50 Best American Restaurants near Highwood

“My Aunt Marcia Hoffman turned 90 and is a rehab center where she is confined to her room . We wanted to do something special so we call Scotty’s and the made a meal to order for pick up. It worked out great and she loved it . Thank you Scott and the entire staff for making her 90th as special as it could be under the circumstances !“

“Fried chicken on Wednesday night is delicious.“

“This is a rarity today for restaurants of any type, a par-excellence value! This is a diner/breakfast/lunch restaurant, a few booths and counter seats. Most of the activity by the staff is out front, no secrets. Many customers have dined there frequently, they are regulars and recognized, the waitress can practically write the order without asking, they know the person that well. Occasionally it is a first timer and because of the ambience they feel free to voice their opinion as to how good it is, as we did the first time we ate here in late winter 2025.

We had driven by Sandy’s many times and I often remarked, we should try them out, and we would have sooner, but the parking is the limiting factor, basically curbside parallel parking, only 4 or 5 spots are in front of the restaurant, others down the block and across the street. There may be some in the alley behind but I’m not aware of any. I’m unable to walk any significant distance, so if the parking isn’t right near the door, I’d pass Sandys by, but that is my issue, if you are healthy, the distance isn’t an issue

The food is great, the owner/chef/cook knows what is expected of a dinner establishment. The eggs are prepared as asked, if the request is “over-medium” the egg whites are cooked through, yolks runny, and edges crisp ... Anyone who has trained as breakfast fry cook will know how to make eggs to request, and yes that is a SKILL. The biscuits and gravy are the best I have had in the NW suburbs, there is breakfast sausage crumbles in a cream gravy, and the gravy actually is seasoned and not just white flour paste.

No matter how rushed and busy a restaurant is, they should never lose sight of the fact that each meal served is important, there are not many 2nd chances in the restaurant business. I’m guessing that one of the wait staff is probably the owner, this is the difference, she is watching that the customer’s expectations are met, she deserves an A.“

“Absolutely incredible. Very very nice staff and guy took our order. Explained everything so clearly and was extra patient while me and my friend decided what we wanted to order. We also came in at a weird time for lunch (2:30pm). Guy was so great. Split everything in our order for us because we wanted to share. Food was absolutely amazing to match the service. 5 stars. Well done.“

“My first visit to Inovasi and it did not disappoint! Our server Lucia was fantastic- knowledgeable friendly and she helped me find just the right cocktail! We started with their delicious bread, and then had the crispy pork belly for appetizer. For entree we had a filet with shaved truffles and a blackened cod with lime and whipped edamame. Both were superb as was the dessert of flourless chocolate cake with raspberry purée and shipped goats cheese, and a pumpkin cheesecake. All was delicious, and the ambiance and decor was warm and inviting. We will be back!“

“Super…Great service from Ashley!!“

“Amazing service ! Bar tender Jimmy was absolutely great. My boyfriend and I stopped by for a quick drink and soup before the movies and had a Good time thanks to him!“

“Food was very good. Server was pleasant and available whenever we needed. Very nice atmosphere. Beer selection is fantastic.“

“The service and food were awesome! I'd definitely recommend to friends and family!“

“Best burgers in the area!“

“Stopped here on our way through town. Friendly service and delicious food in a cute little town.“

“great food, friendly staff, excellent customer service“

“Went in and love that its pet friendly. Had a good variety of hot dogs that I havent seen in other places, sandwiches and burgers, and bowls. I had the lemongrass grilled chicken bowl over rice. So good and unique flavors. The fries were crispy and delicious. Definitely returning with the pup.“

“Excellent restaurant. Nice upbeat but calm atmosphere. Simple menu with plenty of options. Service with a smile and delicious food. We need Tavern on the Glen to be around a while. Try it !!“

“Excellent food and relaxed atmosphere…our new favorite place!“

“Sat at the bar and was served by Vanessa- she was absolutely amazing, attentive and charismatic. The food was also delicious; I highly recommend the burrata flatbread. I will just say the lights were a bit too bright- it felt more clinic than reasturant.“

“Their chicken tortilla soup is amazing and the bartender was very nice. 🙂“

“The Cherry Pit Cafe, in Deerfield, IL, is an outstanding destination for breakfast or lunch, if you are looking for delicious food, a large and varied menu, and a cozy environment.Their service staff is warm and welcoming, and the restaurant is a fun step back in time with its nostalgic decor. I highly recommend it⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“I will drive across the state for the fries with garlic aioli. Yummy!!“

“great service!!! the hostess was very polite and professional 👍“

“A decently inexpensive place to go if you're craving some breakfast! The menu is pretty delectable overall, save for a few misses. I wouldn't recommend diverging from the classic's here. The service is quick and attentive, leaving no real room for complaint. Finally, for atmosphere, this establishment perfectly embodies the feelings of a small town diner. Decorative walls, booths all around, and a cozy place to be“

“Grilled cheese with gyro meat was amazing!! There were 11 of us in our group! Service was super friendly and extremely fast! We will be back on our next trip!“

“The staff is very friendly. The food was good. The atmosphere was wonderful. I recommend you guys to get the hamburger there they have different ones.“

“Great salads!!! Great chicken sandwiches!!! Best cheese fries in the area!!!“

“Went with family for the Friday night fish special. Was pretty good, but the gem was the variety of sizes that came with the platter. Everything could have used a bit more seasoning, except the veggies provided with it were done well. Typical decor for this type of establishment.“

“Whether you’re from Mars or Venus, if you ask yourself, “When we go out to eat, what do I do?” then Ten Mile House is for you. Cool artwork, good food and great tunes if the owner is there.“

“We loved the dome experience! It was great service! The dome was decorated for St Patrick’s Day and it had blankets and pillows with heaters. It was awesome“

“It is so refreshing to meet an owner who is actively present in his restaurant. Mark Salmon enthusiastically and creatively arranged for my friend and I to dine outside (our request), despite the rain. We stayed dry under umbrellas and thanks to Sandra, our amazing waitress, we celebrated my birthday with fine food (impressive menu choices and food presentation) and great company! It was my first time dining at 501 Local and this restaurant met and exceeded my high standards in every way! It is a hidden gem and our new fav restaurant. Highly recommend!!“

“Menu is amazing. Food is great. Awesome service awesome drinks. mediterranean chicken Greek style fish fry on Wednesdays and Fridays… cheeseburger sliders are really good“

“First time at Valley Lodge Tavern and it was an outstanding experience. Cozy atmosphere, great service, top notch management, impressive menu and food. Thank you!“

“So bummed, we were coming here a couple of times a month. Since the remodel and menu revamp, their delicious Blackened Steak Wrap is no longer available.👎“

“Excellent food and great service every time I'm there!!!😋“

“I can't say enough about my whole experience with the staff, accommodations and food!! I must have called 6 times changing the number of people and requesting a round table and they were so patient and accommodating. I'm sorry I don't remember the names I spoke with on the phone but they were wonderful. Our server Miguel was great, we wanted for nothing and the room we were in was outstanding. We all had an excellent time I could not have been happier!!“

“Always a wonderful meal at Meg’s. Food, service, ambience, staff....all are outstanding!!!! A true treasure in Glencoe!!!“

“We picked Maevery last minute for our son's navy graduation dinner and it didn't dissapoint. They accommodated a last minute reservation and put us in a corner great table for easy catching up. Service was great (which we didn't experience in multiple fine dining restaurants downtown) and food was yummy and a good selection. .. they had awesome recommendations and treated us wonderfully! Didn't rush us and from 5-6pm we nearly had the place to ourselves before the dinner rush! Highly recommended by this out of town visiting family! Thank You (from Southern CA) We will be back if we are in Chicago again!“

“Chef Jonathon Silver cooks a phenomenal meal to perfection! Everything was incredible from the tempura fried cauliflower, the wood grilled pear & vegetable salad, seafood bisque and to the perfectly grilled steaks. What an incredible meal.“

“Love Valley Lodge. It's just nice enough to feel like a semi-elegant dinner out and just casual enough to feel like a cozy neighborhood tavern. The Porch is awesome, feels kind of northwoodsy. And, it's much quieter than the front/bar area. Food is always excellent.“

“Grate food and service acutely and fast“

“This was the perfect place for my daughter's baby shower. The room was lovely. The staff was excellent and the food was so good! We opted for the buffet. There was plenty of food. The ice cream sundae bar was a hit. All around? The perfect place. I cannot say enough good things.“

“My daughter had her wedding at this venue on 8/4/25. From the point of discussing the space, to reviewing the contract, to discussing options, to answering ALL of our questions, to the tasting, to the day of, our event coordinator (not sure that's her specific title) Amanda was nothing short of stellar. She was patient, thorough, and accommodating ensuring that my daughter was comfortable in a very important time of her life. Our event captain (again not sure of her title) Kylie also was amazing -- handling each of our requests quickly and pleasantly. These two ladies are an asset to your company & should be commended for their fantastic work ethic. All the event staff from the bartenders, to servers, to bus boys were pleasant and efficient. The food was delicious as well. Our event was amazing & memorable largely due to the associates we interacted with.“

“Special thanks to Epic Burger for sponsoring the Pony Shop Juniors Cyclocross team, which practices over at Meadowhill Park in Northbrook. Speaking for my family, we've really enjoyed the chicken fingers, plant-based burgers and, of course, the smashburgers. We greatly appreciate their support.“

“Great great service! We were waiting on like they were a sit down restaurant. Food was good, place clean and staff friendly! I would definitely recommend.“

“I literally had the best pancakes I’ve ever had“

“There yummy burgers n fries 😋😋😋😋😍😍😍😍🍔🍔🍔🍟🍟🍟🍟“

“Great customer service Great food,“

“I was pleasantly suprised. The Fillet was fantastic . Served medium rare the way I like it. I could almoat cut it with a fork. The baked potatoe was asume as well. My server Holly was exceptional! She was pleasant, funny, and very helpful! Thank you Holly.“

“Delicious burgers, fried chicken, ice cream, etc.“

“To the staff at Libertyville Culver’s, thank you so much for taking care of Hanna during her Special Needs Transition Pathways work program. Hanna loved working there. Not to worry, we love Culverts and Hanna will be back!“

“Finally tried The Claim Company in Northbrook last night and omg… that Motherlode burger is no joke 🤤🍔. Juicy, messy, and absolutely worth it. Fries were crispy perfection too. Such a fun, laid-back spot to hang out with friends. Totally coming back! 🙌✨“

“We had a 30th high school reunion meet up at the Caldwell Grille last night. Mayra and Bridget were awesome with our group the whole evening. They were very accommodating for our group that kept expanding, friendly, and professional. The food and drinks were also great.“