I went to the one in Orland once on one of those "let's stop and get something to eat at one of the 600 restaurants on LaGrange" trips.


Nothing was memorable except the bottomless fries, which is a well meaning idea but doesn't work as well as youd think.


I want my fries put on the plate by the chef, not from some dizzy dame milling around with a basket of them.

Hola Juan!

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Did you take Doc Brown's time machine back to 1955?

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

I've been maybe a half dozen times. Never particularly impressed. If I want a burger and am willing to drive and stand outside, I will go to Paradise Pup. If I'm being lazy, I will just get a double cheeseburger from Portillos and lament the fact that they don't have Merkt's.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

i've never looked at the place as a go-to burger joint. but they are decent...at least at the locations i've been to (oak brook center, which as i said, looks new), and wheaton (which is gone now). i've never had bad service, but i am not surprised anyone would have bad service at cantera. outside of rock bottom, it's always been slow and terrible. the worst was max & erma's.

if any other place would have the balls to sell bottomless fries, then you can complain about red robin's fries. otherwise, get the hell out of here you anti-american freedom fries hater.

Good point on the fries Zach. I really think some of you guys are some tremendous food snobs. Would I love to go to only locally owned awesome burger joints all the time regardless of cost, location or other situation? Sure. Sometimes you just have to go where you can and enjoy a place for what it is.

There seems to be a disconnect to me on the board regarding food. Many people say things are not so awesome job, finances, general economy wise. Then bitch that they can't eat at anything less than 4-5 star eateries. Fuck Red Robin and whatever Cooper's Hawk is!

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Elections have consequences.

Haven for overpriveleged white suburbanites that want to be wine snobs and hang out somewhere, but don't want to go to the city.

As far as Red Robin goes, at least by me, for the price, I'd rather go to Fridays.

And even though they're bottomless, their fries suck. They always come out undercooked, even when ordered well done.

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They must really suck then because not that long ago Fridays made the list here of absolutely inedible, never ever go there places.

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Elections have consequences.

I don't entirely remember that, but in terms of the casual dining chains, I'd rather go to Friday's any of the other in the same category. The one in Gurnee has a decent beer selection, and the food is always consistent. Plus, their fries have always been top notch.

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I didn't even know Fridays was still around. The few I used to patron have all closed. It's like Benigans.

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I would tend to agree with you here. When serving steak fries they need to be cooked enough. I like mine to break in half instead
of being able to tie them in a knot because they are undercooked and soft.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

I know Applebee's is basically dead in the water. The only Friday's that I remember closing was the one on Algonquin in Rolling Schaumburg (whatever the fuck it is right there off of 53). I think it's Moretti's now.

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We live in Chicagoland with tons of choices.

If I lived in a smaller town with less options, Id be less picky.


As I said, Red Robin is one of like 80 restaurants in a 3 mile stretch in Orland. It's tough out there for a restaurant.

Well, you can buy almost the entire Friday's menu frozen at the grocery store.

I think that speaks for itself.

It doesn't make you a food snob to avoid bad chain restaurants that are reheating food from a package made in a factory. In fairness, the chains seemed to figure out that you can't make decent food with that business model but I think they still do a lot of tricks like that but probably not as blatant.

I gave up on pretty much any chain restaurant outside of highway travel(Cracker Barrel mostly) because at best it was an average meal for the same price.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I have family members whose favorite restaurant is Applebee’s. When I was younger, I used to explain to them why that was a dumb opinion (because I of course knew everything). Now that I’m older, wonder why I ever cared enough to shit on what they liked. If it makes them happy to think that Applebee’s is fine dining, what the hell, have at it.

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What a stupid story.

I think I'll pass on watching Game of Thrones and Better Call Saul and just be happy to watch Kevin Can Wait.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Impossible.

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Elections have consequences.

True. Where I eat depends on many factors. The biggest one is usually whether I have the kids with me or not. If my food disposal son things Chilli's food is good enough we go. As for Chicago and burbs you guys are very spoiled with so many options.

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Elections have consequences.

I sometimes have to eat at national sit down chains when I travel for work. Mostly a matter of time investment, especially in places where I'm likely to only visit one day a year. For me, I will almost always pick Waffle House if available because it's hard to fuck up hash browns and bacon. Beyond that, Ruby Tuesday is decent, Chili's is acceptable, and I'd rather get Burger King that have to eat at an Applebee's or Friday's. Other than by the Art Institute, I don't know where a Bennigans is.

But in Chicago, or any city I visit frequently (DC, Raleigh-Durham, Tampa, Austin, LA, etc.)? Oh hell no. The main exception is Atlanta where the original predecessor to Chick-fil-A (Dwarf House) is near the airport and makes an excellent breakfast.

The other exception is Cheesecake Factory. When my mom was alive, I would take my parents to the Oak Brook location 3-4x/year. They actually have a calorie controlled submenu that is decent, so I will use them as an option on vacation or business travel if it is convenient to my hotel.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

I doubt the founders would have just laughed this one off!

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Red Robin is fine for what it is. I would rather pay $7-9 for a burger there, than 2 bucks less for a Whopper. You can do better and worse, but sometimes its easier just to go to a place you are familiar with to get a burger and a beer.

The key to the bottomless fries is to order more as soon as your burger gets to the table, or when you place your order.

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Salt and butter.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of endless appetizers

So true. Kids/relatives/clients may necessitate chain restaurants. Even a town like Rockford almost always has better options than a chain.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

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Never a bigfan.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

When I dine in Rockford, I go to the most popular Mexican restaurant in town, Taco Bell.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

I think the one in Naperville/Lisle off Ogden closed. And I know the one off Barrington Road in Hoffman/Schaumburg closed as well.

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