phatcat1688 "To eat or be eaten"

The wait can take some time, but the atmosphere is fun and festive. While waiting for a seat take some time to get some drinks at the large bar where you can mingle with a lot of people as it is socially receptive. It is large restaurant that can accomodate large groups and a fun place to get dinner with friends.

I’ve been here maybe 6-7 times in the last 7 years. Everytime I have been impressed with the food and people inside. The service is quick (but the wait can be long at lunch or dinner).

I’ve been here with friends, parents, and a date. The food they give for an entree of ~$10 bucks is unbelievable. You will leave with a full stomach, and if you still have room their famous smoothies with tapioca (boba) balls will cap it off to a belt-busting evening.

besides the experience of going to Portillo’s (downtown) location, I don’t see the point really. The hot dogs are good but not great.

Give me Hebrew International or Best Kosher’s hot dogs any day of the week at home and I don’t think anyone can top that, at least for me no one has.

From what I understand these are Vienna hotdogs??—-once again, good but not great.

off to Bandera. It’s nested on the Mag Mile in between the Citibank and Adriana (sp) furs.

At first, one might think (as you ascend the escalators), where the hell am I going? Is there even a restaurant or is this part of a department store?

Then you arrive to modern american cuisine with a fantastic lounge bar and excellent grill and service.
If you want to impress your girl, take her here, not because it’s expensive, because it’s not, but because of the mood.

Dim, soft lighting, with red hues and candle light flickering make it a great place to get your groove on. Some nights live music (piano and singer) will perform adding an AMAZING surreal sense to the place. Even without a date, there are some serious hotties at the bar, so it is definitely worth checking out. The view at the window tables are gorgeous at night as the overlook the beautiful busy street.

The food, is above average, some may even say great, it depends on how much you like modern american food. You can expect to drop $40-50 for 2 people for a full meal. The entrees are usually less than $20 and a sizeable portion is delivered.

The service, food, and romantic mood make this a place worth checking out, especially for the price (for this level of sophistication and decor).

Many different hamburgers in the US can quench our desire for a good old fashion burger. There is nothing I have ever tasted like the “Smokehouse”. Its cut of beef mixed with cheddar and bacon are truly out of this world.

Add in the atmosphere of an old time diner and the service being reliable and friendly. It is definitely a fun place to go, be it with a couple of friends or with a date. You are sure to remember Johnny Rockets once you’ve tried it, there is a world of difference between a common fast food burger (BK, Friday’s) vs. the stuff they make here.

As many Californians have told me Johnny Rockets and In and Out make the best burgers in the country.

My girlfriend and I went there for a special evening, and it was pretty nice. My first impression was a little scared, little exicted, a litte confused. That’s all because this grill/lounge has 3 stories of upscale sexiness. There was even a playboy bunny lady walking around, I don’t know if that is normal because it was Halloween weekend.
The top two floors are part of the restaurant, it looks very upscale with its ambient lighting and excellent bar with hotties and hunks lingering about.
The basment floor has a REALLY cool lounge that not many spot, and the main floor after 10pm bumps with a DJ on the weekends.
The restaurant manager (or owner, I don’t know) was extremely nice and checked up on us several times.
The food was out of this world good as well as the portions for the main entrees. Again, if you plan on eating an appetizer, salad, entree expect to drop $100 for 2 people.
Definitely worth checking out if you got the dough.

Pretty ‘upscale’ for a mexican restaurant. It was snuggled in an intersection in lincoln park. The music ranged from classical, to portishead, to 80’s music I think. Interesting, very interesting.. Definitely worth trying with a date or a friend for a quick dinner. I don’t know if I’d come back many times, but a date could end up being successful there as it is very intimate.

The clientele ranges from rich old people to early 30’s business people. It is a great place for a date and the prices are moderate in expense.
The cuisine is american traditional with steak, ribs, pork chops, and good pasta.
They have live piano music Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Prepare to drop a $100 if it’s a date. The exquistite dining and bar is top notch. The service is amazing, not once did the not monitor my EVERY needs. The food is succulent and there is even a nice veranda outside overlooking the river. You can be seated to either an indoor (dark wood and romantic lighting) or outdoor(tented sunroom).

Whether it’s bringing a date, or going out with a large group of friends, look to fill your belly up right in this sophisticated yet relaxed grill. The outdoor sitting area is amazing overlooking a serene pond with large trees overhead. At night time or near dusk during the summer it is truly a sight to see. There are some dishes that are truly amazing in quality and proportion, and the dishes that may not flavor your taste buds still will fill your stomach!