10:
Apple Villa Pancake House Batavia
(original review 8-21)
Food Type:
Breakfast; Lunch "Reasonable prices, very
good service and servers that were well-dressed and in uniform"; food
was cooked well and the plate presentation was good, although a garnish
on the plate -- such as a slice of orange or a piece of parsley -- would
have gone a long way toward adding eye-appeal to the breakfasts. The
number of people always crowding the place pretty much tells the story
here -- great for breakfast or lunch.
2007 rating: 3.5 Zins
9:
Country House Geneva
(original review 5-15) Food Type: Casual Dining
An extensive menu and very good food follows well the motto on
the menu: "... focuses on casual dining with casual pricing."
Try the Spinach and Artichoke Dip appetizer, but also enjoy the
excellent burgers. Solid restaurant choice. "tables were all clean,
the service was very good and the ambience matched the menu statement:
casual and comfortable." 2007
rating: 3.5 Zins
8:
Montarra Grill
Algonquin
(original review 10-05) Food Type: Steaks
An austere setting, very up-scale but very up-north (way north on
Randall Road) and fairly pricy -- dinner will cost you anywhere from $30
to $50 per person. If you don't mind high noise levels -- the main
distracter for me -- this could be a great place for dinner. Lots of
imaginative menu items and plenty of beef for the meat lover in you.
"The food was not exceptional but very good."
2007 rating: 3.5 Zins
7:
Rookies All-American
Pub & Grill
St.Charles
(original review 8-03) Food Type: Pub Style
A giant menu with every choice imaginable, great food,
great service and a great value. You really can't ask for much more --
and it is very family friendly too! "it is not necessarily the "fine
dining with white table cloth" establishments that are the only ones
capable of earning my highest praise." 2007 rating: 4 Zins
6:
100 South Chop House
and Grill
Elmhurst
(original review 3-31) Food Type: Steaks and Chops
Reminiscent of supper clubs from days gone by, excellent food and
service, eye-appealing and very comfortable ambience; convenient
location near Metra. Not too much else to say... "I was very
impressed by 100 South Chophouse and Grill."
2007 rating: 4 Zins
5:
Tivoli Ristorante and
Galleria
West Chicago
(original review 7-29) Food Type:
Italian
Another unlikely strip-mall
location for a fine restaurant experience. Eye-appealing plating,
well-attired servers and plenty of very tasty Italian favorites on the
menu. I appreciated the extra touches like "the
warm bread, served with baked garlic smashed by our waiter on a small
plate and served with olive oil."
Save room for an incredibly rich but
heavenly Tiramisu for dessert. Great place to go for some excellent
Italian dining.
2007 rating: 4 Zins
4:
Dimitri's Mediterranean
Grill
St. Charles
(original review 3-23) Food Type: Authentic, Greek-style
cuisine
I have been to this restaurant on numerous occasions and one of the
things that impresses me most is that Owner/Executive Chef Dimitrios
Lolis is always present. Great food and service, portions and
pricing. "For those who have not tried Greek food, this is your
chance to get the good stuff -- Authentic Greek & Mediterranean cuisine."
2007 rating: 4 Zins
3:
Gordon Biersch Brewery
Restaurant
Boling Brook
(original review 5-05) Food Type: Pub Fare... with a flair
Some of the best Southwest Eggrolls and Cedar-Planked Salmon that I have
had; large portions and reasonable prices. Plenty of the things that
one likes to see in a restaurant can be easily found here in this very
comfortable venue, this is "a place that you'll definitely want to
put at the top of your list -- for the wonderful food, professional
service and evening." 2007
rating: 4 Zins
2:
Atwater's
Geneva (at the Herrington Inn)
(original review 2-24) Food Type: Steaks, Chops
Whether you are a guest staying at the Herrington, are just wanting an
appetizer by the fire or are interested in a full dinner, it's
impossible to go wrong if you choose Atwater's. Imaginative and
excellent appetizers and entrees, fine wines and spirits and
professional service at a top-notch venue: fine dining at its best. "We
were both impressed... for a job very well done."
2007 rating: 4 Zins
1:
Maijean
Clarendon Hills
(original review 11-23) Food Type: Country French Bistro
I could easily be tempted to put this one in my "top ten best of all
time" list... it was that good and it would be difficult to say too many
good things about Maijean. Executive Chef Nadia Tilkian is "a master
at presenting the simple elegance of country French cuisine in a
classically prepared manner. I really loved the simple elegance and
outstanding cuisine of Maijean."
2007 rating: 4.5 Zins
The remaining restaurants,
listed alphabetically, did not make the top ten in 2007 (I actually
visited more than eighteen venues in 2007 -- however, I did not write
formal reviews for several of them not listed here):
Birch River Grill
(Arlington Heights)
Dine
(Chicago)
Flagstone Pub
(Geneva)
Nosh
(Geneva)
Venice Tavern
(Batavia)
