Bodega Grill & Wine Lounge
750 S IL Rt 21, Gurnee, IL, 60031
Bodega Grill & Wine Lounge Menu
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Address :
750 S IL Rt 21
Gurnee, IL, 60031 - Phone (847) 775-1111
- Website https://www.bodegagrill.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Music : Live
Good For Dancing : Yes
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : No
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : Yes
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Thomas K.
Décor: 2.0 stars Service: 2.0 stars Food: 3.5 stars Prices: 2.0 stars 3.1 AVG Décor: Our recent visit marked the third and final time that we will dine at Bodega. At best, its décor and ambience is confused. Its furnishings imply an upscale but casual feel, though stark light from numerous televisions, which runs almost 4/5's of the width of the restaurant, pierce the eye through a dimly lit dining area, to create blare. Paired with piped in oldies tunes loud enough to make hearing at conversation volume a challenge, the two conspire to reduce Bodega's décor and ambience to little better than 'suburban family dining'. Service: While we found the wait staff friendly and polite, they also tended to be tentative. We found them tentative, because during two of our three visits, our servers had to step away from our table to pose questions on our behalf about menu items. (In one instance, the answer that was offered (about Paella) proved incorrect.) We overhead other servers offer thorough answers to their customers at tables adjacent to us, so it may be that newer servers are not adequately trained and tested before they're permitted to tend to customers, and/or, management may not place urgent and high priority on preparation of menu items for servers to sample during their training, so they may first-person address queries about Bodega's pricey menu items. Food: I ordered the same item, priced about $24, for each of my three visits. Though I ordered the same item by accident the first two times, I did pointedly order the same item on my third visit, because the flavor (and presumably, preparation) varied between visit one and two. The difference most likely involved the extent of seasoning (black pepper) and amount of sauce. My companion had a similar experience with paella. The first order was richly seasoned, characteristic of the beloved traditional dish. The second serving was spicy hot from, as we learned from our waitress, inclusion of fresh jalapeno pepper (with seeds), because, as she elaborated, "our chef thought that the regular version could stand something to make it pop". (There was no note or advice by the server that the version that included jalapeno, was 'chef-inspired.) Price/Conclusion: Absolutely none of the food that we ate could fairly be assessed as bad. It honestly just was not exceptional as Bodega's pricing would indicate, and diners in the area of Bodega may go to its similarly priced, nearby, immaculately kept competitor in Gurnee, just minutes away, and encounter more consistently upscale décor and ambiance, consistently well-trained and informed servers, and meals that do not vary in quality or taste.
(3)DeeDee N.
To sum it up, it was like being in a banquet hall. The food lacks sophistication and character; it tastes and looks commercialized. The menu has an identity crisis; is it Greek, Italian, Spanish tapas? The name suggests Spanish. The food is plated like you are in a wedding reception, the bar is nothing to brag about and the wine menu is decent but most wines we tried to order were not available. Service was pleasant but waiting staff is trained to serve like a banquets hall. Prices are ok if they raise the level of service and food quality. I don't think we will be coming to the Bodega again.
(1)Bob Z.
We decided to try this place in my birthday. To sum it up: I'm glad we did. The owners used to own Country Squire in Grayslake. They have a great fresh menu, an awesome bar, and a great attitude. We started with several appetizers that they described as small plates. They were anything but SMALL. The salmon carpaccio was really good and smokey. It wasn't sliced thin like I expected. It was served in chunks. It tasted awesome. I'd suggest they revisit their presentation. We also had the meatball appetizer and the sausage appetizer. Both were awesome, just great flavor. But they were larger than what I would call small plates. We had some great wine and an 18 year old scotch for after dinner. We really enjoyed the entire meal. We will be back soon.
(4)Talea B.
Worse than mediocre. After 2 attempts at enjoying Bodega I've decided to give up. I wanted to like it, really I did. My first visit was decent as it's difficult to get saganaki wrong. The other appetizers where lack luster but edible. If I'm going to fork over the sort of cash I had to that night $50 for 2 appetizers and 2 glasses of wine I'd rather go somewhere where the portions aren't stingy and the ingredients sub par. The wine list was so so and to top it all of the wait staff was ill educated on it's merits. The second visit was just last night as part of a group dinner. There where approximately 40 woman and the staff seemed overwhelmed by the size of the group. By the time I got through the line there was nothing left of the appetizer. Looking at the other guests plates I noticed no one had been greedy. What a shame. The salad plate was tiny although tasty. I wish that had been the whole meal as it turns out. The rice was flavorful but cold, the twice baked potato starchy and cold at the center and the piece the resistance was two miniscule stake kabobs which where under seasoned. On this dinner plate the grilled peppers where the tastiest. Lastly, what can I say about the pudding? If it had been home made and not So great I could forgive it, buy to serve boxed chocolate pudding with un desolved granual mix still present? I would definitely like my money back as $30 FOR THIS MEAL SEEMED exorbedant. I'm sad for the state of this restaurant in terms of service, quality of preparation and the products used. A place like bodega should invest in a top notch chef, not cooks.
(2)Christine H.
Ok, I have thought about this review for some time. Though time has not changed my opinion. I give Bodega 1 star because I did not die and because the waitress tried. The interior of place is so depressing and creepy. The food is terrible, not sure there is any quality control. I ordered a twice baked potato and it was burnt. How do you mess up a potato??? There is so much more to say but I will keep it short. Don't waste your time or money.
(1)Yeong K.
Last night was a disaster. How does a "wine lounge" run out of wine? A group of us went on a Sunday evening (6pm), my wife (birthday girl) ordered moscato ("sorry we are out"), white zin (also out), settled for reisling. Ordered calamari as app (over cooked, gross chipotle mayo). Meatball sandwich (not "rolled in house", from frozen bag), ran out of double baked potato (go bake some more! Smh). Cheesecake with raspberry syrup. Paid $100 for two and would warn everyone not to venture into this wasteland. I wanted to ask the manager, are you closing down? They need chef Ramsey.
(1)Mark L.
Not impressed. They are billed as a fancy wine bar with great small plates. I went on a Saturday night. They had a great keyboardist singing but the food was sub-par. We ordered an anti-pasta that had several meats and "imported" cheeses listed. It was deli prosciutto with grocery stored cheddar. The seafood was soggy and the service was sooo slow. All this with some $10 glasses of fairly unknown wine and we walked out $115 lighter. The meal would not have been worth half that. I don't mind spending over $100 for two people when the food and service is good. But this place is a waste of money.
(2)Eric P.
Terrible start to finish. Received dishes over an hour after ordering. Excuses from the server not apologies. Food was cold and wrong once it did come. Stay away.
(1)Lauren L.
Not great not bad.
(3)Brook B.
This place has the worst service I have ever experienced, how do you burn noodles ? The food wasn't anything to brag about! How do you not have wine ? The owner Gus is rude he was yelling at his employees in front of his customers. The staff is unprofessional. Never will I return, or recommend to any of my friends.
(1)Dylan M.
My experience started prior to arriving looking at their website and looking forward to the huge collection of wine they had listed. When I arrived I asked for the wine list and was told the paper sheet they had given me was all they have. After pressing the bartenders a bit they asked the owner. The owner does have some reserve wines but is apparently revamping the list but was nice enough to pull some higher end wines to select from. The bartenders and servers at the restaurant are nice but not very knowledgable/experienced. The menu is all over the place which usually raises a red flag with me and with good reason. The food was a inconsistent and lacked inventiveness. The pasta dish was actually the only dish that stood out. Oh yah I have to comment on the appearance of the establishment. The atmosphere is interesting in a supper club way with many little nooks and side rooms...I liked its vibe. With some fine tuning this place could be a gem but needs some tweaks to make that happen.
(3)Deanna C.
Atmosphere is drab, the appetizer was undercooked and my steak was tough. The service was friendly and my martini was great. Probably a better bar than restaurant.
(2)Allison R.
I made reservations 5 days before our dinner date for Valentines Day as the menu looked great online and I wanted to have a special dinner and try a new place. This was absolutely the worst restaurant I have ever dined at. We walked in, and were immediately taken to our table and given some water. Approximately 10 minutes later our server came by to drop off some dinner rolls, which were very good but did not take our drink order as she had to tend to another table. We waited another 10 minutes for her to come back to take our drink order, our drinks arrived shortly after ordering however, even though our menus were at the edge of the table when she dropped the drinks off, she ran to another table without asking if we'd like to order an appetizer or dinner. The wine list was also nothing special as this is called a "wine lounge." We waited another 20-25 minutes before she finally came back. Both of our drinks had been empty for a while. She took our 2nd drink order and dinner order. I ordered the salmon and my boyfriend got the larger size filet. The dinner entrees came out 20-30 minutes later...my salmon was warm however very fishy tasting, not a good quality salmon. My boyfriend's steak was cooked appropriately to order (medium rare) but was ice cold. It literally felt like it had been in the snow. We sent the steak back and when it was brought out 3 minutes later, it was half the size and had been cooked in the microwave (the steak was half dark brown and half medium colored). The server took the steak back and took it off the bill with no apology and no manager to come by. We both left the place as soon as we could and went to another restaurant even though it was 9pm. I have never left 10% as a tip but i could not justify leaving any more than that because it was so bad. We were both in shock at the service and the food. There were 2 servers for the entire place with close to 25-30 tables! Maybe they need new management??? You couldn't PAY me to eat here again......not worth my time!!!!
(1)Chrissie B.
Not one good thing I can say regarding this so called "restaurant". Actually our kind waitress was very pleasant. First of all, who ruins a plate of cooked pasta noodles? Lol Most entrees they were out of! Horrible decor. Would not recommend this place to ANYONE.
(1)Stacy O.
We often seem to be bringing down the average age in restaurants in this area, and this wasn't an exception. My husband drove by Bodega several times since they opened and when we needed a dinner option on a Friday night, we decided to give it a shot. Again with the unnecessary valet parking in the suburbs - Bodega is seated in a private lot with no other businesses that are open during the dinner hours. We skipped the valet and pared ourselves. The host staff was warm and friendly. We were seated immediately and given our option of a table or booth. We later heard some panic amongst the host staff, as there seemed to be discontent with the wait staff about who was getting seated. This type of conversation isn't entirely unusual, but it was loud enough and near enough to us that we noted the ongoing conflict. Our service was nice and made helpful recommendations on the food. He seemed a little less equipped to recommend wine pairings for the selected entrees, fumbling through his responses. As others have said, the ambience is a bit incongruent. The televisions distract from the experience. Why was I watching Alton Brown cook while waiting for my food? And why was my husband watching a White Sox game? The food, though, was excellent. My husband had the seafood paella and I had the Bodega chicken. His garlic spinach on the side was great; my saffron rice was okay but not hot when it was served.
(3)Tricia B.
This is our third time at Bodega. The first two times, the food was great-the paella was wonderful and all the little dishes we had were excellent. I had the duck once and it was good, a little small for the price, but tasty. Yesterday, the majority of the food was horrible. My husband had the mussels, which we had before, but last night, the portion was cut in half and it was in a butter oil sauce instead of the usual broth. And the chef didn't give the toast points, we had to ask for them. They were also out of polenta fries, which I'm surprise about since we were the only table in the restaurant. I ordered the paella with the polenta fries. It came out and I was initially disappointed when I saw one of the three clams I got didn't open, so I couldn't eat that. Then I saw one of the other clam shell had broken into little pieces, and the pieces were still in the dish. It was also the same color of the rice, so I had to inspect my food before I ate it unless I wanted a broken tooth. But, I didn't eat more than 5 bites before I couldn't eat any more. It had absolutely no seasoning. It was mushy in texture, completely bland, even when I had a piece of overcooked shrimp with the rice. The rice was in a brown gravy type sauce that looked like dirty dish water. Paella is not supposed to have a gravy. I had to send it back. At that time, the waitress, who was really great and friendly, said they had a new cook who didn't know how to really cook the current items on the menu. She said it looked like the chef didn't make it right and didn't put in the saffron. I then ordered the crab cake, which was good, but over priced ($12 for one cake). My husband had the salmon sandwich, and it was not impressive. He said the salmon was over cooked. They just put a small thin strip of salmon on a pretzel bun and called it a day. He didn't eat either side of the bun because there was any salmon to go with the huge bun. Not worth the $15 for it. Luckily, we had a 20% coupon, but thought it was still too much for the type of food we got. Also, it has a good sized bar, but not many drinks. They have no draft beers and only a few bottle beers. The wine list is very small and disappointing. When we left, we received a coupon for 20% off in the future, but I'm not sure we will drop another $50 at this place to try it again.
(1)Ali A.
Nice atmosphere, the food isn't really anything special but they do have good wine and sometimes live music
(3)Taylor S.
I came here with a party of ~15 after work the other night for dinner and drinks. I had high expectations; the decor is nice and the menu seemed interesting, but we all left disappointed at the end of the night. The first problem was with the service. There were two waitresses assigned to our table (in an on otherwise empty restaurant), and several of my colleagues had to remind our server after waiting over 20 minutes for their drink. I ordered the wine flight, and about 15 minutes after my drink was served, I asked for some bread for the table. I received a surly response, after which I waited another 15-20 minutes for something to chew on with my wine. At the end of the night, the waitress made a huge deal of having to split the bill between cards (an equal amount on each card, split 10 ways). To punish us for imposing on her, she made us wait another 20 minutes just to get our cards back. While the service was sub-par, the food was even worse. I ordered the same sandwich as the co-worker sitting next to me, and they came out on two different types of bread. His was so stale that he could hardly bite into it. My sandwich was edible, but about half the size of his. Virtually no one at my end of the table was enthusiastic about what was on their plate. To sum up: we suffered through a lousy meal, which was prolonged by inept service. Definitely won't be back.
(2)Steve W.
This could be such a good restaurant if anyone working there really cared. Five of us came here on a Friday night. It started out fine with a friendly welcome. It went downhill from there. The waiter seemed like he didn't want to be there. The wine list is sad, considering that they call themselves a "wine lounge", though we did find two bottles that were actually pretty good. The Saganaki was average, though the mussels were very good. When our meals arrived, we were one dish short. No apology, no manager coming up to the table to see how things are going. We weren't looking for free anything, but how does a dining room manager NOT come up to each table to see how the evening is going? But we never saw anyone other than the waitstaff and the busboy anywhere on the floor. The final dish didn't show up an additional 10 or 15 minutes. Again, no explanation, no apologies, no manager. It was as if they didn't actually care if they earned our return business. We bought 2 bottles of wine... no initial tasting to make sure the wine is okay, just filled the glasses to empty the bottle and went. This is not how you serve a bottle of wine for a table of five people. The food was very good (other than the already mentioned saganaki). But you don't spend over $200 for "dinner", you spend that on an experience. As some have described it, it's definitely different. Televisions and nice woodwork don't really work together, especially since they basically just had Friday night network television on. That and the disinterested service/management makes this a place I would never return to, and would not recommend.
(2)Karl W.
Disappointing!! Cold food not fresh. Waitress was not informed on menu items/ what they are out of. Bread served at table was 1 or 2 days old. Ordered there most famous chicken dish- chicken tasted boiled ( rubbery) with a Splash of sauce, Not good. All dishes ordered had problems, some the fault of the server. ( sauce on some items After we requested several times no sauce.) It is a shame, the area needs a good restaurant.
(2)Kate B.
As its billed as a "wine bar", I expected a decent wine selection & I was disappointed. Plus the woman tending bar did not know anything about wine & was completely stressed out. They seemed to be understaffed & she could not keep up with the bar crowd. It's too bad because we need a wine bar in that area. I wish the owners would read these reviews & fix the place up.
(2)Gary M.
Went with a group of 10 for a meal. Food was a 5. We tied 5 appetizers, and each of us loved our food. Ambiance was a 5. Live music was really good, not too loud. Hostess - 5. Very friendly. Service 2. We had a waitress who was not overly friendly. Water/drinks not refilled unless we asked. Got all of the orders mixed up when brought out. I'll try again with my wife and update. Hopefully I can give them a 5.
(4)Joanne V.
When Bodega first opened, it was delicious! For the past few times, it truly has gone downhill. They are repeatedly out of several items on the drink and food menu. The Saganaki is good, but the fries tasted like they were made in old oil. The bread pudding was really quite hard and stale. But,service was good, and the décor is lovely. Lovely bar. Would I return---No! Not even with a coupon! I gave them second and third chances, and they did not improve even after gentle recommendations.
(2)Squire S.
There was something hard in the bread. they appeared to be unconcerned about the foreign object. Never going back.
(1)Michael S.
Went there for drinks and apps ordered calamari and crab cakes, the calamari was so chewy it was disgusting. The crab cake had very little crab and no flavor. I and the group I was with are industry people so you could imagine our disappointment. Would go back for drinks but will NEVER EAT THE FOOD!! Plus their soda is poured from 2 liters REALLY!!!
(1)Shelley L.
Last time (my first visit) it was great. I returned tonight and had a below average experience. I had the blackened salmon sandwich and waffle fries. Both were over cooked, particularly the fries and I love my fries. The blackening spices were a bit over powering for my taste. My husband ordered the lamb chop appetizer which he said was good. Service and drinks were fine. A bit pricey in my book for what you get, but then maybe I don't get out much. I say go else where in Gurnee, but the pickings are slim unless you like eating at a chain
(2)Jeanne C.
I like the Bodega.... A bit eclectic with the decor? Yes but you can't best the friendly service, actively roaming owner and tasty dishes. Folks this is not a 5 star eating establishment but rather a comfortable place to get a nice chilled drink and enjoy a meal. I have been twice and have enjoyed a cheese dish with three cheeses, crackers and some fruit added to plate. Gourmet? Not at all but plentiful and went perfect with my cab. Last night I had the antipasti and while the description was accurate on meats supplied it also came with three cheeses. Could not finish it all. I have tasted their beet salad YUM and several of their desserts. Tiramisu was good but Lava Cake was served way too hot. The owner, Gus, is actively involved and stopped by everyone's table to talk. This is the time to suggest things, as it allows the owner to make corrections. Would be great that there is a success in this spot as the area needs a good restaurant. I say, give it a try and then looks for Gus if something isn't right. He will make it right, he's that type of involved owner.
(3)Erika B.
In town on business and a colleague suggested Bodega. Service was attentive and knowledgable. Food was above par. Wine was outstanding. Order the Lyeth, you won't be sorry. I will definitely came back the next time I'm in town. .
(4)Jack H.
Just opened but already well organized. Wine list is on a I-Pad. Menu was good, with specials coming in a few weeks. Food great! Staff very friendly. We will be back! Have been back several times since first review. It has progressively declined. Menu items are not available, carpet is torn and very dirty. Place just seems to be going down hill. It is too bad, as they were off to a good start.
(4)Marco P.
It's a disappointment for Gurnee that another restaurant seems to be dying again. I was talking to a friend and they tried to go during the 4th of July and it was closed without any prior notice for the holiday week, and now they are only open for dinner. I've been there 3 or 4 times in the past year it was decent at best. My wife and I actually really liked the bar but we were disappointed on our last visit because we found out there's a new bartender and we really enjoyed our conversation and signature drinks from the previous gentlemen. He came up with a drink for my wife because it was her bday we asked what he called it and said it was whatever her name was because it was just for her, it was awesome too. Food quality varies not sure if they have one main chef or a few but it never seems the same. I hope they can change the negatives into positives so we can go back.
(2)Loula V.
WOW- Food was great- Fantastic Martinis - Outstanding Service !!!!
(5)Jori C.
Fantastic meal! The meatballs were to die for, the lamchops were a steal. We are going back as soon as possible.
(5)Hazel P.
Snapshot: Food rating -- 3 stars Customer Service rating -- 4 stars Ambiance rating -- 3 stars Food Ordered: Flash-fried calamari: Good. The color was oddly pale; however, worth trying. Saganaki (Greek fried cheese): average. Pork Chops: average. A bit dry and the twice baked potato that accompanied the meal was very dry. Duck: Good. Side veggies were average. Duck would be worth trying. We really wanted to love this new establishment since it is a fairly close drive from where we live. We visited the first week of December. Maybe it was because we had such high hopes for it that it did not meet our expectations. I must say that as soon as we walked in the manager/owner or host was quite friendly and attentive. We had to wait about 15 minutes for our table, which is just fine for a Friday night. We headed to the bar to wait for our table and ordered a couple of drinks. Unfortunately, it took over 10 minutes and it had no hint of what the cocktail was supposed to be (it was pure liquor over ice). Yes, I understand that having a few shots of whiskey may not be a bad thing, but, when you want to enjoy a good cocktail, it is disappointing. We did not complain; however, our bartender knowing that it took so long to serve, did not charge us for our drinks. It was a nice gesture; however, it was pure liquor and we could not finish our drinks. We did not think our server was very knowledgeable of the menu items (understandable since it is a new restaurant). We just did not feel confident in her suggestions of items to try. She based them on how they looked in the kitchen. The ambiance is good - the location has LOTS of potential to be something great. The live band on Friday night is a nice touch; however, with the different flat screens around the restaurant and bar area showing different programming from news, sports, cartoons and the show "Full House", it was distracting from the "wine lounge" experience. Maybe a Yule log burning on the restaurant flat screens and sports on the flat screens at the bar would work.. programming that's all over the place with live music in the background does not work well. It took away from our experience. Also, we did notice that when we first walked in, there was a layer of smoke (grill smoke), which is understandable since it is Bodega Grill; however, not when the restaurant is supposed to be a wine lounge and has a very nice restaurant ambiance. It would be great if there was a wine list since it does state it is a wine lounge, we expected more than a tablet with the wine list. Although that is a contemporary touch, it should be readily available or at least four should be available at the bar. But a list or printed menu would work just a great and would help in having the wine lounge experience. It is a place that we would like to try again.
(3)Matt B.
I was expecting more Gurnee/Grayslake/Round Lake Area mediocrity here. Based on some of the reviews , I was thinking that this would not turn out well. Long story short, we gave it a shot. As noted by others, the decor is a bit unique in mixing TV's with an upscale vibe. We sat in a booth. I wore a t-shirt. The waitress was eager to please, if not too knowledgeable of the beer list. She went and pulled a solid list of craft brews together for me and I was pleased with my choice. No draft beer here fyi.. but a couple of decent IPA choices that suited my tastes. The bar looks like a very nice space. A good amount of seating and lots of wine and liquor to entertain a decent sized group. Sooo... we sifted through the menu and there wasn't much calling my name. I decided on a strip steak. I ordered it rare. IT CAME TO THE TABLE RARE!!!! (pardon the pun, but this is a rare occurrence in this culinary wasteland.) The sauce on the steak was good. My daughter ordered the penne pasta with alfredo and chicken. The price was a bit high to add chicken to the dish for about $5.00... considering there was about 5oz of chopped chicken in the dish. The alfredo was not too rich, and she enjoyed it. Decent pasta. My son ordered a meatball sandwich on a pretzel bun. It came with very crispy edges and a soft warm bun center. He ate the entire thing. I tasted his meatballs and they were good. My wife ordered scallops. She was happy. I thought they were bitter. I have to say that many of the dishes come with waffle fries. I was all like.. great.. more pre-made frozen fried potatoes from a big time vendor like Sysco... BEHOLD! The fries were amazing. Whoever the guy in the kitchen is.. he knows how to work a fryer! They were uber crispy and well seasoned. Fluffy potato centers. Possibly one of the best examples of how to make a waffle fry I have ever witnessed. The wife ordered a side of sweet potato fries. They looked dark to me, and many places fry them too long and they dry out. Not the case here. They were crunchy but still sweet and soft in the middle. Some of the best I have had. We ordered desert. My daughter got a churro.. (yes.. a churro).. it was again.. perfectly fried. There is some zen frying going on in this joint! Very tasty and simple. My son ordered a chocolate mouse cake. Very good as well. Overall.. the food was not as meh as I anticipated. GET FRIED FOOD HERE! Price.. a bit high for what it was. Our total for 4 people with 2 deserts.. and 4 drinks for the 2 adults was about $160 before tip. Mind you, I have eaten at much worse establishments that cost more in this area. Sooo... the joint is a bit quirky. I think there is some old school management who might beat on the staff here.. but.. everyone we dealt with wes nice, food was B+, and the overall experience was decent. I will go back. I just hope they are still open when I do.
(4)ron z.
While visiting from Los Angeles - We came across Bodega Great ambiance! I could have stayed there for hours and hours just sipping on wine, dinning on their fantastic food and enjoying conversations with my family. This is such a lovely place to go for any reason, hanging with friends or on a great date. The entrance is sort of non-suggestive, which adds to the allure of this place that's uniquely for you to find. When you walk through the doors, you discover a unique candle lit space. When they offered me the wine list on an ipad, that had pairings to all their menu items, I was really wowed! The menu's included full portions of their most popular items. I had the Shrimp Dijon. It melts in your mouth. They completely got the mix together, cloth napkin casual, unintrusive entertainment (football), and fun atmosphere. Definitely themust try restaurant in Gurnee.
(5)Greg S.
HORRIBLE service-NEVER again, after four times going here. My fiance and I decided to go to Bodega on a Sunday, around 5 p.m. I've gone there several times before-and while the service has been mediocre-the food was wonderful. Before going any further-kudos to the chef. That being said-on THIS Sunday(and it wasn't busy)-the service was the absolute WORST I've ever had. Where to begin-the lack of silverware, the need to REMIND the waiter about our drinks(soda-not really challenging), Having to ask for bread(which is usually served at the table immediately), having to ask for WATER, having to remind our waiter of who gets what, having to ask for MY side, my fiance's side, having to ask for salt and pepper(since there was NONE at our table-which matched our lack of silverware), having our menus AND dirty plates left at our table throughout our meal-NEVER having our waiter ask us if we would like a refill on our beverages, Having to ASK for a dessert menu, the menu being completely WRONG(I'm not sure WHAT my fiance got, and he was just as confused by the description, as his dessert was NOTHING as described on the menu)-and, if this wasn't bad enough-having the waiter take my fiance's credit card without presenting a bill of ANY sort. Oh-I left out having to ask at least FOUR times for a container for the chicken I couldn't finish. HORRIBLE-and as we were leaving-the "manager" was at the bar(with all of four or five customers), too busy "chatting" with them to actually acknowledge us leaving.I'm NOT a primadonna-I'm a person who works in a service oriented industry, who would NEVER treat customers with such disregard; Oh-did I mention our bill was $72.00, without any alcohol? I truly love fine food, and it's a shame that Bodega has a good chef, and is HORRIBLY run. It's amazing that Gurnee can have a restaurant that deems it appropriate to charge prices that rival the likes of The Chicago Chophouse- with NONE of the fine dining experiences, and Bodega is clearly hiring waitstaff who are use to working at 24 hour diners-at BEST.. Again-I will NEVER go back here-HORRIBLE, AND insanely overpriced, for the "service" you receive.
(1)Tennille T.
The atmosphere was romantic and the staff was polite, but I thought I was a special going on for Senior Citizen's because I hardly saw any middle aged couples. The food was OK...nothing to ride home about. For the prices they serve you may be better trying somewhere else.
(3)Anne W.
We had high expectations about Bodega after hearing good comments from friends about it. When we got there and asked for a wine list, we were told that they were changing it, and only had a dark, hard to read photo copy, without the by-the-bottle price. We ordered by the glass and then observed another table being presented with a full wine list on an IPad! When we asked about this, we were told that they didn't have enough IPads for all of the waitresses. Our waitress didn't tell us about the daily specials (as another table nearby was, by another waiter). We were served our meal, and when we were finished, we weren't offered dessert, which we had to request. When we mentioned all of this to the owner, we received a lukewarm response, at best. He wasn't really interested in receiving friendly, constructive criticism. He gave excuses that weren't really valid. He missed an opportunity to apologize, and have us give him another chance. The food was excellent, by the way, although a little over priced. We will not be returning.
(3)Marco P.
It's a disappointment for Gurnee that another restaurant seems to be dying again. I was talking to a friend and they tried to go during the 4th of July and it was closed without any prior notice for the holiday week, and now they are only open for dinner. I've been there 3 or 4 times in the past year it was decent at best. My wife and I actually really liked the bar but we were disappointed on our last visit because we found out there's a new bartender and we really enjoyed our conversation and signature drinks from the previous gentlemen. He came up with a drink for my wife because it was her bday we asked what he called it and said it was whatever her name was because it was just for her, it was awesome too. Food quality varies not sure if they have one main chef or a few but it never seems the same. I hope they can change the negatives into positives so we can go back.
(2)Matt B.
I was expecting more Gurnee/Grayslake/Round Lake Area mediocrity here. Based on some of the reviews , I was thinking that this would not turn out well. Long story short, we gave it a shot. As noted by others, the decor is a bit unique in mixing TV's with an upscale vibe. We sat in a booth. I wore a t-shirt. The waitress was eager to please, if not too knowledgeable of the beer list. She went and pulled a solid list of craft brews together for me and I was pleased with my choice. No draft beer here fyi.. but a couple of decent IPA choices that suited my tastes. The bar looks like a very nice space. A good amount of seating and lots of wine and liquor to entertain a decent sized group. Sooo... we sifted through the menu and there wasn't much calling my name. I decided on a strip steak. I ordered it rare. IT CAME TO THE TABLE RARE!!!! (pardon the pun, but this is a rare occurrence in this culinary wasteland.) The sauce on the steak was good. My daughter ordered the penne pasta with alfredo and chicken. The price was a bit high to add chicken to the dish for about $5.00... considering there was about 5oz of chopped chicken in the dish. The alfredo was not too rich, and she enjoyed it. Decent pasta. My son ordered a meatball sandwich on a pretzel bun. It came with very crispy edges and a soft warm bun center. He ate the entire thing. I tasted his meatballs and they were good. My wife ordered scallops. She was happy. I thought they were bitter. I have to say that many of the dishes come with waffle fries. I was all like.. great.. more pre-made frozen fried potatoes from a big time vendor like Sysco... BEHOLD! The fries were amazing. Whoever the guy in the kitchen is.. he knows how to work a fryer! They were uber crispy and well seasoned. Fluffy potato centers. Possibly one of the best examples of how to make a waffle fry I have ever witnessed. The wife ordered a side of sweet potato fries. They looked dark to me, and many places fry them too long and they dry out. Not the case here. They were crunchy but still sweet and soft in the middle. Some of the best I have had. We ordered desert. My daughter got a churro.. (yes.. a churro).. it was again.. perfectly fried. There is some zen frying going on in this joint! Very tasty and simple. My son ordered a chocolate mouse cake. Very good as well. Overall.. the food was not as meh as I anticipated. GET FRIED FOOD HERE! Price.. a bit high for what it was. Our total for 4 people with 2 deserts.. and 4 drinks for the 2 adults was about $160 before tip. Mind you, I have eaten at much worse establishments that cost more in this area. Sooo... the joint is a bit quirky. I think there is some old school management who might beat on the staff here.. but.. everyone we dealt with wes nice, food was B+, and the overall experience was decent. I will go back. I just hope they are still open when I do.
(4)Tricia B.
This is our third time at Bodega. The first two times, the food was great-the paella was wonderful and all the little dishes we had were excellent. I had the duck once and it was good, a little small for the price, but tasty. Yesterday, the majority of the food was horrible. My husband had the mussels, which we had before, but last night, the portion was cut in half and it was in a butter oil sauce instead of the usual broth. And the chef didn't give the toast points, we had to ask for them. They were also out of polenta fries, which I'm surprise about since we were the only table in the restaurant. I ordered the paella with the polenta fries. It came out and I was initially disappointed when I saw one of the three clams I got didn't open, so I couldn't eat that. Then I saw one of the other clam shell had broken into little pieces, and the pieces were still in the dish. It was also the same color of the rice, so I had to inspect my food before I ate it unless I wanted a broken tooth. But, I didn't eat more than 5 bites before I couldn't eat any more. It had absolutely no seasoning. It was mushy in texture, completely bland, even when I had a piece of overcooked shrimp with the rice. The rice was in a brown gravy type sauce that looked like dirty dish water. Paella is not supposed to have a gravy. I had to send it back. At that time, the waitress, who was really great and friendly, said they had a new cook who didn't know how to really cook the current items on the menu. She said it looked like the chef didn't make it right and didn't put in the saffron. I then ordered the crab cake, which was good, but over priced ($12 for one cake). My husband had the salmon sandwich, and it was not impressive. He said the salmon was over cooked. They just put a small thin strip of salmon on a pretzel bun and called it a day. He didn't eat either side of the bun because there was any salmon to go with the huge bun. Not worth the $15 for it. Luckily, we had a 20% coupon, but thought it was still too much for the type of food we got. Also, it has a good sized bar, but not many drinks. They have no draft beers and only a few bottle beers. The wine list is very small and disappointing. When we left, we received a coupon for 20% off in the future, but I'm not sure we will drop another $50 at this place to try it again.
(1)Bob Z.
We decided to try this place in my birthday. To sum it up: I'm glad we did. The owners used to own Country Squire in Grayslake. They have a great fresh menu, an awesome bar, and a great attitude. We started with several appetizers that they described as small plates. They were anything but SMALL. The salmon carpaccio was really good and smokey. It wasn't sliced thin like I expected. It was served in chunks. It tasted awesome. I'd suggest they revisit their presentation. We also had the meatball appetizer and the sausage appetizer. Both were awesome, just great flavor. But they were larger than what I would call small plates. We had some great wine and an 18 year old scotch for after dinner. We really enjoyed the entire meal. We will be back soon.
(4)Christine H.
Ok, I have thought about this review for some time. Though time has not changed my opinion. I give Bodega 1 star because I did not die and because the waitress tried. The interior of place is so depressing and creepy. The food is terrible, not sure there is any quality control. I ordered a twice baked potato and it was burnt. How do you mess up a potato??? There is so much more to say but I will keep it short. Don't waste your time or money.
(1)Yeong K.
Last night was a disaster. How does a "wine lounge" run out of wine? A group of us went on a Sunday evening (6pm), my wife (birthday girl) ordered moscato ("sorry we are out"), white zin (also out), settled for reisling. Ordered calamari as app (over cooked, gross chipotle mayo). Meatball sandwich (not "rolled in house", from frozen bag), ran out of double baked potato (go bake some more! Smh). Cheesecake with raspberry syrup. Paid $100 for two and would warn everyone not to venture into this wasteland. I wanted to ask the manager, are you closing down? They need chef Ramsey.
(1)Mark L.
Not impressed. They are billed as a fancy wine bar with great small plates. I went on a Saturday night. They had a great keyboardist singing but the food was sub-par. We ordered an anti-pasta that had several meats and "imported" cheeses listed. It was deli prosciutto with grocery stored cheddar. The seafood was soggy and the service was sooo slow. All this with some $10 glasses of fairly unknown wine and we walked out $115 lighter. The meal would not have been worth half that. I don't mind spending over $100 for two people when the food and service is good. But this place is a waste of money.
(2)Brook B.
This place has the worst service I have ever experienced, how do you burn noodles ? The food wasn't anything to brag about! How do you not have wine ? The owner Gus is rude he was yelling at his employees in front of his customers. The staff is unprofessional. Never will I return, or recommend to any of my friends.
(1)Dylan M.
My experience started prior to arriving looking at their website and looking forward to the huge collection of wine they had listed. When I arrived I asked for the wine list and was told the paper sheet they had given me was all they have. After pressing the bartenders a bit they asked the owner. The owner does have some reserve wines but is apparently revamping the list but was nice enough to pull some higher end wines to select from. The bartenders and servers at the restaurant are nice but not very knowledgable/experienced. The menu is all over the place which usually raises a red flag with me and with good reason. The food was a inconsistent and lacked inventiveness. The pasta dish was actually the only dish that stood out. Oh yah I have to comment on the appearance of the establishment. The atmosphere is interesting in a supper club way with many little nooks and side rooms...I liked its vibe. With some fine tuning this place could be a gem but needs some tweaks to make that happen.
(3)Deanna C.
Atmosphere is drab, the appetizer was undercooked and my steak was tough. The service was friendly and my martini was great. Probably a better bar than restaurant.
(2)Allison R.
I made reservations 5 days before our dinner date for Valentines Day as the menu looked great online and I wanted to have a special dinner and try a new place. This was absolutely the worst restaurant I have ever dined at. We walked in, and were immediately taken to our table and given some water. Approximately 10 minutes later our server came by to drop off some dinner rolls, which were very good but did not take our drink order as she had to tend to another table. We waited another 10 minutes for her to come back to take our drink order, our drinks arrived shortly after ordering however, even though our menus were at the edge of the table when she dropped the drinks off, she ran to another table without asking if we'd like to order an appetizer or dinner. The wine list was also nothing special as this is called a "wine lounge." We waited another 20-25 minutes before she finally came back. Both of our drinks had been empty for a while. She took our 2nd drink order and dinner order. I ordered the salmon and my boyfriend got the larger size filet. The dinner entrees came out 20-30 minutes later...my salmon was warm however very fishy tasting, not a good quality salmon. My boyfriend's steak was cooked appropriately to order (medium rare) but was ice cold. It literally felt like it had been in the snow. We sent the steak back and when it was brought out 3 minutes later, it was half the size and had been cooked in the microwave (the steak was half dark brown and half medium colored). The server took the steak back and took it off the bill with no apology and no manager to come by. We both left the place as soon as we could and went to another restaurant even though it was 9pm. I have never left 10% as a tip but i could not justify leaving any more than that because it was so bad. We were both in shock at the service and the food. There were 2 servers for the entire place with close to 25-30 tables! Maybe they need new management??? You couldn't PAY me to eat here again......not worth my time!!!!
(1)Chrissie B.
Not one good thing I can say regarding this so called "restaurant". Actually our kind waitress was very pleasant. First of all, who ruins a plate of cooked pasta noodles? Lol Most entrees they were out of! Horrible decor. Would not recommend this place to ANYONE.
(1)Taylor S.
I came here with a party of ~15 after work the other night for dinner and drinks. I had high expectations; the decor is nice and the menu seemed interesting, but we all left disappointed at the end of the night. The first problem was with the service. There were two waitresses assigned to our table (in an on otherwise empty restaurant), and several of my colleagues had to remind our server after waiting over 20 minutes for their drink. I ordered the wine flight, and about 15 minutes after my drink was served, I asked for some bread for the table. I received a surly response, after which I waited another 15-20 minutes for something to chew on with my wine. At the end of the night, the waitress made a huge deal of having to split the bill between cards (an equal amount on each card, split 10 ways). To punish us for imposing on her, she made us wait another 20 minutes just to get our cards back. While the service was sub-par, the food was even worse. I ordered the same sandwich as the co-worker sitting next to me, and they came out on two different types of bread. His was so stale that he could hardly bite into it. My sandwich was edible, but about half the size of his. Virtually no one at my end of the table was enthusiastic about what was on their plate. To sum up: we suffered through a lousy meal, which was prolonged by inept service. Definitely won't be back.
(2)Karl W.
Disappointing!! Cold food not fresh. Waitress was not informed on menu items/ what they are out of. Bread served at table was 1 or 2 days old. Ordered there most famous chicken dish- chicken tasted boiled ( rubbery) with a Splash of sauce, Not good. All dishes ordered had problems, some the fault of the server. ( sauce on some items After we requested several times no sauce.) It is a shame, the area needs a good restaurant.
(2)Kate B.
As its billed as a "wine bar", I expected a decent wine selection & I was disappointed. Plus the woman tending bar did not know anything about wine & was completely stressed out. They seemed to be understaffed & she could not keep up with the bar crowd. It's too bad because we need a wine bar in that area. I wish the owners would read these reviews & fix the place up.
(2)Gary M.
Went with a group of 10 for a meal. Food was a 5. We tied 5 appetizers, and each of us loved our food. Ambiance was a 5. Live music was really good, not too loud. Hostess - 5. Very friendly. Service 2. We had a waitress who was not overly friendly. Water/drinks not refilled unless we asked. Got all of the orders mixed up when brought out. I'll try again with my wife and update. Hopefully I can give them a 5.
(4)Joanne V.
When Bodega first opened, it was delicious! For the past few times, it truly has gone downhill. They are repeatedly out of several items on the drink and food menu. The Saganaki is good, but the fries tasted like they were made in old oil. The bread pudding was really quite hard and stale. But,service was good, and the décor is lovely. Lovely bar. Would I return---No! Not even with a coupon! I gave them second and third chances, and they did not improve even after gentle recommendations.
(2)Squire S.
There was something hard in the bread. they appeared to be unconcerned about the foreign object. Never going back.
(1)Michael S.
Went there for drinks and apps ordered calamari and crab cakes, the calamari was so chewy it was disgusting. The crab cake had very little crab and no flavor. I and the group I was with are industry people so you could imagine our disappointment. Would go back for drinks but will NEVER EAT THE FOOD!! Plus their soda is poured from 2 liters REALLY!!!
(1)Steve W.
This could be such a good restaurant if anyone working there really cared. Five of us came here on a Friday night. It started out fine with a friendly welcome. It went downhill from there. The waiter seemed like he didn't want to be there. The wine list is sad, considering that they call themselves a "wine lounge", though we did find two bottles that were actually pretty good. The Saganaki was average, though the mussels were very good. When our meals arrived, we were one dish short. No apology, no manager coming up to the table to see how things are going. We weren't looking for free anything, but how does a dining room manager NOT come up to each table to see how the evening is going? But we never saw anyone other than the waitstaff and the busboy anywhere on the floor. The final dish didn't show up an additional 10 or 15 minutes. Again, no explanation, no apologies, no manager. It was as if they didn't actually care if they earned our return business. We bought 2 bottles of wine... no initial tasting to make sure the wine is okay, just filled the glasses to empty the bottle and went. This is not how you serve a bottle of wine for a table of five people. The food was very good (other than the already mentioned saganaki). But you don't spend over $200 for "dinner", you spend that on an experience. As some have described it, it's definitely different. Televisions and nice woodwork don't really work together, especially since they basically just had Friday night network television on. That and the disinterested service/management makes this a place I would never return to, and would not recommend.
(2)Shelley L.
Last time (my first visit) it was great. I returned tonight and had a below average experience. I had the blackened salmon sandwich and waffle fries. Both were over cooked, particularly the fries and I love my fries. The blackening spices were a bit over powering for my taste. My husband ordered the lamb chop appetizer which he said was good. Service and drinks were fine. A bit pricey in my book for what you get, but then maybe I don't get out much. I say go else where in Gurnee, but the pickings are slim unless you like eating at a chain
(2)Jack H.
Just opened but already well organized. Wine list is on a I-Pad. Menu was good, with specials coming in a few weeks. Food great! Staff very friendly. We will be back! Have been back several times since first review. It has progressively declined. Menu items are not available, carpet is torn and very dirty. Place just seems to be going down hill. It is too bad, as they were off to a good start.
(4)Ali A.
Nice atmosphere, the food isn't really anything special but they do have good wine and sometimes live music
(3)Jeanne C.
I like the Bodega.... A bit eclectic with the decor? Yes but you can't best the friendly service, actively roaming owner and tasty dishes. Folks this is not a 5 star eating establishment but rather a comfortable place to get a nice chilled drink and enjoy a meal. I have been twice and have enjoyed a cheese dish with three cheeses, crackers and some fruit added to plate. Gourmet? Not at all but plentiful and went perfect with my cab. Last night I had the antipasti and while the description was accurate on meats supplied it also came with three cheeses. Could not finish it all. I have tasted their beet salad YUM and several of their desserts. Tiramisu was good but Lava Cake was served way too hot. The owner, Gus, is actively involved and stopped by everyone's table to talk. This is the time to suggest things, as it allows the owner to make corrections. Would be great that there is a success in this spot as the area needs a good restaurant. I say, give it a try and then looks for Gus if something isn't right. He will make it right, he's that type of involved owner.
(3)Loula V.
WOW- Food was great- Fantastic Martinis - Outstanding Service !!!!
(5)Jori C.
Fantastic meal! The meatballs were to die for, the lamchops were a steal. We are going back as soon as possible.
(5)Thomas K.
Décor: 2.0 stars Service: 2.0 stars Food: 3.5 stars Prices: 2.0 stars 3.1 AVG Décor: Our recent visit marked the third and final time that we will dine at Bodega. At best, its décor and ambience is confused. Its furnishings imply an upscale but casual feel, though stark light from numerous televisions, which runs almost 4/5's of the width of the restaurant, pierce the eye through a dimly lit dining area, to create blare. Paired with piped in oldies tunes loud enough to make hearing at conversation volume a challenge, the two conspire to reduce Bodega's décor and ambience to little better than 'suburban family dining'. Service: While we found the wait staff friendly and polite, they also tended to be tentative. We found them tentative, because during two of our three visits, our servers had to step away from our table to pose questions on our behalf about menu items. (In one instance, the answer that was offered (about Paella) proved incorrect.) We overhead other servers offer thorough answers to their customers at tables adjacent to us, so it may be that newer servers are not adequately trained and tested before they're permitted to tend to customers, and/or, management may not place urgent and high priority on preparation of menu items for servers to sample during their training, so they may first-person address queries about Bodega's pricey menu items. Food: I ordered the same item, priced about $24, for each of my three visits. Though I ordered the same item by accident the first two times, I did pointedly order the same item on my third visit, because the flavor (and presumably, preparation) varied between visit one and two. The difference most likely involved the extent of seasoning (black pepper) and amount of sauce. My companion had a similar experience with paella. The first order was richly seasoned, characteristic of the beloved traditional dish. The second serving was spicy hot from, as we learned from our waitress, inclusion of fresh jalapeno pepper (with seeds), because, as she elaborated, "our chef thought that the regular version could stand something to make it pop". (There was no note or advice by the server that the version that included jalapeno, was 'chef-inspired.) Price/Conclusion: Absolutely none of the food that we ate could fairly be assessed as bad. It honestly just was not exceptional as Bodega's pricing would indicate, and diners in the area of Bodega may go to its similarly priced, nearby, immaculately kept competitor in Gurnee, just minutes away, and encounter more consistently upscale décor and ambiance, consistently well-trained and informed servers, and meals that do not vary in quality or taste.
(3)DeeDee N.
To sum it up, it was like being in a banquet hall. The food lacks sophistication and character; it tastes and looks commercialized. The menu has an identity crisis; is it Greek, Italian, Spanish tapas? The name suggests Spanish. The food is plated like you are in a wedding reception, the bar is nothing to brag about and the wine menu is decent but most wines we tried to order were not available. Service was pleasant but waiting staff is trained to serve like a banquets hall. Prices are ok if they raise the level of service and food quality. I don't think we will be coming to the Bodega again.
(1)Erika B.
In town on business and a colleague suggested Bodega. Service was attentive and knowledgable. Food was above par. Wine was outstanding. Order the Lyeth, you won't be sorry. I will definitely came back the next time I'm in town. .
(4)Hazel P.
Snapshot: Food rating -- 3 stars Customer Service rating -- 4 stars Ambiance rating -- 3 stars Food Ordered: Flash-fried calamari: Good. The color was oddly pale; however, worth trying. Saganaki (Greek fried cheese): average. Pork Chops: average. A bit dry and the twice baked potato that accompanied the meal was very dry. Duck: Good. Side veggies were average. Duck would be worth trying. We really wanted to love this new establishment since it is a fairly close drive from where we live. We visited the first week of December. Maybe it was because we had such high hopes for it that it did not meet our expectations. I must say that as soon as we walked in the manager/owner or host was quite friendly and attentive. We had to wait about 15 minutes for our table, which is just fine for a Friday night. We headed to the bar to wait for our table and ordered a couple of drinks. Unfortunately, it took over 10 minutes and it had no hint of what the cocktail was supposed to be (it was pure liquor over ice). Yes, I understand that having a few shots of whiskey may not be a bad thing, but, when you want to enjoy a good cocktail, it is disappointing. We did not complain; however, our bartender knowing that it took so long to serve, did not charge us for our drinks. It was a nice gesture; however, it was pure liquor and we could not finish our drinks. We did not think our server was very knowledgeable of the menu items (understandable since it is a new restaurant). We just did not feel confident in her suggestions of items to try. She based them on how they looked in the kitchen. The ambiance is good - the location has LOTS of potential to be something great. The live band on Friday night is a nice touch; however, with the different flat screens around the restaurant and bar area showing different programming from news, sports, cartoons and the show "Full House", it was distracting from the "wine lounge" experience. Maybe a Yule log burning on the restaurant flat screens and sports on the flat screens at the bar would work.. programming that's all over the place with live music in the background does not work well. It took away from our experience. Also, we did notice that when we first walked in, there was a layer of smoke (grill smoke), which is understandable since it is Bodega Grill; however, not when the restaurant is supposed to be a wine lounge and has a very nice restaurant ambiance. It would be great if there was a wine list since it does state it is a wine lounge, we expected more than a tablet with the wine list. Although that is a contemporary touch, it should be readily available or at least four should be available at the bar. But a list or printed menu would work just a great and would help in having the wine lounge experience. It is a place that we would like to try again.
(3)ron z.
While visiting from Los Angeles - We came across Bodega Great ambiance! I could have stayed there for hours and hours just sipping on wine, dinning on their fantastic food and enjoying conversations with my family. This is such a lovely place to go for any reason, hanging with friends or on a great date. The entrance is sort of non-suggestive, which adds to the allure of this place that's uniquely for you to find. When you walk through the doors, you discover a unique candle lit space. When they offered me the wine list on an ipad, that had pairings to all their menu items, I was really wowed! The menu's included full portions of their most popular items. I had the Shrimp Dijon. It melts in your mouth. They completely got the mix together, cloth napkin casual, unintrusive entertainment (football), and fun atmosphere. Definitely themust try restaurant in Gurnee.
(5)Greg S.
HORRIBLE service-NEVER again, after four times going here. My fiance and I decided to go to Bodega on a Sunday, around 5 p.m. I've gone there several times before-and while the service has been mediocre-the food was wonderful. Before going any further-kudos to the chef. That being said-on THIS Sunday(and it wasn't busy)-the service was the absolute WORST I've ever had. Where to begin-the lack of silverware, the need to REMIND the waiter about our drinks(soda-not really challenging), Having to ask for bread(which is usually served at the table immediately), having to ask for WATER, having to remind our waiter of who gets what, having to ask for MY side, my fiance's side, having to ask for salt and pepper(since there was NONE at our table-which matched our lack of silverware), having our menus AND dirty plates left at our table throughout our meal-NEVER having our waiter ask us if we would like a refill on our beverages, Having to ASK for a dessert menu, the menu being completely WRONG(I'm not sure WHAT my fiance got, and he was just as confused by the description, as his dessert was NOTHING as described on the menu)-and, if this wasn't bad enough-having the waiter take my fiance's credit card without presenting a bill of ANY sort. Oh-I left out having to ask at least FOUR times for a container for the chicken I couldn't finish. HORRIBLE-and as we were leaving-the "manager" was at the bar(with all of four or five customers), too busy "chatting" with them to actually acknowledge us leaving.I'm NOT a primadonna-I'm a person who works in a service oriented industry, who would NEVER treat customers with such disregard; Oh-did I mention our bill was $72.00, without any alcohol? I truly love fine food, and it's a shame that Bodega has a good chef, and is HORRIBLY run. It's amazing that Gurnee can have a restaurant that deems it appropriate to charge prices that rival the likes of The Chicago Chophouse- with NONE of the fine dining experiences, and Bodega is clearly hiring waitstaff who are use to working at 24 hour diners-at BEST.. Again-I will NEVER go back here-HORRIBLE, AND insanely overpriced, for the "service" you receive.
(1)Tennille T.
The atmosphere was romantic and the staff was polite, but I thought I was a special going on for Senior Citizen's because I hardly saw any middle aged couples. The food was OK...nothing to ride home about. For the prices they serve you may be better trying somewhere else.
(3)Anne W.
We had high expectations about Bodega after hearing good comments from friends about it. When we got there and asked for a wine list, we were told that they were changing it, and only had a dark, hard to read photo copy, without the by-the-bottle price. We ordered by the glass and then observed another table being presented with a full wine list on an IPad! When we asked about this, we were told that they didn't have enough IPads for all of the waitresses. Our waitress didn't tell us about the daily specials (as another table nearby was, by another waiter). We were served our meal, and when we were finished, we weren't offered dessert, which we had to request. When we mentioned all of this to the owner, we received a lukewarm response, at best. He wasn't really interested in receiving friendly, constructive criticism. He gave excuses that weren't really valid. He missed an opportunity to apologize, and have us give him another chance. The food was excellent, by the way, although a little over priced. We will not be returning.
(3)