12/28/24 - While we loved going to Bourbon & Brass. This is a cool speakeasy on the second floor…read moreof the Des Plaines Theater. When I was a kid I use to go to the Des Plaines Theater & watch movies for 60 cents (ahhh nostalgia trip down memory lane), but I digress The speakeasy inside the Des Plaines Theater is an awesome idea. The show was awesome but the one MAJOR MAJOR issue I have is the bartender who continued to serve my sister's friend. He was obviously very very drunk to a point where he could barely walk wo/stumbling. He was slurring his words. Both my sister & I asked the bartender not to serve him anymore alcohol but she kept serving him drinks even after we asked. She continued to serve him even after we asked her not to. When he and my sister left she told me he tried to put the key in the ignition 14X's before she convinced him to let her drive. Your bartender's need to be aware of a persons level of intoxication. Both my sister & I asked her not to serve him anymore drinks but she continued to serve him. Thank God my sister was able to convince him to let her drive home otherwise what was an excellent evening could have ended tragically. Please have your bartenders be more conscious of a persons level of intoxication. While I gave Bourbon & Brass a 5 star review I need to down grade that for over serving someone alcohol even after both my sister & I asked her to stop serving him

I heard there was a speakeasy at this theater, so we had to stop by to check it out. Free parking…read moreat the lot behind or ramp. There was a show that evening, when we entered the theater, the usher asked to see our tickets. I asked how to get to the speakeasy and the usher pointed to the elevator, take it to the second floor. Once we got to the second floor, more ushers greeted us and informed us there's a jazz band performing and small cover charge. As soon as we paid and entered through the bookshelf, the room was beautifully arranged as a lounge with fancy and vintage sofas and couches. Kind of reminds me of someone grandma's house. The bar had snacks available, otherwise more drink options. The band played good songs too. Definitely recommend if you're in the area and jazz fan.

Always a cozy spot in the winter and nice and breezy in the summer. Best bar in town.read more

I grew up in the area and am back for a week for a wedding. After spending the day with an old…read morefriend, I convinced him to go out. This was the closest spot to him that was reportedly open until 1. I thought it looked good so we ubered here around 11:30. Upon walking in, the bar was empty except for two other groups of 2 and 4. They were nearing middle age and it seemed like that was the target demographic of this establishment based on the decor. My friend and I sat by the door and ordered a round from the bartender, whose name was Beata according to my receipt. One of the other patrons, visibly drunk, started yelling because he was accused of not paying his tab. It was a quiet, empty bar, and I could hear it all. About 5 minutes after I had ordered my drink, Beata comes and lets me and my friend know that they would be closing in less than an hour (which was a good bit earlier than the alleged 1:00 closing time). So I asked for another drink and she let me know that I can only have one at a time. I then finished my cosmo relatively quickly and then ordered a margarita. What happened next truly has never happened to me before. When I ordered my margarita and she saw my empty glass, she asked me, "Are you trying to get drunk quickly? You're drinking too fast." As a bartender and bar manager myself, I would never stand for a bartender to be so blatantly rude to a patron. Especially in a bar as empty as it was, you want to build relationships, not burn bridges and ensure they're not only never coming back but also takes to Yelp afterwards. It's funny that she was worried about the sober person getting too drunk when she just had a disheveled patron yelling and being hostile. I'm sure he didn't show up that drunk. It truly puzzled me, and we made sure to leave as soon as possible after that. My friend and I both tend bars and agreed we would never ask questions like that so directly and rudely. I wonder if she asks those same questions to anyone ordering a round of shots. The bar was also extremely bright and the decor was strange. The playing of country music also didn't fit the vibe of the bar. Below average cosmo with wrong garnish, adequate margarita served in the wrong glass. If the owner of this establishment is reading this, please train your employees on customer service and proper drink preparation. At least one of them wouldn't know tact if she had the dictionary page open in front of her.

Stopped at a Route 66 diner in Pontiac, IL for lunch, The Log Cabin. It was established in 1926…read moreand they are celebrating their 100th anniversary in May 2026. The Yelp reviews were mostly five stars, and it was touted to be a locals' favorite, so we decided to give it a try. We both chose the patty melt with a cup of vegetable soup. The soup sounded like an excellent choice on this cold cloudy day. The food, the service and the ambience were all wonderful. We finished off the meal sharing a slice of hot peach pie with vanilla bean ice cream. It was all fantastic.

Sports bar with good Polish food and the vibe of a tiki bar mixed with a pirate bar with multiple…read morebocce alleys out back. This place is a little slice of heaven. Established (as the wall told me) in 1936, I expected "Polish" to be in menu alone...and I was wrong. The gal behind the bar had an accent. Halfway through the Bears game, I started hearing folks concerning and cheering in Polish. I felt like I had slipped into a cool little club to which I would never have otherwise been invited. Loud (but not too loud) and boisterous. I read some other reviews talking about rude regulars: rubbish. Chicago is loud and direct. If you don't like that vibe, the shoulders in this city may just be a little too broad for you. The pierogi and the pyzy were great, both served with sour cream. The beers, while not draft, had a wide, Euro-leaning selection but still respected some local favorites (Old Style). Good food. Good folks. Confusingly brilliant ambiance. You're missing out if you skip The Log Cabin.

Great drinks! Great pizza! Great atmosphere! We highly recommend this brewery as an after work…read morerelaxation spot.

This brewery is tucked away in an industrial park, which can make it a little hard to find--but…read moreit's absolutely worth seeking out. Once you're inside, they've done a great job creating a relaxed, fun atmosphere that makes you want to stay awhile. Every time we've visited, the people have been extremely friendly, and that's honestly a big reason we keep going back. It feels welcoming and genuine, not pretentious. The beers are local and really good, with a wide selection--perfect if you're with a group that likes different styles. There's something for everyone. Definitely worth the stop if you're in the area.

What an amazing find! Perfect before a show! Def will be back!…read more Service and food were great!!

We had a wonderful wine tasting on December 2. Heidi…read moreSchmalz is a great host and came around with the wine. She made sure that we were served and happy with the service. The place is very relaxed and comfortable, having couches and chairs and high tops to relax in. They have PINSA ROMANA PIZZAS, which is like a flat bread on pizza dough. The onion soup Pinsa and the cheesy beef are great and shareable.

Love coming here!…read more Lots of space and tables to play pool, watch sports, and get drinks even if you don't drink alcohol. I usually come drinking only soda but still is very welcoming and pretty clean. They only have pizza but I really come here to hang out. Good vibes.

Beer is cheap but it's always flat and not very enjoyable and good luck getting a pool table unless…read moreyou're in their "League"

Unlimited Korean BBQ dinner for $35! I've been to many k-bbq, and do them at home too, so know they…read moreare not all made the same, and a cheap price isn't always a great deal. At KOW, I was properly impressed. First off, service. All the orders go through a kiosk machine on the table. This might deter some technologically-challenged folks. But with the great service I received, I think if you just ask the servers, they will be happy to help you or even let you just take your order. While the order itself is self-service and the robots are supposed to bring you all the ordered food, our server (and the manager joined forces later, as there were 14 in our party) was busy coming and setting us up with different sauces and side items. Aprons I don't think they advertise aprons here, but in Korea, all bbq restaurants will give you an apron upon request, since you are cooking on the table and oils will get all over your clothes. I haven't seen many places in the States that follow this tradition yet. But this restaurant seems to legit authentic, that I asked and they gave us aprons! (Exactly those single serve ones we get in Korea.) Food Unlike other k-bbq places, their menu is quite limited. They don't have soups and cooked side dishes. Which is fine, as they focus on the quality of meats instead! Their limited side items include all the basics you need to make k-bbq wraps. If you really like grazing on side dishes (rice cakes, cheesy corn, fried chicken, etc), you won't find them here. The keto kow in me was happy with what they had though. Oh, and I almost forgot. They have a ramyun station in the back, where you can cook your own individual portions of instant noodles. There's a variety of brands in the shelves, so you just pick you favorite, and use the pan and stove to make your bowl. There are also condiments for the ramen (eggs, green onions, etc.) for your toppings. So leave a little room in your belly for it! Or skip it like the keto carnivore I am. We got to our heart's content all the lettuce wrap, garlic, pepper, pickles, radish wraps and kimchi we needed to make a legit lettuce wrap. Brisket - Go easy! For a table of 4, we ordered 3 briskets on our first round, thinking we would order more later, but when we got the meat, it was a heaping huge pile! 2 orders of brisket would fill up that grill easy. I would not order more than 2 so we can have other cuts as well. They are not stingy here. Flat iron steak - personally not my favorite (I'd rather eat more brisket), but hubby loved it. It has more bite. Pork Jowl - one of my personal favorite cuts. Tonight, they didn't seem very fresh and had a slight gamey smell. Hopefully it's just a one-time thing. Garlic butter shrimp - very buttery, but delicious. Just don't get it too mixed with other meats unless you love butter. Serrano baby octopus - this has potential, but I wasn't impressed. Skip. Garlic pork belly - get it again! But just one order Large intestine - make sure to cook it long enough and it's delicious. Each order of an intestine is about the size of an Italian sausage. I'd even get 3 for a table of 4. Personal preference. Serrano bulgogi - surprisingly good! I'm not a fan of getting marinated meats at the buffets in the US because they tend to be too sweet, but these were authentic tasting rather than americanized sweet. Vibes The vibe inside is a bit like a bar or club, with super loud Korean music and HUGE screens wrapping around the wall playing Korean music videos. My throat hurt from having to talk loud with my friends on the table, but it was a fun atmosphere. I live out of state, but have a feeling we'll be coming back.

Went to KOW in Des Plaines and had a really fun night. It's Korean BBQ where you cook everything…read moreyourself at the table, which made it feel more interactive than a typical dinner. The beef bulgogi was probably our favorite, and the cheese corn was really good too. They also have a DIY ramen station with a bunch of different ramen packs and toppings you can add, I didn't get to try it this time, but it looked fun. They have these little robot carts that bring food to your table, which was kind of fun and unexpected. The place itself was clean, and I liked the K-pop videos playing on the walls, it added to the vibe. Only minor thing, the metal chopsticks were a little hard to use for some of us, but they'll give you forks if you ask. Our server was great and checked in on us throughout. Overall, really solid spot if you're looking for something a little different and more hands-on.

My boyfriend and I were craving mariscos and decided to try La Marina and had a really good…read moreexperience here. We started with a mango margarita -- I tried it on the rocks and blended -- and both were refreshing without being too sweet & had the right amount of liquor. My boyfriend ordered a michelada and enjoyed it a lot. We had plenty of shots throughout the night as we watched the game and chatted. For appetizers, I got the cold shrimp and octopus cocktail along with half a dozen oysters. The oysters were so fresh that we ended up ordering another half dozen. For our entrée, we shared the Chapuzón, which came with cooked shrimp, octopus, and oysters in a flavorful house sauce that paired really well with everything. The sauce is so addicting, we ordered some rice to enjoy it some more. We finished with a flan that wasn't the typical style you see everywhere, but it tasted really good and was a nice way to end the meal. Danny, the owner, was very welcoming and attentive the entire time. The service was great, and the restaurant was clean and comfortable. Overall, it's a spot I'd definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys mariscos. Ask him about his catering options for the holidays! Pricing isn't an issue in my opinion, you pay for what you get and we left very full and satisfied. We will definitely be coming back!

I went to this restaurant twice on my trip. The first time I ordered the fish taco dinner plate and…read morea margarita. The fish tacos seemed very plain and were nothing sort of special. A good fish taco would consist of lime and a sauce but all it was a plain tempura fish fillets and lettuce nothing else. The margarita was like any other you get. My second visit I ordered the habanero chicken wings and a horchata. The horchata was actually pretty good but the wings were alright. The sauce they were tossed in was flavorful but the wings itself were dry and tough. The service was good but honestly the restaurant was average overall.

Beacon Tap is an awesome local spot and a great go-to for both Des Plaines regulars and visitors…read more The atmosphere is welcoming and fun, with plenty going on, weekly bingo nights, themed menus (their St. Patrick's Day food is always a hit), and live musicians from time to time. The menu has something for everyone, the drinks are solid, and it's a great place to catch a game or just hang out. Owner Tommy is fantastic and truly helps make this place feel like a neighborhood staple. If you're looking to support a local establishment with great vibes and community energy, Beacon Tap is it.

This is a local favorite. Great tavern style pizza, burgers, salads, and pub food in general.read more