Windy City Grill & Tap
I don’t dine out that often because I enjoy cooking and eating at home, plus I’m watching my weight more and more as the years go by. Last night several friends and I met at the Windy City Grill & Tap at 28 Orland Square Dr, Orland Park IL 60462. The phone number is 708-403-0303 and the fax number is 708-403-3787.
This new restaurant resides on the same spot as Jeremiah Sweeney’s, Bellagio and The Veranda. They have completely redone the interior which offers a lot of wood, tables and large booths. My group sat at a large table by the windows facing east.
Everyone raved about their food. I had cream of potato soup and it was similar to other restaurant’s baked potato soup. A friend and I ordered the meatloaf dinner. I’m always kind of afraid ordering meatloaf in restaurants but this was the best I’ve ever had. It had a sweet barbeque sauce over it which my friend didn’t really care for. She would have preferred a brown gravy. I liked it. So you might want to either omit the sauce or have it on the side if you’re not sure.
The people who ordered salads with their meals raved about the salad and dressings. One friend had a full dinner salad called a wedge salad and she loved it. Another friend ordered a chicken breast sandwich, one ordered a pot roast dinner and another ordered a grilled shrimp appetizer. There were no complaints and enough food to take home in doggie bags.
We tried two desserts, one was called Cinnamon Cookie with ice cream, cinnamon cookies, baked apple slices and caramel sauce. The other was a similar ice cream and chocolate concoction that was excellent. These 2 desserts were passed around and shared as they were large portions.
It turns out that my friend knew one of the owners, Mark Damas, who came to our table to make sure everything was all right. Well, that was the idea but we were one of 2 tables left and our waitress had gone home already so I think he was gently giving us the push and realized he knew my friend.
He wanted us to check out the lounge area where we met another couple we knew. It’s a very comfortable and beautiful lounge area with the bar and high tables with stools.
A comment was made by a friend asking Mark what he had done to improve the acoustics in the building. He said he has been asked that question a few times and he didn’t do anything special. I guess it was just his choice of decor and the tables and booths he installed.
I would definitely recommend The Windy City Grill & Tap. They cater to families with a children’s menu and adults can choose from appetizers, salads, soup, sandwiches and full dinners including steaks, pasta, seafood and more. The prices are very good for such a nice establishment. Mark told us everything is made in the restaurant, even the dressings. For a party of six that included alcoholic beverages, appetizers, dinners and two desserts, it came to $30.83 per person which included tax and tip. For a family dinner without alcohol it would be less.
Another thing I found interesting is the fact that they have a take-out order area where you can call or fax your order in and pick it up at the restaurant. There is a separate entrance on the east side of the building for the pick-up area.
They have a really cute web site so check it out: Windy City Grill & Tap in Orland Park
