Wonton S.'s Profile

Considering how packed this place always is, I had very high expectations for Front Street Cantina.  To be fair, we just went for drinks and appetizers, so I didn't get a big sampling of their actual dinners.  Average service and average drinks, nothing too write home about.  They were very liberal with the cheese (Yummy!).  In a pinch, it's not a bad place to put back a few drinks and nibble, that is if you can get a table.

This is definitely more of a hang out place and less of an actual restaurant.  I would have to guess that about half of the folk there on any given night order a few rounds of drinks and maybe something to munch on.  Over the last six months or so, we've gone to The Filling Station a bunch of times and I have yet to order an actual meal.  The appetizers are typical pub eats (large portions) and they have a great selection of beer and tons of drink specials.  The restaurant;s beer garden is on a corner lot of prime real estate in down town St. Charles, just off the river.  This is definitely the place to hang out and people watch and to be watched.  If you want to hang out for a while be sure to get there early and stay in your seat!  I've been booted more than once!

I really loved the concept of this place when it first opened.  How cool.  I place to just chill and have some chocolate with my girlfriends, or a place for a romantic late night snack with my man.  But Ethels is a big disappointment.  First off, it is always packed.  Not because it's popular but because the staff is slow, inattentive and very rude.  The chocolates are small and bland.  The fondue is nothing special.  The only redeeming quality is the hot chocolate.  It in it self is worth one star.

I've been hesitant to try this place out because everyone I've spoke with said it was great but super expensive (I'm a little cheap:), but I was pleasantly surprised by the bill.  The tapas are a little bit on the small size, but that makes the whole experience more fun, you can have lots of little tastes.  The wine list is a little overwhelming, lots of Argentinian and Spanish selections.  The best bet is to ask the waiter.  We relied on him for lots during the meal.  The service was amazing, the table was cleared and the attention was dolled out perfectly.  I never felt rushed or neglected - my main complaint about the other big tapas restaurant in Naperville, Tango.  I can't think of a single complaint about Mason Sabika, other than I can't eat there every night for dinner.

I worry that this restaurant won't make it.  It's hidden away by the train station and is always pretty empty.  Which is too bad because they make really good sushi.  The sushi bar area is a little small, but they have lots of booths and tables.  The waitstaff is very attentive, probably because you'll be the only one the serve all night.  They might not be as friendly as Sushi House in Naperville is, but their actual sushi is comparable in taste and the presentation is a little bit better.  The fish is fresh, you can always get a seat, the staff is nice, and the prices are fair.

I'm gonna do it - I'm gonna take the plung.... BEST RESTAURANT IN NAPERVILLE.  There, I'm committed to it.  For a little over a year we ate here one a week, usually every Friday night.  We stopped when we temporarily relocated to St. Charles over the summer, but we're back in full swing.  The sushi is amazing, the chefs will make you little special treats, and the waitstaff is super nice.  Ask to sit in Sachico's section, she will take good care of you.  Tell you Jennie (my names Jennae but she pronounces it Jennie:) sent you.  Everything about this place is perfect.  Perfect timing between courses, perfectly smooth sake selection (they have a sake martini that's to die for), perfect presentation that's not overwhelming and actually adds to the course instead of distracting it and most importantly, they make you feel comfortable, even if you have no idea what you are doing.  We went here with no idea of how to order, what to order, or how to behavior for that matter. Sachico walked us through everything and made recommendations every week.  We've made many friends at Sushi house and I hope that you can too.  Hope to bump into you there sometime soon.

This is a good stand-by restaurant, or one to take a group too.  It's in the Portillo chain of restaurants and my least favorite.  The decor is really cool, and the waitstaff is good.  The wine list is nice, you can try out one of the wine flights to get a good selection.  I'm not a wine-snob, but it is nice to have a choice of which wine goes with which course.  The food is good - a little bland and uninspired, but perfect for a crowd.  Everyone is bound to find something they like.  Plus, the place is huge! so you can pretty much always get a seat.  It's nothing special, but it is consistent.

My favorite Italian place in Saint Charles by far!  This restaurant is a converted old house in the downtown area.  They have a nice patio with a pretty neat bird cage display in the summer.  The whole house is filled with smells from the kitchen making the whole experience seem "homey".  The waitstaff is amazing, I've relied on them each time we've eaten there, with them recommending something great that I was in the mood for.  The wine list is small, but filled with lots of nice wines.  I suggest just going in with an idea of what you have a taste for and just letting the staff take care of you.  You have to try the desserts.... there's a big selection of typical Italian fare...  yes I"ve tasted them all!  And no, I can't say which is best because they were all so good.

While the atmosphere is decidedly yuppie, my husband and I always have fun here and never spend more than $30 or $40 buck for food and drinks.  When a sports game is on, this place gets really packed and loud, but always in a friendly competitive nature.  The bartenders are great at helping you pick out a drink (I'm always in the mood for checking out a bars specials or recommendations).  The food is typical bar fare, sandwiches, fries, burgers etc., but they're tasty and server up fast and with a smile.  I've never been able to nab one of the pool tables in the back, but have been fortunate enough to hear some of the live music.  Good time, good prices, and just an overall friendly place to be.

This place is either 5+stars or a one star restaurant completely depending on your server and how busy they are.  During the week when it's just the after work crowd, I love to meet up here for a few drinks and some tapas.  The martini's a great and they have a wide selection of tapas to try out.  Unfortunately, if you get a table on the weekend (reservations are a must), the hot tapas come out more lukewarm and by the time your drink actually makes it to your table, the ice is already completely melted.  The downstairs and patio area are nicely decorated, but the second story indoor seating looks like a glumly basement.  I don't want to sound too harsh, Tango does have great food - it's just a matter of how fast it can get from the stove to your table.  If they could fix that - maybe get some more staff and not trying to cram quite so many bodies in - I would give the overall experience and food five stars.  Sometimes a great dinner can be ruined by a inattentive waiter (especially when you are ordering many courses).  I hope that there management is aware of this problem and how much of an issue it truly is.  I spoke to a restaurant manager, but she seemed preoccupied by the dinner rush.