Food was supurb, starting with a crab cake appetizer that was a large fluffy cake of crab with no discernible fillers. Â Side vegies and sweet potato puree were excellent. Â Chef came out and spoke with us after dinner and was quite pleasant. Â
Drawbacks - no sign on the outside of the place; Some of the tabletops were in disrepair and therefore provided a less than appealing presentation; and the waitstaff (complete with tattoos) acted like she was high. Â A place like this should have better help, really.
This restaurant is an odd combination of superlatives and deficiencies that I can't explain other than it appears that they need to mature as a business. Â It is built on a firm foundation of original, surprising, and delicious food, but the presentation and services are a bit quirky and strained.
The decor, while not distracting, wasn't very warm and inviting.  There were only nine tables, and there aren't any similar dining choices in the area, so I imagine the wait can get pretty long on weekends.  For some reason, I suppose to provide something more upscale than plain paper towels, they have paper table napkins  in the restrooms for drying your hands.  Points for style, gut they get wet and fall apart on your hands.
The food was flavorful and delightful.  Portions of the entrée were generous, but those of the sides were stingy.  We had prawns that were like little lobsters, and a pork chop that was tender and succulent.  Before that was the best appetizer of steamed mussels I have ever had and a crab cake that was moist and zesty.  Desert did disappoint a little, and don't believe them when they say the banana desert has praline in it.  It was good but not the sweet decadence we were expecting.  And no sign of the praline.
Prices for food seemed reasonable, but there was one problem that knocked at least one star off my rating. Â The waitress recommended a wine that we tried and liked, so we bought a bottle for $48 with our meal, which took me aback somewhat, but we liked it afterall. Â On the way out the door I was finding that same bottle of wine from several vendors on the web for $12 to $16. Â I don't know what that was all about, but if I ever go back there again I certainly won't be getting any of their wine.
The service was adequate, but not a signicant contribution to the experience.  The only reason I can see to go back is the awesome appetizers and entrées.  The decor, service, and deserts left a lot to be desired.
Bummer! We were really excited to try this place and unfortunately, we were underwhelmed for a few reasons. I give them credit for the concept. It was packed and most of the customers seemed pleased to be there. We arrived at 8pm as the hostess on the phone suggested when we called for reservations. We had to wait about an hour+ (we ended up being the last table of the night) which we wouldn't have minded if they would have given us some attention for drinks.
The hostess was totally lame and clearly didn't want to be there or care about the details of her job. We asked her twice if we could order wine while we waited and she did not follow-through. After sitting for 45 mins with no attention, we grabbed a server and ordered some wine. She was nice and recommended a complementary wine pairing to go with the tasting menu (which we planned to order) for an additional $20...this was excellent and well worth it.
The three of us ordered the tasting menu. We thought (as my friend had experienced when she was there before) that the chef would "ad lib" each of our courses individually so we would each get a different meal. That was not the case, we all got the same 4 course meal...cold prawn salad, lobster cream soup, venison chop and dessert (salad was pretty good, soup was awesome, venison was under-seasoned and dessert was completely unremarkable), if we had known this, we would have ordered off the menu so we could have all gotten something different.
The venison had no flavor which was disappointing for such an excellent piece of meat. A little salt and pepper goes a long way...when I asked the server for salt and pepper the chef brought it out himself (which usually only happens when the chef is miffed that you've asked for salt and pepper). If it's considered an insult, so be it...I wouldn't have asked if it had been seasoned properly.
Later the chef came out to see how our meal was. In the course of our conversation we learned that he had attended Kendall College (a school the three of us all have connections to), but he dropped out after a year because they weren't teaching anything he didn't already know. Maybe he missed the class on seasoning meat???
Perhaps it was just a bad night for us or maybe they have lowered their standards since the time my friend was there. I'd give them a second chance if I were stuck in Lindenhurst, but probably will not make the trip from where we live in the city (which we do quite often for places that are great). I'm sure the locals love this place because it's a fresh option to what's available out there, however it doesn't quite meet the standards of other restaurants in the city with similar concepts.
Oh, yeah...I almost forgot, our venison was from New Zealand (so much for local).
We just returned from our latest visit to this delightful restaurant. What we enjoy most about this little gem is the consistent delectable and presentation of different and eclectic dishes prepared and offered. While living abroad in London, my husband and I were blessed with the ability to travel to many countries and experience diverse cuisines. European food, especially, has the uncanny ability to bring together contrasting foods yet harmonize for a different and memorable dining experience. Ad Lib reminds us of our dining pleasures in Europe.We truly enjoy the personable wait staff, the wine and most importantly, the delicate and European style of dining. We would highly recommend this lovely and quite pleasing dining experience for those foodies tired of the cookie cutter chains that dominate our area in Lake County.
Review Source:Ad Lib was recommended to me by my assistant (she heard great things) and after reading all of the great reviews, we were really amped up. I called around 4:45p.m. and the woman who answered the phone sounded completely stoned and explained that they didn't take reservations. No big deal. We all knew the strip mall that it was located in, but when we pulled in, there was no sign on the building indicating which unit was Ad Lib. My husband finally kicked me out of the car to go look - sure enough, it was the unlit corner unit. When we walked in, my husband turned on the open sign. :).
We arrived at about 6:30 and the host said there would be an hour wait for our party of 4. We didn't mind, and looking around I could tell it would be a much shorter wait. The host mentioned that a server would come by to take beverage orders - no one ever came by. We had a chance to review the menu while waiting. We simultaneously rolled our eyes when we read that ALL of us had to order the spontaneous tasting menu or none of us. In approximately 30 minutes we were sat. Our server didn't come by for at least 5 minutes. Unfortunately, when she finally did, it was the woman I had spoken to on the phone (hand tattoos and all). I knew we were off to a bad start, but I try my hardest to restrain my opinion when dining with others and to keep the mood light.
Our server came back with our drinks in a semi-reasonable amount of time. We placed our appetizer order. We tried to order the tabbouleh app from the vegetarian menu and were denied. We were told that we had to order the entire veg menu, or nothing. I literally looked at our server and said sarcastically, "really, really?" At the end of the day, an app is an app, no matter what menu it is on - this would not have made a difference in the kitchen. I do not eat fish or seafood and the entire app menu was laced with all seafood. Two salads, each with something I do not care for. Â We ended up ordering the winter salad to share which had feta cheese. It arrived with blue cheese. Okay, but how about saying, "sorry, we're out of feta, will blue cheese be okay?"
In the meantime, we ordered our entrees. For a limited menu, there was not enough variety to please everyone. I ordered the surf and turf knowing I would give the surf section to my husband. My girlfriend ordered the same. Our server came back quickly to tell us that in the surf and turf (1 steak medallion, 1 lobster tail, 1 jumbo shrimp), the lobster tail was out and that they would sub in an additional steak. No problem. When the food arrived, we were all delighted at the presentation. While I think that the portion sizes here are perfection, the men were a bit let down. I ordered my steak medium-well (I know, I know, sacrilege). The first medallion was on the rarer side of medium, the second was barely medium rare and was handed off to my husband. The shrimp was perfect - not fishy at all and the texture was fresh (keep in mind I don't eat seafood). The ribeye orderer was impressed with presentation and quality. The pork chop orderer seemed complacent with his pork chop. Good company always makes it less noticeable that there is a lack of bev refills and checking in.
We ordered 3 desserts to share. They were so good that we went home and I made us all zeppoles. The worst part was when we waited for almost half an hour after dessert for our check. There were two other parties waiting for a table (it was almost 9 p.m. already!). When the server set the check down, she death-stared us all in the eyes and said, "Take your time. Really, please take your time." It came across as a threat, not her being polite. As she was about to leave she motioned to the parties waiting and mouthed that she didn't want to take another table. Atrocious.
Our bill was $170.13. We were splitting the bill in half. I requested $86 on my credit card (to cover the change) and the rest was a $100 bill. She brought back the slip about 10 minutes after it was dropped. I opened the book and there was my credit card slip, no cash change. I questioned her and she said "Oh, you wanted the change?" Un.Real. She came back about 5 minutes later with $89 in cash. I could not for the life of me figure out how she came up with that number. I settled the balance of the check with the returned cash and left a tip (not a very good one) on the credit card slip.
All in all, it was a major let down. For an environment where the service staff is wearing yoga pants and sneakers, the chef using his tongs to open and close cabinet doors in between stirring food, the food was not stellar enough to make up for the price. My husband and I agreed that we could make every meal we had far better at home. I feel that a lot of the good reviews are because there is no other comparison in Northern Lake County. The pricey presentation packaging did not deliver a quality product.
Oh, and all 4 of us were sick for the next day and a half. Perhaps the tongs need to be sanitized.
Perfection. Yup. Does not get better than this! Don't miss this. Why would you turn down perfection??
Our experiences at Ad-Lib Geo Cafe have been pretty much perfection. I have yet to try the tasting menu, so I am still looking forward to that. But I'm telling you the chefs know how to choose, prepare and present beautiful and delicious food from farm to table.
You'd be shocked that this kind of food and overall experience came from a tiny, average looking strip mall in the middle of nowhere, otherwise known as Lake County. But it does, and is presented so thoughtfully and from almost entirely local sources, save for some imported delectables like Bufala Mozzarella, etc. You'd expect to find this caliber of dining in the heart of huge city, but not so much in Lindenhurst. Don't let the exterior fool you- it doesn't get much better than this in any city.
The menu changes daily or weekly; follow them on Facebook for posted menus. You can order your individual courses or choose from the tasting menu at a set price where the chef chooses your apps, entree, and desserts for you. However, either everyone in your party chooses the tasting menu, or no one does. That to me is the only downer, but I suppose that makes sense logistically.
I really wanted to try the lobster broth starter because I hear such divine things about it, but I'm not really a lobster girl. Maybe next time. Instead, I savored the fresh Bufala mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes, basil and evoo. Even the green olive was sublime! (Did I mention I detest green olives? Not these beauties!) This starter was creamy and delicious and full of natural, bursting flavor, exquisitely executed by a talented hand. For my entree, I chose the pork tenderloin which was perfectly cooked over a mound of sweet potato purée, and topped with a pineapple salsa. My husband's bison flat iron steak was tender and delicious. Every item on a plate at this restaurant is thoughtfully chosen with purpose resulting in a perfect dinner!
While my server was nice and polite, she didn't seem especially well informed or encouraging of questions. The chef who approached our table was wonderfully engaging and a pleasure to chat with, and made up for the areas in which our server was lacking. She may have been new so I don't hold anything against her, and she was nice and efficient.
I'd definitely suggest reservations as it seats maybe 40 people at most. Every seat is a view of the talented chefs at work. And it's quiet. You can actually hear one another, great for date night and dinner conversation. Perfect for a special ocassion- don't be fooled by the exterior. They have brunch on weekends, and I hear they have beignets! I'm all over that. Can't wait to go for brunch sometime just for the beignets! :)
Not only was the food delicious, the atmosphere is so relaxingly casual, not what can be uptight and pretentious in other restaurants of this caliber. So between the delicious and flavorful cuisine, calm atmosphere and thoughtful menu, we plan on returning for years to come. We even dined there for one of our anniversary weekends. It's a wonderful addition to the area and an unexpected star in a universe of black holes. Ok, that last bit might be over the top, but you get the idea. ;)
Don't let the name and logo prevent you eating at this restaurant. Â I'll admit that I judged the restaurant by it's cover - and boy am I sorry. Â
My husband, daughter (4 y.o.) & I visited this restaurant for the first time this past week. Â The food was amazing. Â IMHO the prices for entrees range on the higher end of the $$ at which they are rated. Â That said, the food is worth every penny. Â
We started with the crab cake and the lobster broth. Â We started with the lobster broth which was silky smooth. Â The crab cake was delicious, but paled in comparison to the lobster broth. Â Sorry crab cake.
I ordered the pork chop and my husband ordered the Hawaiian walu. Â I think this may have been the best port chop I've ever had. I might have even closed my eyes to savor the flavor. Â The chop sat on a bed of mashed potatoes with sage butter drizzled on top. Â A side of delectable in-season vegetables completed the dish.
The chop was also a hit with my daughter who was terribly disappointed that they didn't have butter noodles on the menu. Â I was thrilled there weren't any 'kid' foods. Â I also missed on Yelp that this is not a kid friendly environment. Â No complaints! Â I'd bring her along again, although I'd rather it just be me and my husband on date night.
Towards the end of our entree the chef/owner stopped by our table and chatted with us a bit which I thought was a great personal touch. Â
We've included this restaurant in our list of go-to places!
WOW! We live in the area and are always looking for new places to try. This one was absolutely spectacular. The pricing is fair and based more on the quality than the quality, but well worth what you pay. We walked away after our dinner pleasantly full, but not overstuffed. There were no left overs, because of the perfect portion size and the excellent quality of both the cooking and the ingredients. Again, as others have said, the Lobster Broth is amazing. It explodes with flavor in your mouth and you can't believe that a soup can be this good. I have the Hawaiian Wali and it was the best fish I have had in a long time, a wonderful sweet potato puree/mashed dish as well as jasmine rice spiced just perfectly and chopped local vegetables was simply wonderful. It feels like a tiny city restaurant in the suburbs. Chef  Rick Starr is a star in the northern suburbs. he stopped by our table to check on us and we let him know how impressed we were and what a pleasant surprise his place was. Easy going, "unpretentious, pretentious food" as another reviewer said. Try it, it's wonderful.
Review Source:My wife and I tried Ad Lib out about 3 weeks ago based on a recommendation. Â We went on early on a Wednesday. Â Interesting little space. Â Very warm and friendly. Â The chef is cooking just a few short feet away. I had the Mussels and the Pike fish dish. Â My wife had the Beef Tenderloin. Â The Mussels were good but the fish blew me away. Â It was the best piece of fish I ever had. The chef told me it was caught that day and I believe him. My wife said the beef was very good. Â We split a dessert and it was excellent also. They have wine you can buy or BYOD. Â I brought a bottle of wine and the corkage was reasonable. Â We plan to go back very soon and bring friends.
Review Source:For the Holidays, my sister and I like to give experiences as gifts. She took me out for a facial and I gave her a fine dining experience in a casual environment that boasts Spontaneous Cooking Without Limits. I had found Ad Lib Geo Cafe through Yelp and was anxious to try a Chef's Spontaneous Tasting, a four course meal for only $38.00 a person. Honestly, I was more giddy than my sister who struggled with the idea of relinquishing power to the Chef. They asked if we had any restrictions and how adventurous we are. I said, "go all out!" They did! Everything was amazing and fresh. Even my skeptical sister liked it and said it was the equivalent to a $200.00 gourmet meal in Boston.
Our Chef's Spontaneous Tasting:
- Seared Grade a Foie Gras
- Jumbo Lump Crab Cake
- Maine Lobster Broth
- Local Spinach Salad
- Midwest Beef & Day Boat Dry Pack Scallops
- Red Wine Poached Pear
- Apple Tart
Chef Rick Starr frequently changes the menu using only in season ingredients from small family owned farms that practices sustainable organic farming.
Note: The Yelp/Google maps for this place are incorrect -- it's on Rt 45, south of Sterns School Rd.
After my incredible experience at Harvest Cafe in Delevan, IL (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/harvest-cafe-delavan">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>), I figured Ad Lib would be just as great, being similarly a fancy ingredients-driven restaurant in a tiny town. Unfortunately, I was disappointed, mainly due to the wait experience and the lack of a real veggie option as promised.
They didn't have any vegetarian entrees listed on the weekly menu, but I saw a Facebook posting from them that saying that they had "2-3 options every night from handmade pastas, risotto etc."
When we arrived at 6pm on a Saturday, we were quoted 25 minutes. An entire hour went by and the hostess never bothered to talk to us to update the wait time, and there was no apology.
After finally being seated I asked about the off-menu veggie options. Our server consulted with the chef and said there was a veggie plate. As it turns out, the "veggie plate" was just a small plate of the side dishes from the meat entrees arranged over rice. It was tasty, but I really expected more, especially since they charged us $14 for it.
Tried this place last night based on word of mouth. Â Great, great food, but don't go too hungry! Â The lobster broth is wonderful but I received a small pork chop, a couple tablespoons of grilled veggies and a small dollop of mashed potatoes. Â I left hungry and my husband left with $100.00 less in his pocket. Â The place would be excellent if they gave you a little more food and maybe some crackers or bread in between the courses that take awhile to get. Â So for 1 glass of wine, 1 appetizer, 1 entree, your meal will be around $50.00 per person. Â I shouldn't go home hungry! Â But the food you get is good!!
Review Source:Decided to check this place out based on the reviews from yelp. Arrived there and it was busy so they gave us a 30-45 minute wait. We left and being the nerd that I am I set the clock on my phone for 24 min to make it back in time. When we came back my name was crossed off the list. When they asked if we needed help I told them my name then one of the employees said ooooooh I will check on that and we were ignored. So we ended up leaving and going to RJs. Funny thing is I created an account just to write this review because I was so disappointed.
Review Source:We went here based on word of mouth. Â The food was fantastic. Â I had this cucumber-blue cheese-dill appetizer that was really good. Â My husband had the lobster bisque and LOVED it!!! Â We also shared this banana-nutella creation in a pie-like crust which was soooo good. Â Everything that we had was really yummy.
As another poster said, the decor is underwhelming and the location doesn't exactly jump out at you. Â The food more than makes up for it. Â The only thing that I wish is that they had more vegetarian options on the menu - even a salad would work.
Great unpretentious pretensions food...may sound like an insult but I mean it in the nicest way! Â The place was quiet and small, nice and very simple. Â They focus on the food and it shows. Â Love that there is a completely open kitchen too, gives you a bit of a show and the chef was more than willing to walk around to tables. Â We got the tasting menu and it was well worth it. Â MUST try would be the lobster broth, poorly named as its more of a creamy soup, but it was the best thing I tasted all night! We tried the fish and the scallops, both cooked to perfection and the corn puree on the fish was memorable. Â Deserts were a home run too, personal favorite was the flour-less chocolate cake (so gooey it was almost a brownie), but the table favored the banana and Nuetella creation.
The northern burbs NEEDS a place like this...I just hope that it gets enough word of mouth to stick around, because you won't find it unless you are looking!
We were on our way to a different restaurant and stopped to talk with our neighbor walking her dog. Â She raved about Ad Lib, so we decided to scrap our previous plans and go here instead. Â What a delight!! Â We got there at about 7pm on a Sat and had to wait about 10 minutes while the earlier diners finished their desserts. Â Very nice selection of beer and wine by the bottle or glass. Â No cocktails ( minimal staff - 3 wait staff, chef, sous chef, prep chef and dishwasher(behind the screen) no bartender or hostess). Â We got the tasting menu. Â We had the lobster roll, heirloom tomato/mozzarella salad, scallops, and flourless chocolate cake/cherry panna cotta. Â My husband loved the lobster roll-very complex with an asian flair and a bit of heat at the end. Â Lovely tomato/mozzarella salad. Â Tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes! Â The scallops were a revelation! Â Perfectly cooked and with a delicately flavored sauce (saffron?). Â Lovely fresh vegetable and potato/parsnip puree (with a few nice chunks of bacon). Â The chocolate cake was fantastic! Â Not too intense and very smooth. Â The panna cotta had an ethereal texture. Â Far superior to Carlos' and on par with Le Francaise in its hey day. Â The decor could use a bit of work, but nothing a different wall color and some more interesting art couldn't fix. Â I loved the open kitchen and intimate feeling of literally having the stove about 6 feet from our table. Â Our waitress was very attentive, however she did forget our coffee (at least we were not charged for it). Â We will be back!!!
Review Source:I am a foodie! Trust me. I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Ad-Lib. It it by far the areas go to restaurant for farm to table, creative, great tasting, good wines at reasonable prices, dinner, &  Sunday brunch. Admirable presentation, service, & well thought out dishes with interesting pairings. It's a joy when you get a plate of food and everything on the wonderful looking plate is as good as what sits beside it. I would have given Ad-Lib 5 stars except for the fact that I have had a few restaurant experiences that where slightly more enjoyable, but few, very few. Remember that is coming from someone who is comparing food from several continents. I highly  recommend Ad-Lib and chef Rick Starr's creations!
Review Source:There is not much more you can say about this place that has not already been said. We dined here On a Saturday maybe a 20 minute wait had the Chefs tasting menu 4 courses of wow! The lobster broth (aka bisque) is so wonderfully flavorful, the crab cake was good, Scallops were cooked to perfection the veggies they came with tasted like they were picked that day. Then we enjoyed banana nutella goodness for dessert. Portions not huge but sufficient, prices are fantastic for what you get, the wine was good, service good, the chef owner stopped and chatted. This creative chef took a hotdog place and turned it into a fine dining restaurant so the atmosphere isn't what you would expect but either is this gem of a restaurant in Lindenhurst.
Review Source:We have waited a looooong time for a restaurant like this in the area.  Creatively prepared food with high quality ingredients.  We had the Chefs Tasting Menu with they paired with wines. First course was the best lobster bisque I have ever had.  I wanted to lick the bowl. Next was a cucumber salad with a light cream dressing, dill and blue cheese.  The entree was fresh caught king salmon (about 1 1/2 inches thick) on a bed of celery root puree and sautéed vegetables.  The salmon was perfectly cooked with crisp skin and just undercooked in the center.  It was perfect.  For dessert they provided us with a dark chocolate mousse cake with a dollop of lighter chocolate mouse on top and fresh whipped cream and also a panna cot to with very finely chopped fresh strawberries on top.  The panna cotta was perfect texture and served in a small glass.
Service was excellent and our waiter knowledgeable  and the meal was perfectly paced.  I will note that they don't take reservations and it is a small, maybe 15 table, place.  If you come at dinner hour 6-8 on Friday or Saturday you are going to wait and wait a while as these are not the usually crank them through meals.  Also there is no bar to hang out at.  No problem getting in earlier or later however.
The owner/chef finishes the plates out on an open countertop. Â Fun to watch and good to see how meticulously he prepares each course. Â I really was hesitant to review on yelp as I would love for this place not to become "our" spot. Â But I also want to to succeed (and if properly managed I am sure they will) so that other similar small storefront fine dining restaurants will open in the area.
I love this place and will go there often.
I would have never noticed this restaurant if it weren't for the reviews of fellow Yelpers... it's easy to miss even when you're looking for it.
But wow, totally delicious. Our table of six ordered various appetizers, including lobster broth and cucumber salad. Pork, beef tenderloin and salmon were ordered for entrees. Everyone raved about their meals and appetizers. Portion sizes are modest but not skimpy, the entrees had layers of wonderful flavor and the meat was cooked just right. Deserts ordered were chocolate cake and a banana nutella concoction -- no one was overly willing to share! The menu changes based on ingredient availability, and it's not huge, so this might not be the best place to bring a picky eater. Everyone else will leave satisfied.
The atmosphere could be better. The seating area actually surrounds the exposed kitchen, which will be a plus or minus depending on your perspective. Seating is limited and they don't accept reservations. Our waiter was a little pushy about his tip, requesting that we do it in cash -- kind of tacky. So, why 5 stars? Well, as a "nosebleed north" Lake county resident, it's a complete surprise and joy to find this quality of food right at my doorstep!
Hidden gem this place! Â I don't want to beat a dead horse, but this place is great for all the same reasons the other reviewers are posting. Â Let me recap:
- The food is finely crafted and highly selective; like the waiter says "what you see on the menu today may not be on it tomorrow". Â The menu fits on a page and to me that is a good thing, you can tell that whatever the chef makes that day he will make it well.
-it's not the overabundance of food you get at your typical "Americana" place, but it's paced well if you get an appetizer, main course and a dessert. Â The food you get is well presented and true quality.
-small and quaint, it is as if they don't want the fame, just the satisfaction of cooking to the few who enjoy the anonymity of the place. Â A dozen tables at the most and on your weekday, not busy and quite cozy. Â No decor on the walls but you can see the cooks toiling away on your masterpiece.
-variety, it's mostly "fine-dining" food. Â The lobster bisque/broth seems to be on the menu a lot and that's because it's wicked good. I also had a small tenderloin with a side of Roquefort cheese and it was just perfectly seared. Â They have seafood as well as meat. Â My wife had lamb and I had fluke. Â The flourless chocolate cake also seems to be popular and from experience, it's frickin good.
I highly recommend this place.
Apart from 57 varieties of mall food, there is an extreme shortage of good restaurants in the Gurnee-Lindenhurst-Lake Villa area. Â That makes our recent discovery of the Ad-Lib Geo Cafe such a delight. Â My wife and I wandered in early on a Sunday evening, to find we were the only customers. Â The former pizza joint has been transformed into a cozy bistro. Â The limited menu is set daily, with fresh items. many sourced from local producers. Â That night's menu focused on steak and seafood, but upon request, the chef/owner offered a wonderful curry chicken for my wife. Â We chatted with the owner, who is from the area, and spent many years in Lake Geneva. Â Their loss is our gain, as we now have a local spot for unique, high-quality cuisine. Â The lobster soup is divine, and the deserts fantastic. Â The food is complemented by a beer and wine list far from ordinary. Â All this comes at a price, but it is well worth it to avoid another hum-drum dinner at a chain restaurant.
Review Source:I was recommended by a friend who raved about this place, so my husband made reservations for us and his parents on Valentine's Day. I was wowed from my first bite. I purposely ordered a different entree from my husband just so I could try as much as possible, and each tasting was consistently delicious the whole way through! No additional seasonings needed, the whole dinner was proportioned perfectly, and I had room for dessert! The open kitchen was the highlight for me and everything was so clean. This place is truly a gem and I will not hesitate to come here again!
Review Source:We have had the delight of dining here several times. Â I am highly impressed with Chef Rick's innovative menu, excellent execution and friendly staff.
I've lived in Lake County for over 20 years and feel confident saying this is my favorite for quality dining at a very fair price. Â
They have definitely become a popular destination especially for Saturday evenings. Â At this time they do not take reservations (the only slight negative I can state) so you may have quite a wait, but you can always hang back and enjoy a glass of wine or a beer. Â Beware however there is no Yellow Tail or bad beers here... quality and an ever growing quantity. Â
Their Lobster Bisque shows up in my dreams....yes, that good! Â The freshest, local ingredients are highlighted and shine through. Â I have heard many, many high praises for his meat dishes. Â Being vegetarian (pescatarian actually) I appreciate the way he is able to adapt a menu item to suite me or create something special on the spot. Â His fish dishes are fresh and flavorful. Â The sides are interesting and always compliment the main course. Â
This  is a must try if you live anywhere in Lake County or the Chicago land area.
Word of mouth recommendation to visit this restaurant. Not a great location for this place (at end of small strip mall building). There's no sign or identification of the restaurant on the building, so it's easy to miss the sign on the placard board out by Rt. 45. Â Small place, holds about 40 people max. I think the chef/owner needs (and intends to get) better, larger location. Given the quality of the food, that will happen much sooner than later.
Not impressive when you walk in, the "kitchen" is part of the whole room itself and we watched the chefs cooking and doing all those things with their copper pots and pans. Kinda fun actually. Very friendly staff (what there are of them; total of 5 people making things happen, including the two chefs, what appeared to be a pastry girl and two waitstaff. Our waiter was very good, knowledgeable about the menu and preparation details of dishes.
We ordered a couple of starters. I had the crab cake and it was delicious but microscopic in size. Â For $7 bucks, I expected it to be more substantial. Also ordered the mozzarla cheese starter. it was very good. Our entrees were the filet medallions, and also the pork chop.
Portions are small, but the taste and quality of the food is very, very good. Prices on the menu seemed moderate, but given portion size, it's more on the pricier side. Please note that starter appetizer portions are just big enough for one person, so no sharing!
Desserts were very good to direct nuclear hit. Â I had the chocolate flourless cake. If you like chocolate, then this is for you. Very rich, deep flavor; maybe over the top for some. but the Banana Nutella pastry with chocolate inside was out of this world. Honestly, I'd come to this place just for that dessert. We all wanted to try to the Panna cotta apple tort, but it wasn't available that night.
the atmosphere is very nice for such a small restaurant, and not loud. Just right. I think this place is going to get big-time popular. Â If they can just get the portion sizes up a bit to match the prices, it would be a 5-star in my book. Oh, and the wine list. It's short, but very good. Better to buy the bottle than by the glass. The Plowbuster Pinot Noir is great.
Highly recommended.
Do not drive past this restaurant without stopping your car, getting out, standing up and, staring into the heavens, thanking your lucky stars that you can be this close to a great chef. Â This place is that good - fresh food from local sources, all done in a new and exciting way. Â Go - you will not be disappointed.
Review Source:We live practically next store to Ad Lib and we kept driving by and wondering what type of restaurant it was. Thankfully they have a facebook page and post their menu there! We finally decided to try it tonight and all I can say is  WOW! We were so impressed. We have a 15 month old and called ahead to make sure we could bring her. They have high chairs and they made their roasted chicken dish kid friendly by cutting it in half, giving her chicken breast and cutting the cost in half too. Our daughter has a great palate. She loved it so much, even the seasonal veggies- beets, mushrooms, brussel sprouts and carrots. We ordered the braised short ribs and Maine lobster. Both dishes were to die for! Homemade pasta came with the lobster tail which was awesome. We haven't had a meal that we could brag about like this in a very long time. We also had the buffalo mozzarella salad to start and it was awesome. The grape tomatoes and pesto were very unique and tasted excellent. We each enjoyed our wine too. We had the flour-less chocolate cake/chocolate mousse for dessert and Ava cried when it was all gone. She may have enjoyed it more than my husband. The ambiance is great too. We all really enjoyed the chef's cooking right in front of us. We can't wait to eat at Ad-Lib again!
Review Source:I have not posted a review in a while. Ad-Lib deserves my effort. I have eaten there twice now. Chef/Owner Rick Star is locally grown as is most of his ingredients. The location while a bit hard to find is worth the effort. His lobster bisque is one of the best I have had. The menu is small but diverse. The wine list is getting better all the time. The corkage is reasonable if you choose to bring your own. Like most new independent restaurants they have a few challenges with decor and ambiance, but I believe they will address this over time. There is not much of an area to wait so make reservation. We are in such desperate need of good restaurants in Northern Lake County, give this place a try so he is successful.
Review Source:
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
