolute gentleman, friendly, professional. The food menu is actually from Rosati's Pizza at the end of the same strip mall, so it's convenient and decent food and open late. They have live music there. Periodically and I think I'll stop by to check it out one night.

Very friendly bar with great service. My wife and I happen this place about 6 months ago, and been…read morecoming back a least once a week since. The crowd is laid back olderish. Bartenders are excellent and made us feel welcomed from our first visit. Just a great place to have a beer and relax.

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First Draft

3.1(159 reviews)

2.4 mi

The food here is incredible! Great service especially from Mikayla and Bailey. definitely coming…read moreback :)

Great place to meet friends! Outside seating was very nice…read more Love the food and drinks! Service was great!

Private event room on the 2nd floor

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Delicious looking beer selections

Shooters Sports Bar & Billiards

3.4(77 reviews)

1.7 mi

Every time I've been there, the experience has been great. Everyone was friendly and there's plenty…read moreof space between tables. I can't say much about the food, since I haven't eaten there yet, but it did look good!

Pool. Darts. Other stuff. Beer. Booze…read more This is the place. I'm home. Bring your own steel-tops and go to town.

Big pool hall with many tables.

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Bag toss area with dart board games in the background.

Jesse Oaks

3.2(93 reviews)

0.8 mi

Great bar food, amazing and accommodating service, and a super fun atmosphere!…read more Brought a very large group and they were able to handle easily and with a big smile.

I came here for the second time ever on Mother's Day, and we had a pretty good experience; however,…read moreI would much rather come here for drinks and entertainment than food. We asked to sit on the patio, and the atmosphere was awesome! We had tons of room at our 6-person table, and we had an umbrella, which was a lifesaver for the sunny, hot day. We specifically came here for their patio and entertainment; Brecken Miles was the entertainment, and he was singing and playing guitar. We were not disappointed because he was awesome! Servicewise, our waitress was nice, but admittedly, it took her a LONG time to check on us throughout our meal. There seemed to only be 2 waitresses working the patio area, so, understandably, service was a bit slow. Drinkwise, more than half of our table ordered a Pacifico because they had them on draft and in a can, but our waitress came back 10 minutes later telling us they only had one can left and were all out. Three of us ended up ordering a different drink, and thankfully, they had many options to choose from. Now, onto the biggest disappointment: the food. I ordered a new Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, and it was DROWNED in sauce. Normally, I love a ton of sauce, and when I first got my sandwich, I was excited by the amount of sauce. However, once I tasted it, I noticed that the chicken itself was so tough and overcooked that they probably put so much sauce on it to try and make the chicken more wet. Well, let me tell you, it didn't help at all. I did tell the waitress, and she was nice about taking my food back and allowing me to order something else. I ended up ordering 2 crispy tacos instead. These were fine, but nothing special and honestly very plain. My family was done with their food by the time I got my new meal, but thankfully, we were staying to listen to the music, so it didn't matter too much. Everyone else enjoyed their meals, but I tried my husband's Chicken Caesar Salad, and the chicken in that wasn't very good to me, either. It tasted plain with no seasonings. Overall, I'm sure I will come here again for some type of family affair, but I will be very selective next time about what I am ordering. NO chicken for me.

Main bar area when you enter the establishment

Dbl ord garlic cheese bread: acceptable

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BBQ'd Productions

4.2(1k reviews)

0.4 mi

Great food and service as always. This is a favorite bbq spot for the whole family. Highly…read morerecommend the Smokehouse Tacos!

Food was great and so was service. Lots of sauces and sides. Reasonable prices…read more Had rib tips, corn bread and salad.

Restaurant

Smokehouse Salad with Martini

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Kahlua Brownie Sundae

Emil's

3.2(294 reviews)

2.5 mi

Funny how the best meals are never planned. I ended up at Emil's on Center with some friends for a…read morelow-key birthday get-together, and it turned into another reminder of why I keep coming back. I've actually been coming here for a while. I was first introduced to the Mundelein location years ago, so when I started working in the area, I figured, why not give the Grayslake location a try too? It ended up being a great decision. I went with the buffalo wings, all flats. One thing I really appreciate is that they'll actually accommodate all flats or all drums, which surprisingly isn't as common as it should be. The wings are meaty, juicy, and cooked with a nice crisp that holds up even after being coated in sauce. The buffalo has that classic buttery flavor with just enough kick to keep each bite interesting without overpowering the wing itself. They're not trying to reinvent buffalo wings. They're just executing them really well. The biggest compliment I can give them is the consistency. Every visit tastes like the last. The recipe doesn't change because it doesn't need to. When you find something that works, you stick with it, and Emil's has. This place also always seems to be packed, and after coming here multiple times, I completely understand why. Even when I don't order the wings, everything else I've had has been just as impressive. It's the kind of place where you can confidently try something different and know you're going to leave happy. One thing that makes Emil's even more interesting is that there are two locations. I've been to both Emil's Tavern on Center and Emil's Sports Bar & Pizzeria. The menus are very similar, but the wings definitely aren't. I actually asked about it once, and they confirmed they use different recipes. Wing Rating: 8.55/10 So now I'm curious. What's the verdict? And while we're at it... flats or drums?

There was a hair in the cheese bread , but I know that happens especially when the cooks don't wear…read morehairnets. Waitress followed up with a fresh batch of garlic bread and packed it up to send it home with us. Which these days is Beyond the Call of Duty! There was music playing which made it easier to relax in a strange place. First Time there. Our beer had ice in it so it definitely was cold- that was a first I've seen that! I ordered the brisket sandwich, my wife ordered the pulled pork, mac & cheese, my coworker friend ordered the chicken sandwich, and his wife ordered the Reuben sandwich, which all of this was done well served with presentation and was enjoyed by all at the table! My friend spoke highly of the place, although other people have not on Yelp, but I would have to say this is one of the better experiences I've had in this area of restaurants in a long time!

Emil's Famous Broasted Chicken. Look at the size of the piece!! Ridiculous. Fry is larger than the leg.

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Emil's Entrance

129 Center Cut

3.1(306 reviews)

2.5 mi

129 center cut is now closed permanently Rumors are that Emils is going to be moving into that…read morespace. Sad to see 129 go out of business but their stakes were starting to go downhill and there's no parking in downtown Gray's lake to speak of

My husband and I celebrated Valentine's Day at center cut last night and it was amazing. We…read morerecently stopped drinking. My husband enjoyed a Heineken zero and I ordered a mocktail called the Opal fizz. It was phenomenal. I want to have it again. Our server was so attentive. She was great. We had fillets with the mashed potatoes and added spinach it was very romantic and a wonderful evening.

View towards the back. The wall is where the lounge area and couch are located

View of community table and bar

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No apps, no liquor and no dessert for 4.

The Vine - Martini & Wine Bar

3.9(516 reviews)

2.6 mi

Very good service - and she knew the menu and what the content is by heart !…read more We enjoyed an espresso martini ($12.50) and another cocktail (lost thr name) - somewhat reasonably priced for these days The bowl was very good and so was steak sandwich ! Nice atmosphere sitting outside but protected from the rain

I took my puppy, Maya, to The Vine for lunch to do something a little different, and it couldn't…read morehave been a better experience. From the moment we arrived until we left, the service was exceptional. Every staff member was so welcoming to Maya, which made her feel completely comfortable. I was pleasantly surprised when they told me I could order lunch for her too! She enjoyed a plain burger patty and loved every bite. It was such a thoughtful touch that made the visit even more special. We're already looking forward to coming back. Thank you to everyone at The Vine for making Maya's day--and mine too!

Vine Festive Decorations

Mediterranean Bowl

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Really good N.A. IPA.

Buffalo Wild Wings

2.5(166 reviews)

3.8 mi

The woman who sat us did a really good job at sitting us I hope she seats us always . The server at…read morefirst started off good but then not so good . Didn't take our order correctly . forgot to put in the sides , forgot to put in the correct beer, never refilled our waters . makes me not want to seat with the server again .

Ordered a couple of cheeseburgers and waited over 45 minutes. When the food finally arrived, it…read morewasn't even hot. Overall, not exactly the experience I was hoping for. I contacted corporate, and to their credit, they actually tried reaching the local management. Unfortunately, local management apparently decided that returning a customer's call was simply too much to ask. ‍ So after waiting 45+ minutes for cold food, I'm now waiting for management to apparently discover the existence of a telephone. Not a good time. Not good customer service. And definitely not how you win back a customer.

Buffalo Wild Wings

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Buffalo Wild Wings

Cottage Tap

3.8(4 reviews)

0.7 mi

Awesome local meeting place Friendly atmosphere with…read moreaccommodating staff. Like a Northwoods tavern. The pizza is great.

A small run-down bar that has very slow service and barely anyone working there. This place was a…read moredisappointment there is not much beer to choose from and the televisions are very small the place and it is also one would call Pretty Dirty as the windows don't look like they have been clean since 1968

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Best bar in the galaxy

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Cyndi R.

0

3

1

1 year ago

Absolutely! Here's the revised playful version with a shoutout to the awesome staff: --- We stopped by once and now we're hooked! The vibe? Chill. The drinks? On point. But the food? Total star of the show. The made-to-order guac is straight-up fire, and that homemade salsa? Amazing. We were iffy about the Won Ton Mozzarella sticks at first, but wow, they're crispy, cheesy magic without the usual breading. The staff? Super friendly and always make us feel right at home. With plenty of TVs and daily specials, it's the perfect spot to kick back, catch a game, and sip on a cocktail (or two). read more

Ross Z.

3

7

44

1 year ago

Ballers Bar & Grill is a true gem! The food is fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care -- every dish we tried was spot on. The service was fantastic; attentive without ever feeling rushed. What really makes this place stand out, though, are the owners. They are incredibly friendly, welcoming, and make you feel like part of the family from the moment you walk in. It's rare to find a restaurant that nails great food, great service, and genuine hospitality all at once, but Ballers does it effortlessly. Highly recommend! read more

Marguerite F.

0

1

0

1 year ago

the food is delicious. The Mexican street corn was out of this world...The service was fast efficient and most of all friendly. The atmosphere was very welcoming . I felt like I was among friends..Very reasonably price. Highly recommend this new addition to the neighborhood. read more

Paul H.

0

1

0

1 year ago

Great food and welcoming owners. Hosted 18 of us for dinner and did a great job. Excellent customer service. They are happy you are there which is few and far between these days when you dine out. read more

Emily H.

0

22

39

1 year ago

Food was great! Service was also great. We sat at the bar and had a great experience. It got busy as the night went on, and had the golf on that we wanted to watch. We will be back! read more

Ballers Bar & Grill - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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