Lindz B.'s Profile

Won a free party at Trader Todd's, and used it last Friday because a friend of mine hosts karaoke there every Friday night.  Party includes free single-pour mixed well drinks, Bud/Bud Light, and wine from 8-9PM, as well as 20% off all food during this time.

Corresponded with the party planner through email in the weeks leading up to the Jan 29th date.  RSVPed approximately ten people one week in advance and asked if two tables could be reserved near the karaoke stand.  I was told this would not be a problem.

I arrived at 7:45 and saw tables reserved.  I went over and started putting my stuff down when I was told by a waitress that those tables were not for my party.  As it turns out, no tables had been reserved for us, as was previously requested and agreed upon, and there were no two tables open by the karaoke stand.  Great.

As it turns out, 1 person who RSVPed couldn't make it at the last minute.  5 of us showed up on time, and 3 others showed up after 9 and didn't stay long, so the one table turned out to be enough (although we were SUPER CRAMPED after they dropped down the leaf of the table to make it so only drinks could fit on the top.)  Our waiter forgot to take 20% off for food, but the problem was quickly corrected by a different waitress than the one from earlier in the night.  The food was decent and the drinks were alright.  Karaoke was fun, though, which is what bumped the review up to 3 stars.  Clark is a great host, but I won't go out of my way to go here  unless I win another free party or I'm invited to one by other friends.

This review is based on their Pub Quiz on Mondays only.

The girls who run trivia are a couple of wenches (yes, wenches), who pitch hissy fits when their Wikipedia-ed answers are called into question and are proven to be incorrect after they've announced the answers for the round.  Hey ladies, you do know that Wikipedia is publicly edited, right?  Try doing some real research sometime.  Oh, and your "Brad's mom" answers are beyond insipid.

Beer and food are way overpriced, but the fish and chips are really good.  In fact, the fish and chips are what give this place 3 stars.

Thankfully, I've found better Pub Quiz nights at better bars, so the chances of me coming back here are slim.  Unless I'm craving fish and chips.

A friend and I ordered delivery last Friday off of http://Delivery.com to satisfy our hunger inbetween building my computer desk and DVD rack.  We got the rib bucket sampler, a fried chicken sandwich (friend) and a pulled pork sandwich (me).

Pros: Seasoned curly fries.  Holy shit, YUM.  I'm not able to eat meat that's drenched in BBQ sauce, and when I indicated that on the http://delivery.com order, they accommodated me beyond expectation by putting a little glaze on both the ribs and my pulled pork AND gave me extra on the side in case I wanted to add more.  Friend said her sandwich was great.  Portions were excellent sizes.

Cons: Fries were cold and mushy when we got them.  Not really a big deal, we ate them anyway.  I couldn't finish mine, but I reheated them (and half the sandwich) in the oven the next day and they were GREAT.  The ribs were a bit too fatty for my liking, but my friend liked them well enough.  And the delivery guy had an absolutely disgusting attitude.  If he was a little more pleasant, I would've given this place 4 stars.  As such, I can only give 3, but I'd order from them again and said friend and I are going to try dining-in one of these days.

Look, I know when I go to Clarke's I'm going to get shitty service.  It's something that I've come to expect, which is why I won't go there when I need to chew and screw (that is, eat quick and leave).  But they make my eggs the way I want them, the home fries aren't bad, and every time I've gotten pancakes they've always been thick and fluffy.

Plus, they serve steak fries.  I friggin love steak fries.  Not many places I've been to in the city so far have them.  Don't get me wrong, I love hand-cut fries.  But some days, I want steak fries, goddamnit.  And if you have honey mustard sauce, even better.

The place still isn't as good as some other breakfast places in Lakeview (Stella's, The Bagel) but it's average, and that's a-OK with me.

Absolutely disgusting.

I ordered two ground beef tacos a la carte and specifically said NO TOMATO.  What did I get?  Heaps of tomato.  The tacos were cold when I got them and the side order of rice was dry and bland.

I will never order from this place again.

This is an update to a review I wrote a few weeks ago.

I had a few friends over and we decided to order delivery from Renaldi's: large 1/2 cheese, 1/2 pepperoni.  Not only did the pizza arrive quicker than the time quoted over the phone, but the pizza tasted a lot better (I knew I should have just reheated the two take-out slices I got the last time).  I'm not a fan of pepperoni, but my friends liked how the 'roni slices curled up nice and crispy in the pizza.

Good lookin' out, Renaldi's.  You get an extra star from me.  If you were a little cheaper, you'd get 5 stars.

The ladies that work the front desk downstairs are a bunch of assholes, as was the security guard who was sitting on his ass staring into space.

I went in to get a library card while I was out running errands one day and was asked for my ID.  I still have an out-of-state ID, but I also supplied my DePaul student ID as proof that hey, I really do live here.  I was told that I needed to bring in a bill with my name and address on it, but the girl was a beast about relaying that information.  Snitty much, skank?  Alright, whatever.  I trot on home, grab my electric bill, and walk back.  I get pointed to where the applications are.

So I sit down and start filling out my info, while Beast Chick is getting ready to go on her break.  Another woman walks over and I hand her my application and bill and she says "oh, no, you need two bills."  My response?

"I don't think so.  That girl [I point] over there told me I needed ONE.  Not two.  ONE.  And I am NOT walking all the way back home to get another bill when I should have been told I needed to bring two back with me in the first place."

Security guard is giving me the stink eye now, but at this point I'm so annoyed with this shitbox that I don't care.  You cop a 'tude with me, I'll cop one right back.

Long story short: I get a temporary library card and a whole lot of unnecessary lip.  I got something in the mail saying that I need to go back there and get a permanent card because my temporary one is about to expire.  Joy.  I can't even WAIT.

I will say that I went upstairs and there was a blonde-haired lady working up there who was very nice.

Was walking home from getting my eyebrows waxed at Pedicute (love that place!) and realized that I was pretty starving.  I stopped in here because I'd been having a craving for Chinese food (the greasy, Americanized kind) and it was on the way back to my apartment.

It wasn't that great.  I got the "lunch special" sweet and sour chicken, with no soup (not really a fan of Chinese soup) and an egg roll.  The "fried rice" was pretty vomitastic...bland, super small portion.  The sweet and sour chicken was pretty good for the first few pieces, but the sugary-sweetness of the sauce became overwhelming.  It was like licking a pure cane sugar stick.  And $8 for a lunch portion?  Really?  Really.

The only way I'd eat here again would be in a life or death situation.  Like, if I got a gun put to my temple and I had the option to eat here again or die.  I'd suck it up.

The place gets two stars for two reasons: 1. I didn't have to wait long for carry-out and 2. I got a hilarious fortune in my fortune cookie: There are lessons to be learned by listening to others.

I shit you not.  Guess I should've visited Yelp first.

LOVE their Pad Thai, so far it's the best I've had in the LP/Lakeview area.  Also love that they had Empire Strikes Back on their TVs when I was in there last (which is the best of the original Star Wars trilogy, in my opinion, and why they get 5 stars from me).

I first went here for their free Wednesday Night Wing Buffet with a Meetup group.  Wings are excellent.  I can't eat too much spicy food, so I stuck with the Sweet Chili (not spicy) and Parmesan glazes.  They were perfect.

Only thing that's preventing this place from getting 4 stars is the waitstaff.  All the times I've gone, the place was lively (but not packed) yet our waitress was not very attentive.

Definitely go for the wings, just don't expect 5 star customer service.