So my son wanted, needed, and had to have a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner. If you know anything about kids, though you can totally make it at home they want the going-out-to dinner kind. Gotta' admit, my fries aren't as good as Michael's either. Whatever!
It was getting pretty late this one particular evening and my husband called ahead for hours. We knew we had about 30 minutes to get there, so we ran out the door, and 10 minutes to closing time the place was packed...and the doors stayed open past the designated closing time. I'm guessing business was just going so well they didn't want to turn anyone away. Lucky us...well lucky them!
Grilled cheese and chicken for the kids, I wasn't real hungry so my husband encouraged me to try something from the kids menu. OK, really bad idea. The Sloppy Joe called out to me, but the cheap white bread buns were horrible (not for grownups), and I could barely stomach the Sloppy Joe that I just had to have. I guess that's why they call it a kids menu. Seasoned for kids.
Regardless, it was some seriously great family time. I was impressed that the restaurant was so accommodating to those who came in close to quitting time. I also wanted to update you on the fact that there are new pictures on the walls! Of course they just couldn't ditch the old ones, so those have been moved to the back.
BTW, when did they start delivery? I think that's new too.
Still a fan of this place 100%, just remember that the kids menu is for kids. Think before you order!
Hmmm heard so many great things but all and all the char burgers were just "meh". Waited in line forever with way too many uncontrolled screaming north shore brats. The burgers were a bit undercooked and tasted ok but nothing to rush back to. 5 guys is better. The dining area is full of outdated pictures of kids and more precocious kids its sickening. It's like dining in a playground. Get it to go! I'll try it again, but perhaps the hot dogs this time or salads just to be fair.
Review Source:i had the pleasure of throwing a party at michaels last summer and the air went out. Â nothing they could do i was told, it needed an electrician, but an hour later it was back on when they reset the circuit. Â the party was good, but when the bill came i was forced to give an "optional tip of $1200" - yes, forced. Â its optional but you have to do it, everyone worked hard on your party. there is nothing in the contract about tips, and i had a ton of cash on me to tip everyone which included the party coordinator, the bus boy (not boys), the 2 cooks, and the bartender. Â at michaels, there is no waiter service, so there were no wait staff - we as the party throwers had to stand in line for 30 mins like everyone else and wait on ourselves. Â no one waited on us.
if you are thinking of throwing a party here please beware of this last minute optional tip they throw at you after you have been drinking all night and are meant to feel you have no option when everyone is standing there waiting  and its on the visa charge already run awaiting your signature.
i spoke with other parents who threw a similar party, and they too were "skunked" by this.
i also saw the bartender a few weeks after the party and he said he never receives any gratutities from michaels at all when he works a party- ever. so who got the $1200???
i hope the new owners of michaels read this and contact me as i could not get them on the phone to discuss this.
Oh Michael's, Michael's how I want to love you but how I still don't hate you, I'm kinda very neutral about you. The staff is very nice. The lines are extremely long, especially during lunch hour. There are three lines, one for the good stuff aka the burgers, dogs and fries, the other for the salad bar (which you could usually find me) and a third line on the side for the frozen yogurt, which is kinda eh in my opinion. The salad variety is nice and I usually get the medium greens with grilled chicken and the toppings are endless, any kind of veggie you could think of and I always get my favorite poppy seed dressing, mixed and chopped and overall it's a good salad. I also like Debbie's salad which is greens, walnuts, craisins, apples, goat cheese with balsamic vinagrette and it's not bad. Nothing is bad here, but nothing makes me want to crave the stuff again. I kinda just go for the convenience factor during lunch since I work in downtown HP.
If you're a guy, go for the good stuff, if you're a lady, also go for the good stuff, unless you're in the mood for the "healthy stuff." But I probably wouldn't go for the yogurt since HP has many, much better options for your sweet tooth. But once again, the staff will be all nice and smile for you so that's always a positive.
When we were first moving to Highland Park from Michigan our real estate agent told us to take the kids to Michael's because it is a Highland Park institution. Â She was right. Â If I had to pick one restaurant to represent Highland Park it would be Michael's.
I love their buffalo burgers. Â Grilled and loaded with your choice of cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, tomatoes, and grilled onions. Â The servings of french fries are huge. Â I would like them to start serving sweet potato fries though. Â The Chinese chicken wrap is good. Â I also love the Debbie's favorite salad but don't them chop this one, it gets too mushy.
The line can can be slow and long at peak hours. Â You can phone in your order though. Â So if you have the forethought to do so I would recommend it.
If you are looking for dinner, they close early so not a late night place.
Went for my first and last time this past week...needless to say the food was horrible and service was worse. My gf and I were on our way to the Sox game so we ordered food which should take little time to prepare. We waited patiently in a line of 3 people in front of us for more than 5 minutes before they took our order. Yes this is considered slow for a "fast food" business and there was no excuse considering there were no less than 8 employees behind the counter working or should I say yapping!
I ordered a combo w/ sweet peppers and my gf a hot dog and fries. Once we ordered it took another 10 minutes during which time all of the previous customers were served their food and left. I asked if they had forgotten our order because not one employee came over to let us know how soon our order would be ready nor bothered to ask for payment. They were too busy conversing with each other about nothing business related.
I actually got someone to take our money after which our order was givent o my gf in a bag. I asked her to check it and she didn't realize that they had put hot Giardiniera on my combo. By the time I realized their error I was on the Edens Expressway on our way to the Sox game now running late.
It was not so much the fact they made a mistake as I felt they may have intentionally sabotaged our order because I was obviously not happy with their crappy service. When I finally tossed as much of the hot Giardiniera onto the Edens as possible I bit into my combo which had rubbery undercooked tasteless beef on top of a dried out over cooked sausage with the hot flavor of Giardiniera oils all soaked into a stale piece of Italian bread. This was by far the worst combo I have ever eaten.
The messed up thing about all of this is that while we were standing in line to order I noticed all of the favorable articles written by several newspaper food critics many years ago while simultaneously looking at their prices thinking this place better be good considering they charge $3.49 for a hot dog!
I'm sure this place was good at one point but like newspapers it should be considered a Dinosaur and be left to die. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY THIS PLACE IS BAD!!!
First time visitor impressions: Â
Do not even try to go at lunch, packed and huge line.
Fast, fun, convenient, family friendly, and affordable food. Definitely appears to be a local fave.
I got the southwest wrap - eh, nothing to write home about there
Wife got a chili dog
Kids got burgers and corndog
Kudos to Michaels for offering some healthy choices such as the buffalo burger ($$) and the nice looking salad bar as well. Next time I would definitely go with the salad bar.
Another kudos because they were doing a dance party this particular evening that was actually open to the public so you could see what it was like and hopefully book in the future. I thought that was cool.
G: "Have you ever been to Michael's?"
V: "yeah, I think I went to my first Bat Mitzvah there"
G: "I think EVERYONE went to their first Bat Mitzvah there."
The place is a little dated... I did feel like I walked back into the early to mid 90's and I should be wearing my bat mitzvah dress with white socks to dance in.
The food was tasty. Â I had a char dog and cheese fries, and the aforementioned G had a cheeseburger & fries.
Best part of the experience: Â They serve green river. Â Need I say more?
Michael's has the best hotdogs on the North Shore, and the best cheese fries on the planet. Â Shakes are also terrific. Â However, if you'd like something healthy, the chicken caesar wrap fits the bill. Â One wrap is enough for me to share. Â Fortunately, the servers cut them in 2. Â Very kid friendly.
Review Source:Walking into Michael's is like walking into 1993. Â The radio plays such hits as Ottawan's "Hand's Up", R. Kelly's "I believe I can Fly", and Lionel Richie's "All Night Long". Â The walls are covered with photos of customers who obviously loved their Aqua Net back in the day. Â The decor is geometric in red, teal and purple. Â The whole thing just makes you want to put on your old parachute pants and Hammer dance on a table top. Â I love it.
And yes, they also serve food. Â You'll have your choice of three lines for food. Â The line to the left is for hangover food (burgers, fries, hot dogs, pizza, etc.), the line to the right is for their most exquisite salad bar, and the line around the corner is for frozen yogurt. Â The options will please any person, no matter what type of food they're in the mood for. Â I love the salad bar because there are TONS of options... 3 different types of lettuce, 50-some topping choices, and lots of salad dressing options (half of them low-calorie/fat). Â They even list the calorie and fat count of the dressings on the wall so you can make healthy choices if you want to. Â The large salad with a meat topping will run you about $11. Â Slightly pricey, but when you see all the fresh ingredient choices, it makes sense.
If you're in the mood for calories, skip the salad bar. Â They serve char-dogs! Â I strongly believe the ONLY way a hot dog can truly be called a "Chicago Style Dog" is if it is blackened on the outside. Â Yum.
Enjoy!
Lovin it! Â I crave the cheddar char burgers and since I hadn't had one in quite some time, I had to spoil myself tonight. Â There is something about that burger and cheese mix that is addicting.
The service is always good and most of the time, no matter what time of day, the place has a line.
The menu is a lot bigger than I remember from my high school days...
In summary, "Cafeteria food at sit down prices."
They charge $4.69 for a mediocre cafeteria-esque soup!
What a disappointment! Â We visited yesterday (10/21/2011) and I got that gut feeling not only were we getting ripped off but also the food was sub-par. Â As I was walking back to the table twice after ordering to remember things that we didn't get (no butter included with bread, and later we need a salad lid, soup lid, and bag), I thought to myself "This is cafeteria food at sit-down prices." Â Too busy for who-knows-what reason. Â
We were shocked when we ordered for 3 people and the total was $31, but wait there's more! Â We ordered:
-2 diet Dr. Pepper sodas (flat, not that cold, and not fizzy, and they didn't even taste that Dr. Peppery!) Â $1.99 + $1.99
-1 chocolate milk for son, $1.59, (not filled up all the way)
-2 medium size chicken noodle soups $4.69 + $4.69 each (First off, WTH on the price! And they tasted like they were straight out of a vat of premade soup.)
-2 4-topping salads ($4.99 + $4.99), they fail to tell you that there's absolutely no meat choices to choose from with the "Small Greens" option. Â We were hungry! Â We wanted chicken or something on top. Â It turns out "tomato" counts as 1 topping, "croutons" are 1 topping. Â They were so stingy I had to say can I have a "1/2 cheese and a 1/2 egg". Â Embarrassing RIPOFF. Â Then we got desperate and added chicken, another $3 please! Â They're very stingy on the salad dressing.
-1 plain hot dog for son, $3.19 (We've tasted better buying and boiling from the store!)
Our total was $34...For this money we could have been waited on at Baker's Square including a tip! Â
Then the experience began. Â We sat in the back...screaming kids, too many kids with 1 parent to 4-5 kids ratio. Â What hell. Â If I wanted this atmosphere I'd eat in a daycare. Â Keep your screamers, climbers, don't-know-how-to-eaters at home, please!
Then we went to the bathroom, I commented how dark it was in the women's. Â My son, 5, said "It's a cave!" Â Seriously with the $34 I gave you for mediocre food, turn up the darn lights!
Thank you - we're never coming back - I rather check out anything else around there: Subway, Noodle place, ANYTHING. Â Heck I rather grab food at pricey Sunset Foods and travel back home.
Okay, so they still have the same decor they did when we moved here in the early 1990s -- a little grimy w/ random pics of people enjoying burgers and fries on the walls -- so it's not exactly winning ambiance, but it has such an effing awesome salad bar.
It's truly the type of place where you can take anyone for an easy, very casual meal -- mom can get her healthy on w/ a monstrous salad or a pita pocket, the kiddies can nosh on burgers and friends, and dad can get a cheddar/bacon baked potato. Â
It's all surprisingly good -- and some of the best HP JAP watching EVER.
Dear Hungry Could-Be Patron:
I'm comfortable enough with you to admit that I've been around the block a few times. I've eaten cheese fries on both coasts and everywhere in between. Listen carefully when I tell you that Michael's are the best. Whether you get the (very well) chopped salad, a hot-dog, or my favorite, the Popeye Potato, get a side of cheese fries. I know what I am talking about.
Your Friend,
One More Order of Cheese Fries and I Could be Labelled a Slut
It seems strange to give a restaurant five stars then immediately give very specific advice on what to eat and order. Â But Michael's is so overwhelmingly great, the only thing I can do is give some patronly advice on how to make the experience the best it can possibly be.
Get a burger. Â And not just any burger. Â Get the bison burger. Â And get some cheddar cheese on that beastly patty. Â Go ahead, bison's healthier for you anyway. Â Slap on some grilled onions, too, to get your veggies.
Get some cheese fries. Â You'll want more of that cheddar cheese. I promise.
If you're a vegetarian, skip the grill. The veggie burger is fairly mushy and kind of tasteless. Â Head to the salad line, where they'll chop up your salad so freshly and deliciously. Â I guess in comparison to salad bars in cities that are made to do this, Michael's isn't extraordinary, but on the customizable greenery front, it's the best salad in Highland Park by far, in my opinion. Â A free roll comes with it, but if you want something more carby, get the Michael's veggie wrap (four veggies of your choice with cucumber dressing and mozzarella cheese in a tortilla... Good stuff!)
In fact, if you're not a vegetarian, bring one with you. Â The salad line is (usually) shorter, and you can order grill items from the salad line.
The prices are a little high, and it's obnoxious that they close at 8, but as someone who moved to Highland Park as a kid... and someone who's eager to move away, this is one place that I have really great memories of, dating back to when I thought it was a long walk from Elm Place (...yes, Middle School.)
Stepping into Michael's in Highland Park is like visiting The Max on the set of Saved By The Bell. Which if you used to rush home from class like I did for a late afternoon marathon of the show, this is an awesome draw!
Before you head back to the large dining room area decked out with silver, flashback photos, and primary colored art accents, you walk in to your choice of two lines. One with juicy burgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, onion rings and some amazingly delicious salty fries and more.
The other line, which I frequent with anticipation each time I visit, the salad bar! Pay a set price for the size of "greens" you'd like and get unlimited toppings, all the standards and way way more. Completely fresh. Add meat if you'd like. Their grilled tuna steak is amazing, with a slight lemon zest to it. I loved getting my salads chopped too. *drool*
They also have delicious pockets that can be filled with chicken salad and tuna salad (regular or low-fat) top them with a bit of cheese and lettuce and they warm them. So good! I have friends that drool over their baked potatoes too.
I highly recommend Michael's. Their staff is always friendly, even when they get their big lunch rushes which can produce some long lines. I suggest going at a slightly off hour to avoid this if possible. Otherwise the food is worth the wait!
Oh and Yogen fruz too!
This is a very cool place in the north shore. I took a nice long motorcycle ride up here with some friends for lunch on a weekend. Very fun ride!!
I wasnt really feeling a hotdog or burger... so I went with a tamale. It was pretty good, but I saw them take it out of a plastic wrapping...sigh...at least it was cheap. My friends got hot dogs and burgers, all of which looked fantastic.
I will definitely be riding up here on a weekend in the future to get a good Chicago style dog!!
keep in mind, that if you order a hot dog with "everything", it's chicago style but they add sauerkraut. i don't know why.
get the onion rings. they are deliciously crispy and taste like they're hand battered. Â at $3.19 they're a bit expensive, but worth it!!!!!
also, i'm so glad someone decided to open up a yogen fruz inside. Â what a nice dessert option. Â get the acai-blueberry froyo, it's DELICIOUS. Â i'm not a big fan of their regular flavor yogurt, but i prefer mine a little tarter like berry chill or pinkberry. Â i would also recommend their smoothies and their mix-in yogurts (strawberry and mango!) -- they use a different yogurt that's frozen in a block, and sometimes it can taste a little freezer burny.
Michael's is a North Shore institution, period. Try to get into the parking lot between 11:30 and 1 any day of the week and I think you'll agree; bursting with families, teenagers, area employees, it is the place to grab something quick to eat in Highland Park.
First of all, get the cheddar fries. I don't care what diet you're on-- they will be one of the most sublime things you've ever consumed. Crispy, straight-outta-the-freezer fries, sure... but that cheese sauce? Tangy, gooey, and everything that makes America great.
The hot dogs are delicious and wholly Chicago: Vienna Beef, steamed, Rosen's bun. However this place isn't all burgers and fries. Expand your horizons and grab a buffalo burger or one of their delicious wraps-- my favorite is the turkey BLT in a spinach tortilla. Fantastic salad bar too.
For dessert? Try the banana-chocolate shake and thank me later.
Michael's, by far, has some of the best cheese fries that I have ever had, no matter what the state. Â And their buffalo burgers, char dogs, and chicken sandwiches are all amazing! Â They have a large enough menu to please people of all different tastes, and the quality ingredients to make it all good.
Now I know some of the reviews have complained about the patrons that it brings, and the spoiled and annoying kids. Â But just as I don't punish Six Flags for having a bunch of hicks as its customer base, I can't blame Michael's for working in that area. Â Every single business around there has the same problem.
Michael's is overpriced, I will admit that. Â But not for the quality of food, their ability to personalize food to your needs, and the positive influence they have brought through their community service.
BTW, they actually do take credit and debit cards - maybe that post was from a while ago.
As a native Chicagoan, I have tried many a Chicago hot dog, and know that Michael's will hold its own against any other. Â Make sure to try the Char Dog though - it's much better on the grill! Â I will not defend the town and the people, but when it comes to food, Michael's is amazing at what they do. Â And the food is really all that matters. Â Seriously, try the cheese fries and tell me you don't agree.
So the dining room resembles a high school cafeteria, or maybe a Saved By the Bell set, but the food makes up for it! I come here for the salads, but have also tried the burgers, hot dogs and potatoes. ALL good.
The salad bar offers almost every imaginable topping, so you can build a personalized delicious meal that is different every time. I love how they offer to chop and toss the salad, which gets the dressing evenly distributed, and makes everything from giant artichoke hearts to long strings of jicama conveniently bite sized.
Parking and local clientele are a nightmare, but it's part of the experience. :)
Someone tell me why a regular char dog is $3.09?
Someone tell me why a medium soda is $2.09?
And my cheese fry was $1.79, which made almost 9 bucks for a fricking unhappy meal.
I'm sorry but this place is way overpriced for the quality. Â And they don't take debit/credit. Â Conveniently enough, they have a cheesy ATM in the lobby that dispenses cash for a mere $2 per transaction. Hmmmm seems like Michael's is on the take.
And it couldn't happen to a snobbier, ruder, more miserable suburb. Â I hate Highland Park. Â Highland Park deserves Michaels!
I know for many reviewers Michael's evokes fond childhood memories, so my apologies in advance. The First Amendment is, after all, about the free marketplace of ideas. For me, Michael's evokes awful memories and signifies some awful qualities in my fellow humans. I know I'm free to go and eat where I please, but this time I was trapped, as we were visiting dear friends whose children inhabit the North Shore, and Michael's was the chosen lunch place.
There really is nothing quite like a Saturday lunch at Michael's in Highland Park to remind me how much I loathe suburbs. My distaste for suburbs as an ex-suburbanite is akin to my revulsion for cigarettes as a former smoker. I admit I hated living in Highland Park even when I was a kid and teenager, so this is nothing new. But it boils down to this: if I wanted to surround myself with the heinous homogeneity of upscale conspicuously consuming lonsman, it would be more gratifying to re-join a synagogue that costs roughly $2500 annually.
From the fancy cars for whose drivers it seems the rules of the road and common decency are optional competing aggressively for coveted parking spaces, to the jewels on the pushy folks in line clamoring for grilled grease, to the apparently anorexic or bulemic teen sisters excoriating their mother loudly and shamelessly for bringing them to Michael's (and the mother taking it rather than smacking them or leaving with them), to the noise and chatter overheard once seated: OY VEY!
I heard a nasal young mother snorting cluelessly about her experience at Ravinia that morning at a Kraft Kids Concert, by saying how "nice" it was that the Joffrey had included an "under privileged part" of the performance by including dancers of color. I nearly choked on and then almost spat my overcooked cheeseburger at her; a burger and greasy, overcooked fries for which I'd waited way too long.
For me there is comfort in cities and their diversity. And the food, service and ambience at Michael's: eh, meh, feh!
I was out this way today, so I thought I would give this place a try. It is a little bit of a challenge when it comes to parking. There is limited street parking.
I thought the food was OK. I had the hot dog and it was nothing special or different from other hot dog stands. The big problem is that it cost more then any other place. I paid over $7 for a hot dog, fries, and small drink.
It was clean and nice inside. There is plenty of room inside to sit and eat. You can also sit out front at the limited number of tables outside.
I will have to give Stash's down the street a try.
I will not be returning just for the fact that the cost was pretty high.
I'm with Kathryn T. on this one.
Michaels brings to mind very strong recollections of my childhood. Â Incredible dogs, and options with which you can enjoy them. Â I have many fond memories of coming here with my grandmother when I'd come to visit her in the North Shore. Â It was always a treat to eat here.
The lines can get bad, but it's still entirely worthwhile to make the trek. Â Try to work on your timing if you can.
I equate Michael's with my childhood. It is a highland park staple that consistently serves good food. Michael's has my all time favorite cheese fries. They are definitely the best on the North Shore. They have an extensive menu and lettuce wraps for low-carbers. The salads are amazing and HUGE. Definitely at least 2 meals. Parking is really difficult, but all of downtown HP is the same way. The lines are long during traditional lunch and dinner hours, but it is well worth the wait. It's one of the places I make sure to go whenever I'm in town. Love it.
Review Source:Michael's is truly an institution - huge part of my childhood, and I was always so jealous of my friends who had their birthday or bar mitzvah parties there! Definitely one of the best hotdog places in all of Chicagoland - char dog and cheddar fries just can't be beat! If you're not in the mood to clog your arteries, I hear the salads are really tasty too! (Though personally, I would never go to Michael's and NOT order a hotdog...but that's just me...)
Review Source:I have been coming to Michael's since childhood. Â My now 37 year old brother even had his Bar Mitzvah catered by Michael's at Courts on 41. Â Hot dogs galore for a bunch of 13 year olds. Â Michael is beyond the stereotypical hot dog stand. Â They have an extensive salad bar, excellent steak sandwiches and loaded baked potatoes. Â Its great for kids and even has a fairly big party area in the back for special occasions. Â For those with a craving for desert, they have a dippin' dots stand within the restaurant. Â Michael's also has about a dozen flat screen TV's. Â It's a great place to be able to watch a game without the bar atmosphere. Â
UPDATE- The Dippin' Dots have been replaced by a probiotic ice cream stand.
Even though I now live in the NW burbs - I still make a special trip to Michael's when I go see my Dr. located in Highland Park. Â Great Chicago favorites: dogs, burgers, fries. Â Also, fabulous fresh salads, chopped to order on the "healthy" side of the line. Â I had to take a star off for the obnoxious North Shore Soccer Moms with Attitude clientele. Â Don't miss that at all.
Review Source:This was the Northshore location for traditional Chicago hot dogs and fries, but although they are still served daily, things have changed. Michael's has expanded its menu and is featuring the new ice cream sensation dispensed in colorful little spheres. Â
As part of the community, Michael's contributes generously to local cultural and sports groups that typically fill this large restaurant. Â It's a great place for kids' parties and gatherings of friends. Â I noticed that salads of all kinds as well as assorted baked potatoes and macaroni & cheese were among the most popular items requested.
I totally forgot about this place. Whenever I was in Highland Park this was the only place my friends and I ever came for lunch. We usually went to Highland Park for Campus Colors and Uncle Dan's. My normal order was a char dog, cheese fries and a large Green River. There's always plenty of room in the back to sit and eat. For you shoppers, I believe there's a Sak's, Banana Republic, and Gap nearby.
It seems like no matter where I go I'm always getting cheese fries. Can anyone recomend a good cardiologist just in case?
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