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Location
Chicago, IL
Yelping SinceAugust 2008
Things I LoveAlton Brown, French food, Big Love, Weight Watchers, learning, language, France, photography, Rocky Sigman, Fleet Foxes, Wii, English, reading, teaching, French, fabric softener sheets, hugs, Boston Terriers, dogs, sushi
Find Me InLogan Square
My HometownWestmont, IL
When I'm Not Yelping...I'm lesson planning.
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI am in love with this city.
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadTeaching Outside the Box
My First ConcertPenny and the Loafers
My Favorite MovieA Christmas Story
My Last Meal On EarthMom's Thanksgiving Dinner
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I love Law and Order!
Most Recent Discovery30 Rock
Current CrushTracy Morgan and Alec Baldwin
Date
2256 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 477-3219
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 477-3219
Sushi Para II
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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2/21/2009
Hey, all you can eat sushi. I've been waiting to try you for a few years and now I finally have. I came here last night with Theresa C. and another friend to try the awesomely rad $18 all you can eat sushi special.
I was surprised at the size of this place. It's sort of hidden down some stairs on Clark St. The restaurant is in a garden unit and it must have 15 tables, tops. The decor was all over the place, but the restaurant was very bright. The small space was actually kind of cozy and nice even though everyone was squeezing by to move from the check-out counter to the back of the place. Upon entering, we realized we just kind of had to cram ourselves in right by the door. It kind of sucked that the cold air came in at us every time someone opened the door, but it wasn't that big a deal.
We seemed to have gotten there at the right time. We waited about 30 minutes to get a table for three but some other people waited well over an hour because they had bigger groups. BYOB is one of my favorite things ever, so I was glad that we were able to start drinking right when we sat down. Apparently we could have begun drinking when we got in since others had done that but whatever.
Ahh the sushi. I'll be honest, it wasn't the greatest sushi I've ever had but it was still really good. I was surprised that the all you can eat menu was pretty huge. There was a great selection of sashimi (that my friend really liked), maki, appetizers and sides. We had a wide variety of things, most of which I had never tried before. I liked the Fashion Roll, Volcano Roll, and the one with the crunchy crab in it (I don't remember what it was called). Mmmmm maki. Delicious. I also tried some spring rolls that weren't very good and some tempura that was pretty good. Yummy.
I'll definitely be back to stuff myself with some more all I can eat sushi. The stuff was tasty and I love love love that it is BYOB. Our bill was $61 and I know we definitely ate more than $60 worth of good sushi and appetizers. BTW, parking seemed to be easily accessible if you got there around 6:00 and it's not wheelchair accessible. Also, you could have fun with a group here as long as you don't have more than four people - I think it's just too hard to accommodate large groups (even though they will do it).
2500 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 289-4798
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 289-4798
Murray's Discount Auto Parts
Category: Automotive
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park
I must have come in early enough on a Saturday morning to not have to wait in line at the registers at all. I walked right up and asked for help with windshield wipers. I had never bought them myself and had never even attempted to install them, so I'll admit I was a bit nervous. I knew that Murray's helps with instillation if you buy products from them (my mom has been a client of a Murray's in the suburbs for years).
I told the man behind the counter what I kind of car I have and he directed me to exactly where I needed to be. There were several types of wipers to choose from but I was obviously attracted to the "Buy One Get One Free" deal, so I went with those. I also told the man I needed some wiper fluid and he grabbed me a bottle and met me at the counter. I paid for my items and he said he offered to come out and help me install the blades if I needed it.
I came back inside and told the guy I needed some help and he said he'd meet me outside. This is where I encountered my only trouble of the day. Even though all of the employees were nice, they were really preoccupied with other customers. The associate never came out to help me, but I could definitely see he was busy with a number of other customers that needed help inside. No worries, though, the instructions inside the wiper blade package helped me with the instillation and I put the new ones on all by myself!
I won't really hate on the guy inside for not coming out to help - he was legitimately busy and there were clearly only two people working inside. It wasn't a big deal, though, so I've definitely decided that Murray's is going to be my go-to auto supply store from now on. The prices are great (I spent a total of $20 on everything this trip) and the employees were helpful. I can see waiting in line for a long time if there's tons of customers with individual questions about specific problems and two people working. I wouldn't get all worked up like the other reviewers just because this is the nature of having a few employees and a ton of customers (stupid recession).
I told the man behind the counter what I kind of car I have and he directed me to exactly where I needed to be. There were several types of wipers to choose from but I was obviously attracted to the "Buy One Get One Free" deal, so I went with those. I also told the man I needed some wiper fluid and he grabbed me a bottle and met me at the counter. I paid for my items and he said he offered to come out and help me install the blades if I needed it.
I came back inside and told the guy I needed some help and he said he'd meet me outside. This is where I encountered my only trouble of the day. Even though all of the employees were nice, they were really preoccupied with other customers. The associate never came out to help me, but I could definitely see he was busy with a number of other customers that needed help inside. No worries, though, the instructions inside the wiper blade package helped me with the instillation and I put the new ones on all by myself!
I won't really hate on the guy inside for not coming out to help - he was legitimately busy and there were clearly only two people working inside. It wasn't a big deal, though, so I've definitely decided that Murray's is going to be my go-to auto supply store from now on. The prices are great (I spent a total of $20 on everything this trip) and the employees were helpful. I can see waiting in line for a long time if there's tons of customers with individual questions about specific problems and two people working. I wouldn't get all worked up like the other reviewers just because this is the nature of having a few employees and a ton of customers (stupid recession).
213 W Institute Pl
Chicago, IL 60610
(773) 896-8303
Chicago, IL 60610
(773) 896-8303
Open Books
Categories: Bookstores, Community Service/Non-Profit
Neighborhood: Near North Side
I had the amazing pleasure of attending Open Books's opening night celebrations this past Friday and I was so impressed with the organization and their mission to spread literacy around the great city of Chicago.
Though Open Books has been an organization for a few years now, they finally realized their dream of opening their own book store this past weekend. The book store is spacious, has really unique decorations and all the books on the shelves had been donated to the organization. Open Books's book store offers everyone in the city an opportunity to buy great, relevant and classic books at low prices because everything is used. I bought a Webster's Dictionary for $8! It's like 3,000 pages!
As a teacher, an organization like Open Books is absolutely fabulous. They have programs for children as well as adults to help everyone learn to read and learn a love of reading. There are field trips for kids grades 4-12 and the Reading Buddies program is fantastic. Kids are paired with a volunteer to read after school. This makes a huge impact in the lives of children, especially those who are struggling with reading. If you foster the love of reading early, all people will become life-long readers.
I bought a ton of books for my classroom for $46. I mean a ton of books too - I think I bought 20 total books, including that gigantic dictionary. I bought a lot of YA literature for my English students and I think they'll be impressed with the selection I was able to pick up.
Kudos to Open Books for finally having a space to help realize even more of their mission as an organization. I have a feeling that they will be even more successful now that they have this space to realize more of their programs. I highly recommend you stop in if you have a chance - there's tons of stuff to discover just walking around and you'll have a great time browsing the huge collection of books.
Though Open Books has been an organization for a few years now, they finally realized their dream of opening their own book store this past weekend. The book store is spacious, has really unique decorations and all the books on the shelves had been donated to the organization. Open Books's book store offers everyone in the city an opportunity to buy great, relevant and classic books at low prices because everything is used. I bought a Webster's Dictionary for $8! It's like 3,000 pages!
As a teacher, an organization like Open Books is absolutely fabulous. They have programs for children as well as adults to help everyone learn to read and learn a love of reading. There are field trips for kids grades 4-12 and the Reading Buddies program is fantastic. Kids are paired with a volunteer to read after school. This makes a huge impact in the lives of children, especially those who are struggling with reading. If you foster the love of reading early, all people will become life-long readers.
I bought a ton of books for my classroom for $46. I mean a ton of books too - I think I bought 20 total books, including that gigantic dictionary. I bought a lot of YA literature for my English students and I think they'll be impressed with the selection I was able to pick up.
Kudos to Open Books for finally having a space to help realize even more of their mission as an organization. I have a feeling that they will be even more successful now that they have this space to realize more of their programs. I highly recommend you stop in if you have a chance - there's tons of stuff to discover just walking around and you'll have a great time browsing the huge collection of books.
2654 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 342-8485
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 342-8485
Midas Auto Service Experts
Category: Auto Repair
Neighborhood: Logan Square
So I've written about this before and I think most of the women out there can totally feel where I'm coming from. As a woman, I absolutely hate taking my car in for maintenance ever because I always feel like I'm being played. I don't know what parts are what or how a car actually runs, so I know some people try to take advantage of that.
My brake lights had been on a week and, since I know nothing about cars, I decided to take it to the closest place to my house because I just need to get things fixed quickly so they don't become bigger, more expensive problems. I took it in right when they opened (which is 8 a.m. on Saturday - awesome!) and the manager who helped me was pretty nice. I was told that it would only take the morning and part of the afternoon to diagnose and fix the problem, so I left with the promise that I'd be phoned with information before I OK any repairs to the car.
As promised, I received a phone call with the damage and it was pretty expensive. I needed all sorts of things replaced, shaved down, etc. Total: $460. And that was after I asked "What things aren't absolutely necessary to do right now in order for the car to run safely?" Previous total: Over $600. I will admit, I kind of felt like I was getting gyped, so I asked them to wait on the repairs and I called my dealer. I gave them a run down of everything that Midas wanted to do and I asked how much they would charge me - they said $500.
Do I feel bad for not trusting the Midas? Kind of. However, I went ahead with the repairs and they were done in about two hours. I didn't have to be without my car for more than a day and everything runs fine now. I'm really happy with everything they did and I really don't feel like I got a bad deal. However, I don't think I'd come here for regular oil changes because they're just too expensive, even with coupons. Car-X is still the place to go for that. But this Midas did the trick with important repairs and I may bring it back here in the future if a weird light ever goes on again.
My brake lights had been on a week and, since I know nothing about cars, I decided to take it to the closest place to my house because I just need to get things fixed quickly so they don't become bigger, more expensive problems. I took it in right when they opened (which is 8 a.m. on Saturday - awesome!) and the manager who helped me was pretty nice. I was told that it would only take the morning and part of the afternoon to diagnose and fix the problem, so I left with the promise that I'd be phoned with information before I OK any repairs to the car.
As promised, I received a phone call with the damage and it was pretty expensive. I needed all sorts of things replaced, shaved down, etc. Total: $460. And that was after I asked "What things aren't absolutely necessary to do right now in order for the car to run safely?" Previous total: Over $600. I will admit, I kind of felt like I was getting gyped, so I asked them to wait on the repairs and I called my dealer. I gave them a run down of everything that Midas wanted to do and I asked how much they would charge me - they said $500.
Do I feel bad for not trusting the Midas? Kind of. However, I went ahead with the repairs and they were done in about two hours. I didn't have to be without my car for more than a day and everything runs fine now. I'm really happy with everything they did and I really don't feel like I got a bad deal. However, I don't think I'd come here for regular oil changes because they're just too expensive, even with coupons. Car-X is still the place to go for that. But this Midas did the trick with important repairs and I may bring it back here in the future if a weird light ever goes on again.
I wasn't really that impressed with this place. Honestly, I don't know why I even go to a casino outside of Vegas. The odds of winning at a place like Four Winds are significantly lower than they are in Vegas because tehre's less people playing the machines or games. Obviously, your odds go down if less people are playing and setting you up for a win.
Four Winds is kind of out in the middle of nowhere. We were in New Buffalo earlier in the day and were surprised when there was a sign that said "Casino, turn here!" Turns out the casino is still a 15 minute drive down a weird, windy road in the middle of nowhere. Free parking is a plus and there was a hotel if you're looking for a place to stay.
Nice looking place, pretty classy interior. Lots of machines but not all of the tables were open so that's not really that awesome if you're into the table games. There were some souvenir shops (with no magnets - annoying) and apparently some restaurants, but I couldn't seem to find them.
Weirdest part of the whole experience? There were tons of kids at the casino. Why? I don't want to be around your damn annoying kid when I'm out in public at a place that serves people 21 and over only. Seriously, one couple had a BABY with them. An infant. In a car seat. Come on. Get that baby someplace it belongs, not inside a casino.
I'd just stick to not gambling in the Chicagoland area ever if you could. Just go to Tunica, Atlantic City or Vegas. Gambling is more fun when you make a trip out of it, anyway.
Four Winds is kind of out in the middle of nowhere. We were in New Buffalo earlier in the day and were surprised when there was a sign that said "Casino, turn here!" Turns out the casino is still a 15 minute drive down a weird, windy road in the middle of nowhere. Free parking is a plus and there was a hotel if you're looking for a place to stay.
Nice looking place, pretty classy interior. Lots of machines but not all of the tables were open so that's not really that awesome if you're into the table games. There were some souvenir shops (with no magnets - annoying) and apparently some restaurants, but I couldn't seem to find them.
Weirdest part of the whole experience? There were tons of kids at the casino. Why? I don't want to be around your damn annoying kid when I'm out in public at a place that serves people 21 and over only. Seriously, one couple had a BABY with them. An infant. In a car seat. Come on. Get that baby someplace it belongs, not inside a casino.
I'd just stick to not gambling in the Chicagoland area ever if you could. Just go to Tunica, Atlantic City or Vegas. Gambling is more fun when you make a trip out of it, anyway.
1919 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 598-4549
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 598-4549
Gorilla Tango Theatre
Category: Performing Arts
Neighborhood: Bucktown
Regardless of what you've seen here, Gorilla Tango is all about supporting the new, small, independent performances that are the lifeblood of this city's theater scene. I recently saw a friend's sketch comedy show here and it was fabulous - partly because Gorilla Tango is so friendly to people who need a space to put on a show.
The space is small, intimate - definitely great for working the crowd. There is a large enough seating area that you could sit in the "back" and not feel like you're right up on the stage, if you are into that sort of thing. Even the front seats don't feel like they're right up in the performance area, which is good. As cool as interactive theater can be, I like there to be a distinct separation between performer and audience.
Gorilla Tango is really one of the best theaters in Chicago for all things new and fresh. There's a ton of variety to suit every taste and there's performances from people producing their first show to their 100th. Directly from their website: "GTT exists to provide artists and organizations of all sizes and genres the opportunity to produce their work in a professional environment." This is so important for the city of Chicago so keep this place thriving. It's clean, professional and there's cheap beer and wine for sale before you go to a performance. What more could you ask for?
The space is small, intimate - definitely great for working the crowd. There is a large enough seating area that you could sit in the "back" and not feel like you're right up on the stage, if you are into that sort of thing. Even the front seats don't feel like they're right up in the performance area, which is good. As cool as interactive theater can be, I like there to be a distinct separation between performer and audience.
Gorilla Tango is really one of the best theaters in Chicago for all things new and fresh. There's a ton of variety to suit every taste and there's performances from people producing their first show to their 100th. Directly from their website: "GTT exists to provide artists and organizations of all sizes and genres the opportunity to produce their work in a professional environment." This is so important for the city of Chicago so keep this place thriving. It's clean, professional and there's cheap beer and wine for sale before you go to a performance. What more could you ask for?
5153 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 275-5255
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 275-5255
The Neo-Futurists
Category: Performing Arts
Neighborhoods: Uptown, Andersonville, Ravenswood
Honestly, one of the best shows I have seen in a very long time. A group of friends and I saw "Fear" last weekend and I was absolutely impressed. The Neos manage to create a fantastic mix that is part art instillation, part improv, part scripted show to create a wild, fantasy-like production. The tickets were cheap, the theater space was maximized to create the best show possible and the players were superb. Fear was definitely one of the scarier things I've seen in awhile, too, and it provided an excellent alternative to a haunted house this Halloween. I don't want to give away too much, but it's a show that is definitely worth your time.
Though I'm not familiar with the Neos other work (this was my first time at any of their shows), I can clearly see that they are a group of players working outside the box to create the best, most cutting-edge theater possible in this great city. I applaud their work and I highly, highly recommend you stop in and support this small troupe.
Though I'm not familiar with the Neos other work (this was my first time at any of their shows), I can clearly see that they are a group of players working outside the box to create the best, most cutting-edge theater possible in this great city. I applaud their work and I highly, highly recommend you stop in and support this small troupe.
3601 N Southport Ave
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 883-1862
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 883-1862
Julius Meinl
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
Neighborhood: Lakeview
What is Julius Meinl? Honestly, I passed by it so many times and could never figure it out. Kind of a bizarre name... did it serve food? Coffee? What?! Clearly, I had been missing out on so much brunch goodness and that makes me sad. But I've been here now and I know how good the food tastes - that's what's important.
Enter: small-ish group of friends out for brunch. We wanted to sit out on the patio, which turned out to be the best idea ever because that was literally the last warm enough weekend to do so for the year in Chicago. Winners: us. We waited about 15 minutes for a large table to open up and we were promptly seated and our drink orders were taken. I was highly impressed with the size of their tea menu - usually places just have a few bagged teas to choose from, but JM has a great selection of bagged and loose. I like it!
Their menu was a bit overwhelming, not in quantity, but in quality. Literally everything seemed so delicious I could not decide what to order. I eventually decided on a Meinl Cinnamon Roll and the Meinl Baked Eggs with Rosti, caramelized onions and truffle oil. Mmmmmmmmm so absolutely delicious. The cinnamon roll was huge, even when I shared it with my boyfriend... we almost couldn't finish it. The baked eggs were super hot, contained a delicious mix of flavors and was one of the most savory things ever. I'm a huge fan of European breakfast in general, so this reminded me of the time I spent in Germany traveling.
Do I want to go back? YES! I will definitely bring myself back here for some delicious coffee and breakfast. The service was friendly, prompt and the entire restaurant smelled like roasting coffee. Oh, try their Cherry-Limeade drink.... it was super good and I wish I had gotten a huge size. Meinl is my delicious alternative to a standard hot breakfast. Good job.
Enter: small-ish group of friends out for brunch. We wanted to sit out on the patio, which turned out to be the best idea ever because that was literally the last warm enough weekend to do so for the year in Chicago. Winners: us. We waited about 15 minutes for a large table to open up and we were promptly seated and our drink orders were taken. I was highly impressed with the size of their tea menu - usually places just have a few bagged teas to choose from, but JM has a great selection of bagged and loose. I like it!
Their menu was a bit overwhelming, not in quantity, but in quality. Literally everything seemed so delicious I could not decide what to order. I eventually decided on a Meinl Cinnamon Roll and the Meinl Baked Eggs with Rosti, caramelized onions and truffle oil. Mmmmmmmmm so absolutely delicious. The cinnamon roll was huge, even when I shared it with my boyfriend... we almost couldn't finish it. The baked eggs were super hot, contained a delicious mix of flavors and was one of the most savory things ever. I'm a huge fan of European breakfast in general, so this reminded me of the time I spent in Germany traveling.
Do I want to go back? YES! I will definitely bring myself back here for some delicious coffee and breakfast. The service was friendly, prompt and the entire restaurant smelled like roasting coffee. Oh, try their Cherry-Limeade drink.... it was super good and I wish I had gotten a huge size. Meinl is my delicious alternative to a standard hot breakfast. Good job.
4000 N Sheridan Rd
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 348-9600
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 348-9600
Holiday Club
Categories: Bars, American (Traditional)
Neighborhoods: Uptown, Wrigleyville, Lakeview
Of course I'd always wanted to come here - who can resist that sparkly banner flashing on the corner every time you pass by? I LOVE sparkles and Holiday Club is definitely a diamond in the rough.
I hadn't heard the greatest things, but I was willing to go in for a try because - hey - the Yelp Book Club was meeting here. To my surprise, the place was pretty empty. Sure, it was a Thursday evening at 7 p.m., but they serve food! And have an awesome patio! Why wouldn't there be more people here? I couldn't figure it out. Tons of places to sit at the bar or tables around the room. We promptly positioned ourselves in a nice, red sparkly booth and waited.
The food was totally yummy and not too expensive. The veggie burger was pretty good and I liked the fries. The beer, too, wasn't that expensive and they had specials. I didn't go broke at Holiday Club, and that's good for me. Decent selection of beers and they had good ones on tap. I enjoy a place that has more than Miller or Old Style on tap.
My only problem was the service. Both times I've been here, the service was pretty bad. I was shocked, too, since there just weren't that many people in the place either time I've been, so how can this be!? The first time, the Yelp Book Club pretty much made up all of the patrons in the place and it was pretty difficult to get another beer. I was surprised since I could just see our waitress hanging out at the bar chatting it up with the bartender - pretty bad customer service. Same thing went for the second time and I didn't even have the same server. Again, there were only about 1/2 the tables even occupied but it was almost impossible to place our first order. The waitress came around and took the orders for some people (two others in our group were in the bathroom) and then it took her over 10 minutes to bring our first round of beers just so she could take the other orders. Annoying.
You need to work on that, Holiday Club. I love me some impressive customer service and you're really making me upset. However, this place still seems relatively hidden from the crowd in Uptown, and I appreciate a bar that isn't overly crowded. I'm not sure if people just don't like coming here or if it gets hoppin' after 2 a.m., but it was to not have to yell over everyone to hear my friends or get trapped in an inanely long line for the bathroom.
I hadn't heard the greatest things, but I was willing to go in for a try because - hey - the Yelp Book Club was meeting here. To my surprise, the place was pretty empty. Sure, it was a Thursday evening at 7 p.m., but they serve food! And have an awesome patio! Why wouldn't there be more people here? I couldn't figure it out. Tons of places to sit at the bar or tables around the room. We promptly positioned ourselves in a nice, red sparkly booth and waited.
The food was totally yummy and not too expensive. The veggie burger was pretty good and I liked the fries. The beer, too, wasn't that expensive and they had specials. I didn't go broke at Holiday Club, and that's good for me. Decent selection of beers and they had good ones on tap. I enjoy a place that has more than Miller or Old Style on tap.
My only problem was the service. Both times I've been here, the service was pretty bad. I was shocked, too, since there just weren't that many people in the place either time I've been, so how can this be!? The first time, the Yelp Book Club pretty much made up all of the patrons in the place and it was pretty difficult to get another beer. I was surprised since I could just see our waitress hanging out at the bar chatting it up with the bartender - pretty bad customer service. Same thing went for the second time and I didn't even have the same server. Again, there were only about 1/2 the tables even occupied but it was almost impossible to place our first order. The waitress came around and took the orders for some people (two others in our group were in the bathroom) and then it took her over 10 minutes to bring our first round of beers just so she could take the other orders. Annoying.
You need to work on that, Holiday Club. I love me some impressive customer service and you're really making me upset. However, this place still seems relatively hidden from the crowd in Uptown, and I appreciate a bar that isn't overly crowded. I'm not sure if people just don't like coming here or if it gets hoppin' after 2 a.m., but it was to not have to yell over everyone to hear my friends or get trapped in an inanely long line for the bathroom.
This may officially be the slowest CVS in the history of Chicago. The customer service here is absolutely horrid and unbelievably insane. As a person who used to live in the neighborhood, this became the only place to go to pick up quick food or drugstore products because the Jewel on 31st closed. That was really unfortunate because this CVS absolutely sucks. Trust me, I worked here for like two days and had to quit because everyone was super mean.
The store is relatively clean and organized when they don't have all of the items to be put on the shelves out in every aisle blocking everything (this seems to be the case every time I come in). This CVS at least sells a good number of items, which sort of makes up for the messiness of the store. Most of their employees look like zombies and you can tell they hate their jobs. They're pretty slow about putting everything away, so there's usually just crap everywhere.
I wouldn't trust taking my photos here, but that's just me. I've experienced more than one angry customer chewing out the photo employees because they ruined something, so I would just avoid this area at all costs. Or do your own pictures. The pharmacy employees are alright - I never took any prescriptions here, so I wouldn't really know what's up back there.
I guess I just feel like I've stepped into an alternate universe when I come in here. The last time, the employee at the ONE open register was unreasonably slow and the customer being served was insanely stupid. At one point she forgot something and had to go back and get it in order to finish her transaction. She was gone for almost five minutes and then came back with THREE other things. Apparently she had totally forgotten that she was in the middle of checking out and continued browsing the store for more items to purchase. Of course, the lady ringing us out couldn't cancel that transaction, so we all just had to stand. It was unbelievably annoying. This is pretty indicative of every experience I've ever had in here ever.
Good thing they sell booze... otherwise coming here would be entirely useless.
The store is relatively clean and organized when they don't have all of the items to be put on the shelves out in every aisle blocking everything (this seems to be the case every time I come in). This CVS at least sells a good number of items, which sort of makes up for the messiness of the store. Most of their employees look like zombies and you can tell they hate their jobs. They're pretty slow about putting everything away, so there's usually just crap everywhere.
I wouldn't trust taking my photos here, but that's just me. I've experienced more than one angry customer chewing out the photo employees because they ruined something, so I would just avoid this area at all costs. Or do your own pictures. The pharmacy employees are alright - I never took any prescriptions here, so I wouldn't really know what's up back there.
I guess I just feel like I've stepped into an alternate universe when I come in here. The last time, the employee at the ONE open register was unreasonably slow and the customer being served was insanely stupid. At one point she forgot something and had to go back and get it in order to finish her transaction. She was gone for almost five minutes and then came back with THREE other things. Apparently she had totally forgotten that she was in the middle of checking out and continued browsing the store for more items to purchase. Of course, the lady ringing us out couldn't cancel that transaction, so we all just had to stand. It was unbelievably annoying. This is pretty indicative of every experience I've ever had in here ever.
Good thing they sell booze... otherwise coming here would be entirely useless.
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Christkindlmarket Chicago
Wednesday 11:00 AM -
Detroit Turkey Trot
Thursday 7:15 AM -
Lincoln Square Christkindl Market
December 4 12:00 PM
For the past several months, I've gone to other sushi places and I always find myself comparing them to Sushi Para II. Seriously. I always say things like "I don't know, their volcano roll just wasn't as good as Para's..." or "This isn't as spicy as the rolls at Para II." Clearly, I've been in some serious denial for awhile because I just wouldn't admit to myself that Sushi Para II was my favorite. But here I am, now, professing my love for the sushi on Yelp. And that's what counts.
Their all-you-can-eat menu is spectacular. For $17.99 the selection is amazing. There's at least 8 appetizers to choose from (edamame, gyoza, miso soup), tons of rolls and a really nice selection of nigiri. The rolls aren't just the standard, "cheap" rolls that other happy hour sushi places serve (like California or Philly) - they actually have the more expensive rolls that are way fancier and require a lot more work (you know, the ones that are usually $12-$15). You can order two or three rolls from the AYCE menu and you've eaten your $18 worth of sushi. Add in a couple more rolls and some apps and you're golden.
The service is always quick and friendly. Quick service = outstanding here since it's always packed. People clearly love this place if they keep coming back. I have waited at least 10 minutes almost every single time I've come here, so that's saying something about the demand.
Also, they've finally moved locations! Sushi Para II used to be located in the tiny, lower level of a building on Clark. It was kind of basement-esque and super, super small. Like there may have only been eight or 10 tables total in the whole restaurant, most of which were for two-seaters. However, their new space is nice, roomy and nicely decorated. There is no more pushing awkwardly past tiny tables full of people to get to the bathroom - now there's tons of room and way more tables, so way less waiting.
And it's BYOB. Always a plus in my book.
Yep, it's official. This is my new favorite sushi place and I'm super happy about it.