Pavilion Restaurant & Lounge

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  I went here several months ago after I saw an ad with a coupon.  It is located in a strip mall and is a small place with about 15 tables.  The inside looks very nice with cloth tablecloths and great decor.  
  The service was good, however, the food was very unimpressive.  I was not eating meat at the time and ordered the Grilled Three Cheese Sandwich and Tomato Bisque.  Both items were only lukewarm when they were brought to the table and the crust on the grilled cheese was so hard it was inedible.  Very disappointing.  My boyfriend ordered the Wagyu Burger.  Wagyu beef is supposed to have better marbling and a higher fat content so he expected this burger to have great flavor and be very juicy.  Not the case.  The patty was so dry and flavorless that he ended up putting ketchup on it.  In his words, "If I am going to pay this much for a burger, I shouldn't need to put ketchup on it to make it taste better."  
  The only good part of the meal was the appetizer we ordered, Mushrooms Julienne.  But even that wasn't exceptional and wouldn't be worth going back for.
  I will not be returning.

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  Posted on 02.21.13 Alyssa N.

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  I dinned twice at the Pavilion. I have mixed feeling about the place.
  
  The first time I had the dinner, the food was cooked very well. It surprised me that a restaurant in a strip mall like place can offer such quality food. The first time, we had tuna tartar, Ukrainian potato pierogi, chicken tabaka, and Asian skirt steak.
  
  The tuna tartar is well balanced and fresh, though it has more tomato than tuna. The chicken tabaka is tasty. It is fried perfectly. The choice of corn chicken for the dish allows the flavors on the skin to penetrate the meat easily. The Asian skirt steak is also very well executed. The sauce definitely has Asian influence. Nothing special about the pierogi. All dishes are nicely presented.
  
  Due to the good experience of the first time, I decided to give it another visit. This time I tried trio-lamb chop paired with creamy Spinach. I also tried the caviar blini. The lamb chop is definitely over cooked, which leaves me very disappointed.
  
  BTW, the portion of the appetizer is sort of small. Not good for a group of people to share.
  
  The inconsistency of the experience is a big turn down for me to go back again.

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  Posted on 07.27.12 Deyu Z.

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  June 13, 2012
  
  I did a "Groupon Now!"  for lunch today, and we ate at the Buffalo Grove location.  Excellent meal and service (but to be forthright, there was only one other table occupied.)  We will certainly go back.
  
  The outside tables were clean and had little vases of flowers on them. We started out there, and watching the fountain was very nice, but it became just a tad chilly for us, so we moved inside.  
  
  My sister and i are not ones for eating bread, but we demolished all four of the hot, steamy, crispy different rolls - a multi-seed one, dark rye, one with raisins, and one with olives!  The waitress was very polite and attentive, and refilled our ice water and hot tea water without needing to be asked.  The tea bags get presented in a large wood box for your choice.
  
  The lunch specials are $9 -- a very decent price. So many of the lunch specials sounded yummy, but we both chose fish.  I had rainbow trout -- a whole fillet, nicely pan-fried, on a bed of fresh mixed veggies.  The yellow-colored rice with carrot bits was soggy and not interesting, but there was that wonderful bread!
  
  My sister had a whole tilapia fillet (pan-fried), on one of the biggest spinach salads i've seen.  The tomatoes were very fresh and delicious -- tomato-y tasting, which is so rare these days!  There were also hard-cooked egg pieces and bacon, with a side of Italian dressing in a gravy boat.  The dressing was too sweet for my taste.  Both fish dishes were excellent, and very decent portions.
  
  The china itself was a simple creamy white, but unusually shaped:  mine was in a triangle shape, while the entree salad was in a unique and attractive (LARGE) slanted bowl (hard to describe.)  Very fun.
  
  Decor (and bathroom):  VERY nice, classy, under-stated, comfortable. The napkins are nice large cloth ones.  Bathroom was spotless.  An advertising sign in there listed the "Winter Specials"  -- it's June 13 today.  When i asked the waitress about that, she said they were the same.    :)
  
  They have a full bar with a TV above it, but fortunately it was not turned up while we were there.  (I hate loud TVs and music while eating.)  We did not order any drinks or ask to see the drink menu.  
  
  My only disappointment was that the borscht (listed on the menu) was unavailable.  The restaurant opens at 11 AM.  We sat down about 11:35 AM.  Upon asking, the waitress said the cook reported it wouldn't be ready for about an hour.  I do not know if this was a-typical, but it sure seems better to have such items ready when the place opens.  She did offer the fresh cream of mushroom soup, tomato bisque, or the onion soup, but i'd had my heart set on the borscht.  It's just not something you can get anywhere.  (I'm taking off one star for this and the too-sweet italian dressing.)
  
  I signed up for the email list, and supposedly will get coupons and specials, and a free appetizer (up to $10) with my next meal.  The waitress also gave us other coupons.
  
  It's a little hard to find:  it's deep in an inner corner of a strip mall, west across the parking lot from the Burger King on McHenry Rd just north of Lake-Cook.  Binney's Beverage Depot and the Buffalo Grove theatre all share the same parking lot.  The Theatre is near the restaurant.   There's a lovely fountain outside the restaurant and theatre.  
  
  Their website is <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pavilionchicago.com%2F&s=3e552f74b0051d6709754c4ce1e8ed6440b0ed8089758db76aeb24e03044f431" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.pavilionchica…</a>    They have a location in Northbrook, IL also.

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  Posted on 06.13.12 Kathleen R.

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  I have no idea how we had the experience we did at a restaurant with such glowing reviews. We ordered the pickled herring as a starter. We both had the chicken livers, figuring we'd eat the foods our families find disgusting to share a table with.
  
  The rolls were indeed tasty, and the wee butter balls they were served with were adorable. A very good thing, since between the two of us we ate about five rolls to stave off hunger while we waited for our food.
  
  Our waitress appeared and disappeared throughout the meal, with the hostess trying to take up the slack.
  
  The herring was beautifully presented, sliced into bite-sized pieces, each atop a half of a new potato slice. Having asked for silverware and napkins (we'd been there about an hour thus far), it was time to taste.  Sadly, the fish itself was funky-not in a "pickled herring" way, but in an "old fish" way. I could smell it coming to the table. We sent it back. The second time in my life I sent a dish back, and the previous send-back actually had mold growing on it. This fish was inedible. The waitress said it was "how Russians like it".
  
  After about 30 minutes my salad came. It was the usual baby-greens mix, served with a wee gravy boat of gelatinous, gravy-like dressing and a heap of plain croutons.
  
  Fearing for our lives a little when the entrees appeared (we didn't want to sample spoiled liver), we dug in.Chewed on the fried onions topping our entrees...rather like fried onion gum.  Livers were mushy and underseasoned, then buried under a blanket of even less seasoned, thick sauce. Side of red cabbage was shredded and oiled, and that's about it. I must say that the fried beet chips my friend ordered were really very good, especially with salt added from our (requested) shaker. The barely-cooked, wet, room temp vegetable mixture didn't warrant the effort of self-salting.
  
  We then begged the check. I like a leisurely meal, but we were there over 2 hours, approximately 9 minutes of which were spent eating.
  
  Let's say the star is for the the nice rolls, butter balls and pleasant outdoor seating. I wouldn't return.

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  Posted on 06.11.12 Lisa G.

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  The food is very good i had the alfredo tortelini and the tomato pisque was supper good too but the napoleon cake was wierd not traditional at all..and i must say the food takes a really long time to come out ...like super long.

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  Posted on 05.01.12 Marilee T.

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  This was my first time here but after reading earlier reviews, I can say it definitely lived up to expectations.
  
  The decor was comfortable, modern and tasteful. The food was excellent. The service was very attentive. Everyone we encountered, from the hostess to the bus boys, was pleasant and courteous.
  
  The food was not only tasty but also plentiful. We had the bruschetta appetizer which was amazing. I had the surf and turf and my date had the tilapia. The steak was tender and the lobster, served in butter sauce, was outstanding. The tilapia was also magnificent. Tender, flaky and perfectly cooked. It Is not quite fine dining but still top notch for what it is. Everything arrived hot and as ordered.
  
  I definitely recommend this place for a quiet night out.

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  Posted on 03.28.12 C P.

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  When we went there on a Wednesday night at 8:00, we were the only ones there. The place is very well kept and looks classy. They brought us some bread which was hands down the best bread I have ever eaten in my life. We did the 3 course dinner for 2 for $45. Appetizer - Warm pita bread with hummus which was excellent. My gf had chicken linguini and I had the salmon. We both loved it. For dessert we had the lava cake with vanilla ice cream. Again, really really good. Overall, the food was unbelievable. Cant believe I lived 5 minutes from there for 4 years but never even went there. This place is hidden in the plaza but its a gem. Give it a try, you wont be disappointed!!!

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  Posted on 01.20.12 Adwait K.

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  Went to Pavilion on a Tuesday evening.    It a small venue with approximate 15 tables draped with cloth linen.   There is also a few outside tables and a sleek bar which may seat 5 or 6 people.  I was immediately greeted by the hostess who happened to also be the only waitress and she did a great job.
  
  There were 2 other gentlemen that were going from table to table welcoming patrons to the restaurant and inquiring how we liked the food.  Very friendly and not at all overbearing.
  
  I ordered the Beef Stew.  It came quickly and was pipping hot.  It was served in a crock pot  dish similar to a French Onion soup crock and was covered in puffed pastry.  The potatoes, carrots and beef were cooked perfectly and seasoned well.
  
  For dessert I ordered what was billed on their desert menu as a "Napoleon".  It was tasty but nothing like a traditional Napoleon.
  
  With my meal I had their $10.00 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Which was served quickly and with a smile.
  
  With dessert I ordered an Iced Latte which wasn't on the menu (only hot Latte's) but the waitress said she'd gladly put one together for me.
  
  All in all it was a lovely intimate place to dine with friendly and attentive staff.
  
  I'll be going back soon and would recommend this restaurant to others.

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  Posted on 07.13.11 Ilse Albert- l.

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