The food is delicious. The breakfast/lunch staff is all wonderful. They're attentive & promptly get you everything you request. Today I tried their chicken Cesar salad which was rich in flavor and tasted very fresh with Parmesan & red bell pepper. As my main dish I had their famous southwest? burger which was flavorful and spicy served with a tostada in the middle to give it crunch. Served with a side of thick delicious fries. The ambience is calm & serene and the restaurant is VERY clean. Five stars.
(5)
Angela D.
This place is wonderful. Friendly, attentive service even though there were large events going on in a couple of the conference rooms. The dining room is beautiful and refined, and much nicer than your average Doubletree. My husband had the SAMBAL LOAF, which is a sort of meatloaf with interesting Asian spices - very similar to the Vietnamese meatballs you get with Pho. After a long debate between three different choices, I got the sliced tenderloin on a bed of lobster whipped mashed potatoes alongside seared scallops & sugar snap peas. It's easy to overcook scallops, but these were perfectly prepared. The yin-yang cheesecake was delicious, also. Good portions and a good value for the quality of ingredients and preparation. We will be going back!
(5)
Ed E.
The service is good, nice atmosphere, but the food is average. I doubt they would still be open if not in the Doubletree.
(3)
Chris P.
So not your average hotel restaurant. Menu was creative and promising. Food was excellent. Quality was high. This is a true 4 star food experience. Waitress was very knowledgeable on menu and wines. My colleague and I had the seared tuna that was fresh with just the right amount of spice. Dinner for my colleague was mahi-mahi over couscous. Spices and seasoning were perfect along with the piece of fish. I had the Asian pan fried chicken. It is so easy to cook chicken but hard to cook it perfect. They cooked it perfect. Crispy on the outside moist on the inside. The sauce was addicting. Loved this experience. Complements to the chef.
This is a gorgeous restaurant interior. If this place weren't is a Doubletree in an obscure spot it would be packed. Alone at lunch on a Saturday, we had a wonderful meal, sharing four appetizers: firecracker shrimp, crab rangoon, seafood pancakes and lettuce wraps. Each was excellent, reasonably priced, and the portions were huge. There is also a thoughtful wines by the glass list and a nices offering of sakes. If this place were closer to Chicago I would be there all the time.
(5)
Matt D.
After reading the reviews, I was prepared for a hit-or-miss experience, but I left pleasantly surprised. Normally, I would venture off the hotel property, but I was exhausted and didn't feel like battling the negative temperature. The service was smooth, and my bartender was very likable and attentive. My firecracker shrimp appetizer was massive, tasty (albeit a little spicier than I expected), and a great value at $10. Numerous reviews mentioned the salmon specialty dish arriving overcooked, so I anticipated that and asked for it to be cooked medium-rare. While the concept and flavor profile of the dish was nothing special, they cooked it perfectly. Can't fault them there. All-in-all, if you're staying at the Double Tree and don't feel like leaving the property, Karma is a perfectly good place for dinner and drinks. Also, take advantage of the free appetizer and drink coupons in your room!
The bang bang shrimp was amazing. The only reason for the 3 star review was the the fact that half their cocktail menu was unavailable on new years eve. Although disappointed, we left satisfied.
(3)
Mike H.
I had the filet mignon and roasted chicken for my two dinners. Aside from the very good wasabi mashed, both the filet and chicken were below Applebee's/Montana Mike's standards. The filet was cooked as ordered, but it was so tough (for a filet?)there is no chance it was a cut above sirloin. The chicken had a definite cumin/turmeric flavoring that would be good if you liked Indian food, but it wasn't mentioned and dominated the flavor (you can guess that I don't like Indian spices too much). Wife said the salmon was good. But, the service was seriously lacking. I asked for ONE of the 5 TVs in the bar room have the KC/Angels playoff game on, and got it for a couple of innings (there weren't many people there and fewer that watched any games). She zapped the TV while we were watching! Time to go! Other guy wanted another game, and HAD to have it on the only TV we could see. Him sitting at the bar (alone) and moving or turning his head was out of the question. Must have been a good tipper. Lunch: How bad can a chicken club be? Karma will show you, but you'll have to wait tantalizingly long for what wouldn't beat a Wendy's. Per Diem eating is free/affordable, but we were going to tip as though we had to pay. Didn't matter. If the food was good and the service was poor, I'd say it. Both were bad though.
(2)
Tom P.
My wife and I, and two friends, decided to go to Karma for an early dinner on New Year's Eve. This will be a short review, so I'll get right to it... Angela met us as we came in with a big smile and was so nice to us as she got us situated at our table. She ended up being our waitress and did a terrific job all night. The table had plenty of room and the seats were very comfortable. We had some appetizers (the edemame was so good!) and then ordered our dinners. Everyone enjoyed their food very much. I had a spicy shrimp and noodle dish, and it was extremely hot and spicy. Angela warned me up front, but I didn't believe her. I should have. If you like spicy food, this is the dish to get. Overall, the service and food were great. It turned out to be such a nice night for us. My highest recommendations for Karma!
(5)
Susan S.
Karma is wonderful from the moment you walk in to the door. So swank downtown atmosphere in Mundelien. Wonderful drinks delicious foods and moderately priced for the selection that they have.
(5)
Jennifer P.
We were very pleasantly surprised with Karma! First of all, you cannot beat the atmosphere. It was SO relaxing!!!! We left on cloud 9. The sesame crusted salmon was really tasty and the mushroom pot stickers were great. My husband and I went on our anniversary and we were really happy. The waitress was new and didn't really know a lot of answers to our questions, but she was on the ball and asked right away. She was really friendly and we will absolutely go back!!!
(4)
Brittany H.
Service is always great but I ordered the rotisserie chicken with cauliflower and cranberries with lemon aioli sauce and it was very plain and very fried.
(3)
P F.
I feel compelled to write a review after eating here today. In years past we have eaten here every mothers, easter and every other major holiday. However, this year I chose to eat there again rather than cook at our house (which we have done for the last 3 years)..... The food was fine, just fine, and inconsistent (some of our group had hard as a rock rolls, some were fine, some salmon tender others completely over cooked). The desserts excellent, salmon and veggies completely overcooked, tenderloin bloody, turkey and chicken extremely dry, omelet station was PERFECT! buffet overall tolerable though not awesome. service.....I had to ask 2-3 times for everything, water, place setting never brought etc... When we left they charged us more than we were quoted on the phone last month when we made our reservations- $34.95 for adult buffet (quoted $29.95-32.95- he stated they had not set a price yet). There was a sign near the buffet that stated kids 5 and under were free and up to 12 were 12.00. When we received our bill, I questioned this and was told I was wrong, I it was 3 and under and $15 for all other kids... I do not mind paying more, but I do mind being told one thing, seeing a sign and double, triple checking before I said anything thing to our server and then told I am wrong while they remove a huge 3 foot x 2 foot sign off the buffet plate table...SERIOUSLY? Do you think we are blind?! You must be desperate for money that you blatantly false advertise, over charge and lie to your customers? We went there today thinking we were going to rekindle our family tradition.... we left Karma (no pun intended for their future- which looks bleak) remembering why we left in the first place. I also have to say we had never been here in the past where they have not been packed....They were fairly empty, which we ALL know what that means!
(1)
Yvonne Y.
My expectation was low as it's a hotel restaurant. However, the whole deep-fried striped bass which they filet for you and serve the rest of the whole fish was delicious and definitely worth trying. I'd skip the funky dipping sauce that goes with it. Seared ahi tuna was fresh. Wouldn't order the BBQ salmon again as it was a bit overcooked. Great ambiance for adults so you don't want to bring any noisy kids there. Reasonable price.
I didn't like the food. Seems they are heating up frozen food. The bar is not good either. Be careful and check your receipt. I was charged for a suggested drink which I didn't liked at the bar. Staff are nice but food is expensive an unworthy.
(2)
Jacob J.
Great decor, neat atmosphere and it seems too classy for the area. It seems, I say again. As others have also stated, a hotel restaurant which has an atmosphere not like most hotel restaurants found in these parts. "The sticks". Only, maybe, in the city. The other plus are the heavy pours on their drinks. Booze drinks of course. They have a few winners on their drink menu. By the way with what I just said, this would be a good place to bring a date if all you wanted to do was get intoxicated with each others presence, cozy and make out. Ha! Though the clientele and vibe is all over the place. The hotel brings young families, so often kids get caught playing with the water and then there are older couples, so despite the surroundings, it's hard to feel some kind of vibe here. Imagine if you were to have a date at a water park. Ha! Aside from that. Not too much to be desired. They fail at serving and waiting on customers. I've only been twice. Once hosting a happy hour and the other time, drinks with a gal pal. Both times service stunk. Getting the bartender or a waitress to come back is a big feat! Don't they want higher tips? I can't say that any of the appetizers we sampled were memorable and their menu prices are over priced, it's been this way for a few years now. There is something here, they need to find someone to help them perfect it. Until then, those not willing to travel to the city for better service and food can try to enjoy and those looking for a different kind of place to host a wedding, may enjoy it too. While this would be a good spot for happy hours, it's so out of the way. They need to do more advertising to local companies to bring business in here. Forget about trying to stop in and find singles or night owls. Hardly any of that.
(3)
Newcomel E.
Not great. The ambiance is very nice but food is lacking. The appetizer we ordered was very delayed in arriving. We both ordered the specials and had mixed reviews about them. Seems like the "spice mix" they use on multiple entrees is too overpowering and ruins the dish. Drinks are good but too expensive, you are paying hotel rates. 10 for the ambiance, 6 for the food.
(2)
Matt V.
Had the seared ahi. It was fantastic! The service was great as was the ambiance. Will definitely be going back.
(5)
Brice S.
Yeah what can i say, just ok. I stay at the Double Tree when in town and its nice that there is a place to go that is connected to the hotel. I really prefer the bar food over the restaurant. I had the Flank steak last night and it was missing some seasoning. Also under cooked for me. If you want my opinion eat at the bar and skip the restaurant.
(3)
Tim P.
My wife and 2 adult children dined at Karma last night. It was around 8:30 on a Friday night, and we were the only diners in the restaurant. Our experience was great. The room was elegant and tranquil, from the glass bamboo sculptures at the front of the room, to the central reflecting pool, to the water wall at the back. Our server, Gilberto, was friendly, helpful with menu selections, and accommodating throughout our meal. Appetizers (lettuce wraps, Karma cobb salad, lobster bisque) were delicious, and in good-sized portions. The drink menu was extensive and, while pricey, the drinks were great-tasting, and with reasonable-sized pours. Main courses ran from surf and turf (filet, scallops and shrimp) to the spicy meatloaf (much more flavorful and exotic than it sounds), and were all excellent across the board. Karma is a hidden gem in Mundelein, and deserves to be much busier than it was on the evening of our visit. We will definitely return soon.
(4)
CK A.
Pretty mediocre all around especially considering I was told there was a new chef. Two waitstaff confided that it's a slow as molasses most nights and I can see why - the food quality was really pedestrian. I get it: "trying to be uber cool" with the waterfall, except the plastic grass was pretty ridiculous and the service times were comical. Only one waiter/manager(?) the whole evening and our food was very very average (being kind). Couldn't answer ANY wine questions and all I wanted was a reasonable red. Couldn't open the bottle, had to get the bartender. No check on our meals. Rice was cold. No offer of dessert, just a presentation of the bill. Seriously, I can pay this much for FAR better service at any average restaurant.
(1)
Ronald B.
Great food and atmosphere in this rare outpost of fine dining in Mundelein. The cuisine is creative and well prepared. I've never been here either for lunch or dinner when the place was at capacity. It's primary problem is service, basically they don't seem to have a clue. As if warning that special attention was being paid to improving service, the manager came to our table to greet us and to assure us of their interest. Nevertheless the wait staff lost our order of appetizers and came late with the entrees. Once again the manager appeared to apologize and comped us with dessert, almost as if he had expected this to happen.
Karma definitely has mediocre karma and success, it's comparable to a semi-dormant bees nest. I give this place 5 stars for decor, pomp and show... The place is beautiful. Ordered a salad which was "earthy" at best and composed of bagged salad with a couple additions and a mediocre dressing. Main course of noodles in curry was comparable to a trader joes 2.99 heat and eat type of deal. The service was cold and mediocre, not memorable whatsoever. Decor is 5 stars, great place to snap some pics but the food really is nothing special. This place definitely cuts corners, they don't seem to be doing too well. Go here if you want to impress someone from out of town who has never been to the city, they will feel like Alice in Wonderland. If you have previously had a 5 star dining experience you will likely give this place 2 stars. The waiter compared to Denny's , not inspired or engaged by his job. I would go to this place to impress and entertain someone visiting from out of town. The food is really bad, I had Udon noodles and curry with veggies. The udon noodles were straight out of a plastic bag, curry was nasty and most of the veggies were previously frozen and this all came at mid chi town prices. Again. The place is really pretty, it's just got awful sub par food and generic service.
(2)
Jon U.
Restaurant is in a hotel, when you walk in the bar is to the left and the dining area to the right. Very open restaurant space. Ordered hoison ribs and pot sitickers for appetizers, they both were excellant. We ordered the seared tuna, hamburger and hot spicey noodles. All were excellant, service was a little slow, but still a delightful experience. I will be back.
(5)
Dave Y.
Although I don't go here more than once a year, I'm glad to have this semi-trendy spot near to home. The occasional brunches such as on Easter or Mothers day are awesome. The various salmon dishes are very good, but they do need some work on their beef.
(4)
Boones K.
The atmosphere in the restaurant would have been better had it not been for the constant streaming of Enya type music. Not sure if you should have dinner or get a massage. Unfortunately, the food was just as uninspiring. The calamari was overcooked, and the wok seared tuna was bland. The Thia chili beef was more noodle than beef and it was way too much sauce. The seared scallops and shrimp were cooked nicely but way too expensive for what you got. Perhaps that's why it is not listed on the menu and presented as a special. It was also apparent from tasting the other dishes that sweet chili sauce, similar to what you buy at the grocery store, seems to be a base for most of their sauces. There was nothing unique about the food or flavors. You would be better off grabbing Chinese food from a local favorite spot for 1/3 of the price.
(1)
Todd M.
Good Food, well presented, and with good service. For a hotel restaurant/bar in the middle of suburban stripmall Hell... I couldn't ask for ore than that .. so Yay! I'm a fan.
(4)
Paul C.
Had the macadamia blue cheese filet Very tasty. Wife had tuna salad gave it a thumbs up mushroom potstickers were a highlight. We came here because we had a gift certificate but we would come back. I would leave the kids at home
(4)
Gerry A.
Ok, we're talking Mundelein here so this could be 1 star in Chicago. WATCH OUT for THEIR tip calculation on any group bill, their "system" will calculate a tip on any added "mistake entres" BEFORE it takes them off later under a "goodwill" title. We originally thought it was calculating AFTER tax, but neither the server, chef or manager could figure it out. All we knew was that it was Wrong, but got weary of the principled point over a couple $3. Maybe they would be more interested if it was coming out of THEIR pocket. MORE to watch for, if you have a restaurant.com certificate? WATCH OUT they don't charge you a higher "fixed" tip percent like 19% instead of the 18% on our certificate. We would normally tip 20% pretax on superior service but just automatically dislike the fixed calculations, worse yet managing to jack them up surreptitiously spells last visit for me. So, you have to really WATCH their bill but the food is probably 5 star for Mundelein. Small but interesting menu of Asian fusion and some standards like Duck, BarBQ Salmon, Rib Eye, requisite Mahi. Good attempt at heat over salt, still pretty salty. Interesting hip industrial deco in the restaurant with an odd slam of Elbert Hubbard Roycroft Mission Oak ie NEW Stickley Brothers in the hotel. Freaky & Heavy, that could be Karma but it wasn't yin-yang for us. NO sound absorption in the restaurant so -LOUD- and there's nobody there, which gets oddly tiresome- from your own loud echoes and the muzak? Fairly priced small wine selection and some reasonable flight samplers. I say go for it once if you wind up in Mundelein, but check the bill, twice.
(2)
Mat M.
I had the pleasure of eating at Karma on Thursday with some colleagues. It was very tasty! I had the Tempura Chicken and it was incredible. It is not your standard hotel restaurant by far. They have an awesome bar area; and I would love to drink there. This was my first trip to Mundelein and I'd go back for the dining experience.
(4)
ALFREDO M.
We were only here for a few drinks before we moseyed on down to the Gale Street Inn. I'm not sure how I did it, but I dropped $30+ on 2 Kirins and a rather crappy coctail. It's Mundelein, people... drinks should not cost that much in Mundelein.
(2)
Lixin C.
Food good Environment is great. A little pricy. Excellent dessert like the coconut flan
(4)
Marissa B.
The decor and atmosphere is about the only thing this restaurant has going on. We went for NYE this year and it was just not good. My husband and I shared something (I can't remember) but it is seriously worse than a lot of the Chinese dives in the area. I would really recommend you save your pennies and go elsewhere.
Karma is a...well...restaurant according to their sign. Clearly my karma was doomed tonight. Needing to have an early dinner before an evening phone call I decided this hotel restaurant was my best choice before going up to my room. Their online menu looked good and the pictures in the hotel elevator were impressive. Unfortunately, the reality was quite different. Upon arriving at the hostess station I was greeted by no one. I waited. I looked at the menu. I answered some email messages on my phone. I looked up directions to another restaurant. After several minutes of seeing neither a hostess nor a waitperson, I decided eating in the bar at Karma would probably be a more efficient choice. I went to the bar section of the restaurant. The bartender was working on the touch screen payment system. Again I waited. And I waited. I sat down. I waited some more. Alas! He turned around and finally noticed me. By this point I had been looking at the clock, and over six minutes had passed before anyone had even acknowledged my existence. Happy to find out I had not become a ghost, I asked if I could order from the restaurant menu at the bar, and he confirmed I could do just that. Excellent. I moved to a different bar stool and he gave me the bar menu. No, I wanted the restaurant menu. So he went back over to the restaurant to get a copy of their menu. Finally, I can at least order something. I opted for some tempura and an order of noodles. I had to resort to pointing at things on the menu, because he didn't seem to understand what I was ordering. I spoke slower and pointed again. And after this rough start, I asked for a glass of sauvignon blanc as well. Confident things would get better; I was surprised to find him approaching me with a glass of red wine. It was cabernet sauvignon. No. I ordered the sauvignon blanc. I again pointed at the menu. This time he brought the bottle to be sure he was getting it right. Yes! Finally. Pour quickly please, before I walk out of this place. I should have just left. The tempura wasn't terrible, but it was clearly whatever vegetables could be found at the local corner store, cut into pieces so large it took 5 or 6 bites to consume most of them. It was not a regular tempura style batter. It was clearly a generic onion ring batter. One branch of broccoli was so massive I did not even want to attempt to consume it. The noodle dish I ordered could have been good if it wasn't for the uninspired sauce, bland seasoning and overcooked noodles. Aside from that, it was edible. Now that the bartender could identify the sauvignon blanc on the menu, I had another glass just to keep the evening from being a total waste. For the price, I could have eaten at an Asian fast food restaurant 4 times and the food would have been better. The only highlight of the evening was watching the bartender struggle with every single customer regarding his or her order. With only six beers on tap, he didn't know which one was the IPA. I helped by telling the frustrated customer to just point at what he wanted.
(1)
Kim P.
Great atmosphere and staff. Food was good and our server did an excellent job of describing the entrees for us. I will be back.
(4)
D G.
One of my favorite restaurants. We've been here over a dozen times for breakfast, lunch or dinner and have always LOVED it!
(5)
Gina G.
Been there a few times with friends who are big fans. It's located in a hotel in a strange location. The atmosphere is GREAT. I feel really relaxed and tranquil and genuinely enjoy my time there. The food is just not good. I've had a few different things and it just doesn't work. Steak items are fatty and not prepared well and anything that has sauce has way too much of it. Flavor combinations have potential, but it's just too expensive for a bad cut of meat every time.
(2)
Liezl P.
As per other reviews, the atmosphere at Karma is definitely not expected from a hotel restaurant. Its pretty nice and trendy in there! The food and service however were maybe just a hair above average. Our waiter was very nice, but service was very slow!! I had the special- wok seared prawns and scallops on forbidden rice with an asian sauce. The sauce was a little too sweet for my liking, or maybe there was to much of it. My husband got the honey tamari chicken satay and he really enjoyed it, especially the citrus and cilantro rice. I had the asian mojito- very weak, but the hakutsuro dai qing saki definitely made up for it. I would give this restaurant more stars if the prices were a little lower- i mean come on...we're in mundelein inside a double tree hotel! They do also have a cute lounge/bar area. I'd come here with my suburban friends if we dont want to travel all the way to the city for a drink. Dont expect to people watch here, nothing too exciting. Make sure to purchase a discounted gift certificate at restaurant.com ! Sent from my iPhone
(3)
Dani M.
So I went here with a groupon that was expiring, if it wasn't for the groupon I don't think I would have gone here. The restaurant looks very nice. Very nice decoration and feel to the place. Now only if the food was as good. So this is what we ordered: Black Salt & Szechwan Pepper Calamari- eh.. just ok, nothing special. the calamari pieces were tiny, tasted too much like batter Spicy Chicken Sichuan Noodles- looked amazing, way too salty, the chicken was basically all fat, not that good. I picked out the noodles and ate those and left all the chicken (i usually eat all the meat!) Shanghai Glazed Ribeye- way too salty, mashed potatoes tasted like butter-which was good, and the steak was just ok The bill came out to around $50 and we had a $30 off groupon. The waitress was nice enough and service was okay but the main thing I look for when I go to restaurants is delicious food... and sadly this place did not have it. Way too overpriced for the quality of the food. I would have given 1 star but I added one more because the place was so aesthetically pleasing.
(2)
Mike L.
Peaceful and interesting decor. Waterfall is cool and the food is asian/french fusion. High quality stuff with great portions. Is not a cheap place but if you look you can find a coupon to save a bit. Their whole sea bass is amazing. Their forbidden rice is rich and awesome. Nice bar and good drinks. Great date and first time restaurant. Has a smaller menu but for a reason. Worth a shot if you like asian food.
(4)
A S.
Went here with party of 8 for NYE dinner before heading home. The restaurant has great is decor and feels like your downtown or NYC. The service was excellent, very nice and fast, but the food was NOT good for the price we paid...too much for the quality of food. The noodles were too salty and saucy, the chicken satay was extremely dry, and the mahi mahi was also dry and untasty.....not planning on going back.
(2)
Jennifer R.
I bought a restaurant.com gift certificate and decided to try this place for our 2yr anniversary. After I bought the gift certificate I saw the reviews and it was either love it or hate it... so I decided to give it a shot (skeptical but why not). Well we were not disappointed. We went on Memorial Day (the day of our anniversary) so it was not crowded. The place was quiet, with soft music. The water feature in the middle of the restaurant is serene, very relaxing and beautiful. I love the decor, simple yet striking! Our server was fantastic! Funny, happy, and polite, he was really on top of taking care of us! We didn't feel rushed, the food came out at the perfect time, nothing seemed to take too long or come out too quick. Yes the restaurant was not crowded but I've experienced restaurants before during a slow period and people can get lazy, this place was great! My one complaint, and this may be a bit picky but when the busser came by to remove the extra place settings at our table he kind of just dumped the silverware on his tray with a loud clash. Otherwise both busser and waiter were great! They served Edamame while we perused the menu. We ordered a bottle of sauvignon blanc which was absolutely tasty with our spicy dishes and chicken spring rolls. Then to top off our night we were served a fabulous chocolate cheese cake on the house for our anniversary. We will most definitely be back for future special occasions!
(5)
Rick H.
Really loved the salmon. The best dish they have. Nice ambiance for water lovers.
(4)
Kaye V.
A nice surprise for a suburban hotel restaurant. The decor at Karma is top-notch Asian contemporary. We had a great reception at the door, attentive staff to clear our table and a waiter who was enthusiastic but not over the top. The shitake mushroom potstickers were excellent as an appetizer. Served with a few tempura green beans and a red pepper sauce with a touch of orange flavor, they were both creative and tasty. Our dessert was unique - a twist on the Doubletree hotel cookie turned into a muffin-shaped bread pudding with a side of coconut ice cream. It was inventive and not too heavy. However, our entrees were not as exciting. The Red Curry Mahi-Mahi was adequate and sauce was excellent, but the side of wok tossed vegetables was bland, as well as the black (and sticky) forbidden rice. The Charred Beef with Fried Basil was not acceptable. I tasted not even a hint of basil, the beef was served overcooked at medium well (although we were told it would be medium rare), and the spicy onion strings were stale. The chive potato cakes, on the other hand, were quite nice. This is a restaurant that we'll certainly try again, in hopes that we can find the entrees that complement the excellent ambiance, good service and creative appetizers and desserts offered.
(4)
David C.
So hip it hurts...the restaurant with its water feature seems out of place in this (admittedly high-standard Crowne Plaza) motel in the middle of the burbs. I confess to being a captive audience as I stayed there on business as it was close to my office and didn't really know my way around. Food was teetering on pretentious at times but often the eating experience was a little lacklustre. Put it this way. I've eaten better Asian Fusion and paid a lot less for the privilege.
(2)
Warren R.
1. Terrible service 2. Terrible service 3. Nice trendy atmosphere 4. food... fair to good 5. Very pricey terrible service Waited a half hour after they brought me and my wife water. One waiter who also greeted soon to be sorry customers and a server who could not speak English, people waiting to pay so theycould get the hell out this poor service nightmare!
(1)
Jason B.
Not sure what is up with the new menu? This was a 5 star restaurant enforce the menu change.
(2)
mari l.
Great decor and and good service. But the food... It seemed fresh (which is important) and carefully prepared, but neither my appetizer nor my main dish (whole sea bass) had much flavor. The sea bass on its own was fine, but the sauce was just (too) sweet, and that's all. Did not add to the taste of the vegetables and the rice. Considering how much you pay for the food, I was disappointed. I guess, if I would have paid less, I'd be okay with it. (Though I still would not have ordered the appetizer -- some kind of lobster-shrimp roll).
(2)
Sergio V.
Super swanky modern atmosphere, great asian/french fusion food, superb dish presentation, but way overpriced. Feels like your in the city, but also priced like your in the city. Can't say the food isn't worth it, but would go back much more often than once a year if it were more reasonably priced. Sweet bar too, but always dead. Probably because the bar staff is among the rudest I have ever encountered.
(4)
thomas d.
Mother's Day brunch at 1:00 pm...SUCKED! lets see where to begin for my slaying of this sh!tty place... okay the good. Our waitress, Lori I believe, was the high point. She really was on the ball for taking our order, refilling water, coffee & drinks, removing plates and overall a good person. Her supporting staff, i.e. busboys, bartender & brunch cutters & omelet maker are F**KING for sh!t! busboys didn't bus, lori did. the bartender was this queen that reminded me of seth rogen. just not funny at all. the bartender should be fired because he doesn't know how to make a freaking bloody mary to save his life! the hostess sat our party of 10 in the back corner that was the in/out door for the kitchen. that really sucked. oh the cutter for the very dry & horrible cooked roast beef didn't even try to understand english. no matter how many times I tried to tell him I wanted a thin slice from the center for the most rear! if your employees don't understand basic english keep them out of serving the public. Management was poor at best for this call. there is no freaking raw horseradish for the roast beef. only cream. thank god again for Lori, she found the raw horseradish for me. had to go directly to the "chef". judging on how the overall meal, presentation and cutters performed i think the chef failed out of culinary school. half of the buffet items were freaking cold! seriously, what the sh!t man! so for future reference, stay away find somewhere else and don't bother. this place needs to go out of business. but I only want the best for Lori. She busted her @$$ off for our party while having 2 other tables of 6+!
(1)
Heath S.
Loved it. Great service, loved the ahi with the black rice. Will definitely go back.
(5)
Peter W.
Probably the trendiest restaurant that I know in Mundelein... on par with downtown Chicago. The food is good. The steak was great. The other items were fine, but didn't have quite the punch that you might have expected.
(4)
Vicki K.
Pleasantly surprised! Tried this restaurant because I had a Restaurant.com certificate. When we drove up and I saw that it was a "hotel restaurant", I was not expecting much, but to my delight, it was wonderful! We took the waiter's suggestions and were not disappointed. I had the BBQ Salmon served with forbidden rice and sauteed bokchoy and shitakes with crispy sweet potatoe shoestrings and it was fabulous. I was apprehensive because I am probably the most pickiest person when it comes to salmon, and this was great! The sides were almost more delicious than the salmon. My husband had the macadamia crusted filet and it was cooked to perfection and wonderful. Take a chance on this hotel restaurant and you won't be disappointed!
(4)
Nicole S.
This is not nicole but her husband writing this. We went to Karma for Dinner and drinks before we went to zanies, and loved the place. Easy to find, very trendy and nice. Drinks are moderately priced for the quality, food was outstanding. We had four of us and everyone loved their food. I had the Ribeye with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables and my wife had I think the sesame crusted tuna with the black forest rice I think it was. This rice was so delectable I could have eaten an entire bowl of it for dinner. The ribeye was done perfect, and the vegtables were amazing as well. What I didn't like about Karma was the service. I wanted to wait to order wine before the meal came, which is what I told my server, she stopped by to take the order and drop off the check, THATS ALL SHE DID. I had to flag down the manager to get my glass of wine. It wasn't even busy. Other than the service we all loved this place and we will be back. Will have to make sure we get a different server.
(4)
joanne y.
the environment was nice but the food was definitely not worth the price. would never go back...ever.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Stephanie M.
The food is delicious. The breakfast/lunch staff is all wonderful. They're attentive & promptly get you everything you request. Today I tried their chicken Cesar salad which was rich in flavor and tasted very fresh with Parmesan & red bell pepper. As my main dish I had their famous southwest? burger which was flavorful and spicy served with a tostada in the middle to give it crunch. Served with a side of thick delicious fries. The ambience is calm & serene and the restaurant is VERY clean. Five stars.
(5)Angela D.
This place is wonderful. Friendly, attentive service even though there were large events going on in a couple of the conference rooms. The dining room is beautiful and refined, and much nicer than your average Doubletree. My husband had the SAMBAL LOAF, which is a sort of meatloaf with interesting Asian spices - very similar to the Vietnamese meatballs you get with Pho. After a long debate between three different choices, I got the sliced tenderloin on a bed of lobster whipped mashed potatoes alongside seared scallops & sugar snap peas. It's easy to overcook scallops, but these were perfectly prepared. The yin-yang cheesecake was delicious, also. Good portions and a good value for the quality of ingredients and preparation. We will be going back!
(5)Ed E.
The service is good, nice atmosphere, but the food is average. I doubt they would still be open if not in the Doubletree.
(3)Chris P.
So not your average hotel restaurant. Menu was creative and promising. Food was excellent. Quality was high. This is a true 4 star food experience. Waitress was very knowledgeable on menu and wines. My colleague and I had the seared tuna that was fresh with just the right amount of spice. Dinner for my colleague was mahi-mahi over couscous. Spices and seasoning were perfect along with the piece of fish. I had the Asian pan fried chicken. It is so easy to cook chicken but hard to cook it perfect. They cooked it perfect. Crispy on the outside moist on the inside. The sauce was addicting. Loved this experience. Complements to the chef.
(4)Stephen M.
A hidden oasis. We've eaten before at Karma and always enjoyed it. It's take on Asian food is masterful. I was surprised to arrive on a Saturday evening to find the dining room not filled to capacity. It must be the location. The food is destination-worthy. We had been gone for too long, but the waiter recognized us and was friendly in his greeting. Once seated, I debated between a mixed drink and wine. I chose a glass of wine. I watched some martinis float by and was impressed. It seems like many restaurants are being conservative in their pours--not here. My glass of wine was just a generous as the martinis--a Sauvignon Blanc that was a tasty sophisticated value. The entrees fell into the same groove--creative and enjoyable, generous, but not gigantic. The snapper entrée I had was a soup soba noodle presentation with a hot/sour broth. A wonderful mix of mushrooms and Asian vegetables with meaty snapper. My partner had the surf and turf--again, creative--scallops, shrimp and slices of tender beef. Gasp! The shrimp are complete with head (and shoulder). This, for us, results in me being chivalrous and performing the operation of beheading. My partner, always appreciative, still made a note that she would enjoy scallops, no shrimp. The plating for each entrée is another great touch for the meals. I cannot think of a more aptly named restaurant. Karma! The room has a center pool of water with soft ripples of water relaxing you as you savor. An oasis! Think of going even when you are not in the area.
(4)Steve A.
This is a gorgeous restaurant interior. If this place weren't is a Doubletree in an obscure spot it would be packed. Alone at lunch on a Saturday, we had a wonderful meal, sharing four appetizers: firecracker shrimp, crab rangoon, seafood pancakes and lettuce wraps. Each was excellent, reasonably priced, and the portions were huge. There is also a thoughtful wines by the glass list and a nices offering of sakes. If this place were closer to Chicago I would be there all the time.
(5)Matt D.
After reading the reviews, I was prepared for a hit-or-miss experience, but I left pleasantly surprised. Normally, I would venture off the hotel property, but I was exhausted and didn't feel like battling the negative temperature. The service was smooth, and my bartender was very likable and attentive. My firecracker shrimp appetizer was massive, tasty (albeit a little spicier than I expected), and a great value at $10. Numerous reviews mentioned the salmon specialty dish arriving overcooked, so I anticipated that and asked for it to be cooked medium-rare. While the concept and flavor profile of the dish was nothing special, they cooked it perfectly. Can't fault them there. All-in-all, if you're staying at the Double Tree and don't feel like leaving the property, Karma is a perfectly good place for dinner and drinks. Also, take advantage of the free appetizer and drink coupons in your room!
(4)Mike A.
Overpriced, poor service and limited menu. We spent over $100 dining here and outside of the wasabi infused mashed potatoes, not sure what qualifies this establishment as an "Asian fusion" restaurant. Sadly its just another mediocre hotel spot, but the décor is very welcoming and what draws first time patrons in. Funniest part was when I ordered a Sapporo and it was brought along with a Bud Light glass. I mean what restaurant does this, not even considering that is purports to be a mid to high end? Logo glasses stay in the bar, not in the dining room.
(2)Scott S.
The bang bang shrimp was amazing. The only reason for the 3 star review was the the fact that half their cocktail menu was unavailable on new years eve. Although disappointed, we left satisfied.
(3)Mike H.
I had the filet mignon and roasted chicken for my two dinners. Aside from the very good wasabi mashed, both the filet and chicken were below Applebee's/Montana Mike's standards. The filet was cooked as ordered, but it was so tough (for a filet?)there is no chance it was a cut above sirloin. The chicken had a definite cumin/turmeric flavoring that would be good if you liked Indian food, but it wasn't mentioned and dominated the flavor (you can guess that I don't like Indian spices too much). Wife said the salmon was good. But, the service was seriously lacking. I asked for ONE of the 5 TVs in the bar room have the KC/Angels playoff game on, and got it for a couple of innings (there weren't many people there and fewer that watched any games). She zapped the TV while we were watching! Time to go! Other guy wanted another game, and HAD to have it on the only TV we could see. Him sitting at the bar (alone) and moving or turning his head was out of the question. Must have been a good tipper. Lunch: How bad can a chicken club be? Karma will show you, but you'll have to wait tantalizingly long for what wouldn't beat a Wendy's. Per Diem eating is free/affordable, but we were going to tip as though we had to pay. Didn't matter. If the food was good and the service was poor, I'd say it. Both were bad though.
(2)Tom P.
My wife and I, and two friends, decided to go to Karma for an early dinner on New Year's Eve. This will be a short review, so I'll get right to it... Angela met us as we came in with a big smile and was so nice to us as she got us situated at our table. She ended up being our waitress and did a terrific job all night. The table had plenty of room and the seats were very comfortable. We had some appetizers (the edemame was so good!) and then ordered our dinners. Everyone enjoyed their food very much. I had a spicy shrimp and noodle dish, and it was extremely hot and spicy. Angela warned me up front, but I didn't believe her. I should have. If you like spicy food, this is the dish to get. Overall, the service and food were great. It turned out to be such a nice night for us. My highest recommendations for Karma!
(5)Susan S.
Karma is wonderful from the moment you walk in to the door. So swank downtown atmosphere in Mundelien. Wonderful drinks delicious foods and moderately priced for the selection that they have.
(5)Jennifer P.
We were very pleasantly surprised with Karma! First of all, you cannot beat the atmosphere. It was SO relaxing!!!! We left on cloud 9. The sesame crusted salmon was really tasty and the mushroom pot stickers were great. My husband and I went on our anniversary and we were really happy. The waitress was new and didn't really know a lot of answers to our questions, but she was on the ball and asked right away. She was really friendly and we will absolutely go back!!!
(4)Brittany H.
Service is always great but I ordered the rotisserie chicken with cauliflower and cranberries with lemon aioli sauce and it was very plain and very fried.
(3)P F.
I feel compelled to write a review after eating here today. In years past we have eaten here every mothers, easter and every other major holiday. However, this year I chose to eat there again rather than cook at our house (which we have done for the last 3 years)..... The food was fine, just fine, and inconsistent (some of our group had hard as a rock rolls, some were fine, some salmon tender others completely over cooked). The desserts excellent, salmon and veggies completely overcooked, tenderloin bloody, turkey and chicken extremely dry, omelet station was PERFECT! buffet overall tolerable though not awesome. service.....I had to ask 2-3 times for everything, water, place setting never brought etc... When we left they charged us more than we were quoted on the phone last month when we made our reservations- $34.95 for adult buffet (quoted $29.95-32.95- he stated they had not set a price yet). There was a sign near the buffet that stated kids 5 and under were free and up to 12 were 12.00. When we received our bill, I questioned this and was told I was wrong, I it was 3 and under and $15 for all other kids... I do not mind paying more, but I do mind being told one thing, seeing a sign and double, triple checking before I said anything thing to our server and then told I am wrong while they remove a huge 3 foot x 2 foot sign off the buffet plate table...SERIOUSLY? Do you think we are blind?! You must be desperate for money that you blatantly false advertise, over charge and lie to your customers? We went there today thinking we were going to rekindle our family tradition.... we left Karma (no pun intended for their future- which looks bleak) remembering why we left in the first place. I also have to say we had never been here in the past where they have not been packed....They were fairly empty, which we ALL know what that means!
(1)Yvonne Y.
My expectation was low as it's a hotel restaurant. However, the whole deep-fried striped bass which they filet for you and serve the rest of the whole fish was delicious and definitely worth trying. I'd skip the funky dipping sauce that goes with it. Seared ahi tuna was fresh. Wouldn't order the BBQ salmon again as it was a bit overcooked. Great ambiance for adults so you don't want to bring any noisy kids there. Reasonable price.
(3)Julie A.
I have gone to this restaurant and bar area multiple times. Every time, the service staff greets me with a smile and some of them remember me & what I ordered last time. The food is fantastic! The ahi tuna appetizer is the best in the area. Every entrée I have ordered as been perfect - the salamon is cooked perfect, a simple chicken sandwich is moist and the chicken was also cooked perfect - right then so it was fresh and hot, the steaks are great and the manager Jerry really steps in and helps his staff be successful - he has been behind the bar helping and out on the floor checking on his staff's tables. He also remembers your name. Very friendly but upscale restaurant in a great area.
(5)Michael B.
I didn't like the food. Seems they are heating up frozen food. The bar is not good either. Be careful and check your receipt. I was charged for a suggested drink which I didn't liked at the bar. Staff are nice but food is expensive an unworthy.
(2)Jacob J.
Great decor, neat atmosphere and it seems too classy for the area. It seems, I say again. As others have also stated, a hotel restaurant which has an atmosphere not like most hotel restaurants found in these parts. "The sticks". Only, maybe, in the city. The other plus are the heavy pours on their drinks. Booze drinks of course. They have a few winners on their drink menu. By the way with what I just said, this would be a good place to bring a date if all you wanted to do was get intoxicated with each others presence, cozy and make out. Ha! Though the clientele and vibe is all over the place. The hotel brings young families, so often kids get caught playing with the water and then there are older couples, so despite the surroundings, it's hard to feel some kind of vibe here. Imagine if you were to have a date at a water park. Ha! Aside from that. Not too much to be desired. They fail at serving and waiting on customers. I've only been twice. Once hosting a happy hour and the other time, drinks with a gal pal. Both times service stunk. Getting the bartender or a waitress to come back is a big feat! Don't they want higher tips? I can't say that any of the appetizers we sampled were memorable and their menu prices are over priced, it's been this way for a few years now. There is something here, they need to find someone to help them perfect it. Until then, those not willing to travel to the city for better service and food can try to enjoy and those looking for a different kind of place to host a wedding, may enjoy it too. While this would be a good spot for happy hours, it's so out of the way. They need to do more advertising to local companies to bring business in here. Forget about trying to stop in and find singles or night owls. Hardly any of that.
(3)Newcomel E.
Not great. The ambiance is very nice but food is lacking. The appetizer we ordered was very delayed in arriving. We both ordered the specials and had mixed reviews about them. Seems like the "spice mix" they use on multiple entrees is too overpowering and ruins the dish. Drinks are good but too expensive, you are paying hotel rates. 10 for the ambiance, 6 for the food.
(2)Matt V.
Had the seared ahi. It was fantastic! The service was great as was the ambiance. Will definitely be going back.
(5)Brice S.
Yeah what can i say, just ok. I stay at the Double Tree when in town and its nice that there is a place to go that is connected to the hotel. I really prefer the bar food over the restaurant. I had the Flank steak last night and it was missing some seasoning. Also under cooked for me. If you want my opinion eat at the bar and skip the restaurant.
(3)Tim P.
My wife and 2 adult children dined at Karma last night. It was around 8:30 on a Friday night, and we were the only diners in the restaurant. Our experience was great. The room was elegant and tranquil, from the glass bamboo sculptures at the front of the room, to the central reflecting pool, to the water wall at the back. Our server, Gilberto, was friendly, helpful with menu selections, and accommodating throughout our meal. Appetizers (lettuce wraps, Karma cobb salad, lobster bisque) were delicious, and in good-sized portions. The drink menu was extensive and, while pricey, the drinks were great-tasting, and with reasonable-sized pours. Main courses ran from surf and turf (filet, scallops and shrimp) to the spicy meatloaf (much more flavorful and exotic than it sounds), and were all excellent across the board. Karma is a hidden gem in Mundelein, and deserves to be much busier than it was on the evening of our visit. We will definitely return soon.
(4)CK A.
Pretty mediocre all around especially considering I was told there was a new chef. Two waitstaff confided that it's a slow as molasses most nights and I can see why - the food quality was really pedestrian. I get it: "trying to be uber cool" with the waterfall, except the plastic grass was pretty ridiculous and the service times were comical. Only one waiter/manager(?) the whole evening and our food was very very average (being kind). Couldn't answer ANY wine questions and all I wanted was a reasonable red. Couldn't open the bottle, had to get the bartender. No check on our meals. Rice was cold. No offer of dessert, just a presentation of the bill. Seriously, I can pay this much for FAR better service at any average restaurant.
(1)Ronald B.
Great food and atmosphere in this rare outpost of fine dining in Mundelein. The cuisine is creative and well prepared. I've never been here either for lunch or dinner when the place was at capacity. It's primary problem is service, basically they don't seem to have a clue. As if warning that special attention was being paid to improving service, the manager came to our table to greet us and to assure us of their interest. Nevertheless the wait staff lost our order of appetizers and came late with the entrees. Once again the manager appeared to apologize and comped us with dessert, almost as if he had expected this to happen.
(4)Jennifer L.
I came here on the weekend before Valentine's Day with a coupon for $40 off. And thank goodness for that because the food was not worth it. Like other reviews, the decor and ambiance was breathtaking, but the food failed to live up to our expectations. The salmon I had was cooked well, but bland. I did not really taste the BBQ sauce that was on it. Also, the black rice was very strange tasting and bland. My boyfriend got a spicy noodle dish which he did not enjoy either. Also, we had to wait over an hour from our appetizers (miso soup) to our entrees because a big party's order went in before ours. At least our server apologized and notified us of this. Also we were seated right up front near the door which had a draft come in when people came and left and we were near the hostesses which was not fun. The tables were kind of on top of each other because a lot of the restaurant's space is filled with a pool filled with what looks to be rice paddies. The best part was the ginger creme brûlée, but overall, not worth it. Great decor, good service, but not worth the price. We do not plan on coming back.
(2)Vishal B.
Karma definitely has mediocre karma and success, it's comparable to a semi-dormant bees nest. I give this place 5 stars for decor, pomp and show... The place is beautiful. Ordered a salad which was "earthy" at best and composed of bagged salad with a couple additions and a mediocre dressing. Main course of noodles in curry was comparable to a trader joes 2.99 heat and eat type of deal. The service was cold and mediocre, not memorable whatsoever. Decor is 5 stars, great place to snap some pics but the food really is nothing special. This place definitely cuts corners, they don't seem to be doing too well. Go here if you want to impress someone from out of town who has never been to the city, they will feel like Alice in Wonderland. If you have previously had a 5 star dining experience you will likely give this place 2 stars. The waiter compared to Denny's , not inspired or engaged by his job. I would go to this place to impress and entertain someone visiting from out of town. The food is really bad, I had Udon noodles and curry with veggies. The udon noodles were straight out of a plastic bag, curry was nasty and most of the veggies were previously frozen and this all came at mid chi town prices. Again. The place is really pretty, it's just got awful sub par food and generic service.
(2)Jon U.
Restaurant is in a hotel, when you walk in the bar is to the left and the dining area to the right. Very open restaurant space. Ordered hoison ribs and pot sitickers for appetizers, they both were excellant. We ordered the seared tuna, hamburger and hot spicey noodles. All were excellant, service was a little slow, but still a delightful experience. I will be back.
(5)Dave Y.
Although I don't go here more than once a year, I'm glad to have this semi-trendy spot near to home. The occasional brunches such as on Easter or Mothers day are awesome. The various salmon dishes are very good, but they do need some work on their beef.
(4)Boones K.
The atmosphere in the restaurant would have been better had it not been for the constant streaming of Enya type music. Not sure if you should have dinner or get a massage. Unfortunately, the food was just as uninspiring. The calamari was overcooked, and the wok seared tuna was bland. The Thia chili beef was more noodle than beef and it was way too much sauce. The seared scallops and shrimp were cooked nicely but way too expensive for what you got. Perhaps that's why it is not listed on the menu and presented as a special. It was also apparent from tasting the other dishes that sweet chili sauce, similar to what you buy at the grocery store, seems to be a base for most of their sauces. There was nothing unique about the food or flavors. You would be better off grabbing Chinese food from a local favorite spot for 1/3 of the price.
(1)Todd M.
Good Food, well presented, and with good service. For a hotel restaurant/bar in the middle of suburban stripmall Hell... I couldn't ask for ore than that .. so Yay! I'm a fan.
(4)Paul C.
Had the macadamia blue cheese filet Very tasty. Wife had tuna salad gave it a thumbs up mushroom potstickers were a highlight. We came here because we had a gift certificate but we would come back. I would leave the kids at home
(4)Gerry A.
Ok, we're talking Mundelein here so this could be 1 star in Chicago. WATCH OUT for THEIR tip calculation on any group bill, their "system" will calculate a tip on any added "mistake entres" BEFORE it takes them off later under a "goodwill" title. We originally thought it was calculating AFTER tax, but neither the server, chef or manager could figure it out. All we knew was that it was Wrong, but got weary of the principled point over a couple $3. Maybe they would be more interested if it was coming out of THEIR pocket. MORE to watch for, if you have a restaurant.com certificate? WATCH OUT they don't charge you a higher "fixed" tip percent like 19% instead of the 18% on our certificate. We would normally tip 20% pretax on superior service but just automatically dislike the fixed calculations, worse yet managing to jack them up surreptitiously spells last visit for me. So, you have to really WATCH their bill but the food is probably 5 star for Mundelein. Small but interesting menu of Asian fusion and some standards like Duck, BarBQ Salmon, Rib Eye, requisite Mahi. Good attempt at heat over salt, still pretty salty. Interesting hip industrial deco in the restaurant with an odd slam of Elbert Hubbard Roycroft Mission Oak ie NEW Stickley Brothers in the hotel. Freaky & Heavy, that could be Karma but it wasn't yin-yang for us. NO sound absorption in the restaurant so -LOUD- and there's nobody there, which gets oddly tiresome- from your own loud echoes and the muzak? Fairly priced small wine selection and some reasonable flight samplers. I say go for it once if you wind up in Mundelein, but check the bill, twice.
(2)Mat M.
I had the pleasure of eating at Karma on Thursday with some colleagues. It was very tasty! I had the Tempura Chicken and it was incredible. It is not your standard hotel restaurant by far. They have an awesome bar area; and I would love to drink there. This was my first trip to Mundelein and I'd go back for the dining experience.
(4)ALFREDO M.
We were only here for a few drinks before we moseyed on down to the Gale Street Inn. I'm not sure how I did it, but I dropped $30+ on 2 Kirins and a rather crappy coctail. It's Mundelein, people... drinks should not cost that much in Mundelein.
(2)Lixin C.
Food good Environment is great. A little pricy. Excellent dessert like the coconut flan
(4)Marissa B.
The decor and atmosphere is about the only thing this restaurant has going on. We went for NYE this year and it was just not good. My husband and I shared something (I can't remember) but it is seriously worse than a lot of the Chinese dives in the area. I would really recommend you save your pennies and go elsewhere.
(2)Valentina S.
Went there on Valentine's Day. It was a BIG mistake. This restaurant cannot take the pressure. And by pressure I mean when more than 10 tables need to be served. I'm not kidding. I was there a couple of times before and never experienced anything like this time. It was a complete embarrassment since my husband and I invited another couple to join us. The evening was ruined. I will start with service, which was awful. First, our waitress forgot to take my husband's order and then she disappeared. For good 15 minutes we were waiting for her to come back and correct her mistake. We had to ask other helpers to find her. After she took the additional order we didn't see her again until she brought the check 2 hours later. We were debating whether to leave tips or not. We gave her 10% anyway. That evening we ordered from the special menu which looked very appealing. We had Lemon Grass Scented Lobster Bisque ($10). After first two spoons we sent it back - pure salt. The appetizer Togarashi Fried Oysters dressed with cucumber crème ($12) was just okay, but nothing special. The entree Seafood Ravioli with Seared Sea Scallops Coconut saffron broth and sweet potato straws ($28) was a bit strange for pasta. If I have to pay $28 for a pasta dish it had better be great. Ravioli tasted like plain store bought cheese ravioli with two tiny scallops on top. This dish was garnished with quartered RAW bok choy. Really?!! Not sautéed, not even blanched... just raw. Did this restaurant hire a new inexperienced chef? There's no chance that I will ever go there again.
(1)Rob H.
Karma is a...well...restaurant according to their sign. Clearly my karma was doomed tonight. Needing to have an early dinner before an evening phone call I decided this hotel restaurant was my best choice before going up to my room. Their online menu looked good and the pictures in the hotel elevator were impressive. Unfortunately, the reality was quite different. Upon arriving at the hostess station I was greeted by no one. I waited. I looked at the menu. I answered some email messages on my phone. I looked up directions to another restaurant. After several minutes of seeing neither a hostess nor a waitperson, I decided eating in the bar at Karma would probably be a more efficient choice. I went to the bar section of the restaurant. The bartender was working on the touch screen payment system. Again I waited. And I waited. I sat down. I waited some more. Alas! He turned around and finally noticed me. By this point I had been looking at the clock, and over six minutes had passed before anyone had even acknowledged my existence. Happy to find out I had not become a ghost, I asked if I could order from the restaurant menu at the bar, and he confirmed I could do just that. Excellent. I moved to a different bar stool and he gave me the bar menu. No, I wanted the restaurant menu. So he went back over to the restaurant to get a copy of their menu. Finally, I can at least order something. I opted for some tempura and an order of noodles. I had to resort to pointing at things on the menu, because he didn't seem to understand what I was ordering. I spoke slower and pointed again. And after this rough start, I asked for a glass of sauvignon blanc as well. Confident things would get better; I was surprised to find him approaching me with a glass of red wine. It was cabernet sauvignon. No. I ordered the sauvignon blanc. I again pointed at the menu. This time he brought the bottle to be sure he was getting it right. Yes! Finally. Pour quickly please, before I walk out of this place. I should have just left. The tempura wasn't terrible, but it was clearly whatever vegetables could be found at the local corner store, cut into pieces so large it took 5 or 6 bites to consume most of them. It was not a regular tempura style batter. It was clearly a generic onion ring batter. One branch of broccoli was so massive I did not even want to attempt to consume it. The noodle dish I ordered could have been good if it wasn't for the uninspired sauce, bland seasoning and overcooked noodles. Aside from that, it was edible. Now that the bartender could identify the sauvignon blanc on the menu, I had another glass just to keep the evening from being a total waste. For the price, I could have eaten at an Asian fast food restaurant 4 times and the food would have been better. The only highlight of the evening was watching the bartender struggle with every single customer regarding his or her order. With only six beers on tap, he didn't know which one was the IPA. I helped by telling the frustrated customer to just point at what he wanted.
(1)Kim P.
Great atmosphere and staff. Food was good and our server did an excellent job of describing the entrees for us. I will be back.
(4)D G.
One of my favorite restaurants. We've been here over a dozen times for breakfast, lunch or dinner and have always LOVED it!
(5)Gina G.
Been there a few times with friends who are big fans. It's located in a hotel in a strange location. The atmosphere is GREAT. I feel really relaxed and tranquil and genuinely enjoy my time there. The food is just not good. I've had a few different things and it just doesn't work. Steak items are fatty and not prepared well and anything that has sauce has way too much of it. Flavor combinations have potential, but it's just too expensive for a bad cut of meat every time.
(2)Liezl P.
As per other reviews, the atmosphere at Karma is definitely not expected from a hotel restaurant. Its pretty nice and trendy in there! The food and service however were maybe just a hair above average. Our waiter was very nice, but service was very slow!! I had the special- wok seared prawns and scallops on forbidden rice with an asian sauce. The sauce was a little too sweet for my liking, or maybe there was to much of it. My husband got the honey tamari chicken satay and he really enjoyed it, especially the citrus and cilantro rice. I had the asian mojito- very weak, but the hakutsuro dai qing saki definitely made up for it. I would give this restaurant more stars if the prices were a little lower- i mean come on...we're in mundelein inside a double tree hotel! They do also have a cute lounge/bar area. I'd come here with my suburban friends if we dont want to travel all the way to the city for a drink. Dont expect to people watch here, nothing too exciting. Make sure to purchase a discounted gift certificate at restaurant.com ! Sent from my iPhone
(3)Dani M.
So I went here with a groupon that was expiring, if it wasn't for the groupon I don't think I would have gone here. The restaurant looks very nice. Very nice decoration and feel to the place. Now only if the food was as good. So this is what we ordered: Black Salt & Szechwan Pepper Calamari- eh.. just ok, nothing special. the calamari pieces were tiny, tasted too much like batter Spicy Chicken Sichuan Noodles- looked amazing, way too salty, the chicken was basically all fat, not that good. I picked out the noodles and ate those and left all the chicken (i usually eat all the meat!) Shanghai Glazed Ribeye- way too salty, mashed potatoes tasted like butter-which was good, and the steak was just ok The bill came out to around $50 and we had a $30 off groupon. The waitress was nice enough and service was okay but the main thing I look for when I go to restaurants is delicious food... and sadly this place did not have it. Way too overpriced for the quality of the food. I would have given 1 star but I added one more because the place was so aesthetically pleasing.
(2)Mike L.
Peaceful and interesting decor. Waterfall is cool and the food is asian/french fusion. High quality stuff with great portions. Is not a cheap place but if you look you can find a coupon to save a bit. Their whole sea bass is amazing. Their forbidden rice is rich and awesome. Nice bar and good drinks. Great date and first time restaurant. Has a smaller menu but for a reason. Worth a shot if you like asian food.
(4)A S.
Went here with party of 8 for NYE dinner before heading home. The restaurant has great is decor and feels like your downtown or NYC. The service was excellent, very nice and fast, but the food was NOT good for the price we paid...too much for the quality of food. The noodles were too salty and saucy, the chicken satay was extremely dry, and the mahi mahi was also dry and untasty.....not planning on going back.
(2)Jennifer R.
I bought a restaurant.com gift certificate and decided to try this place for our 2yr anniversary. After I bought the gift certificate I saw the reviews and it was either love it or hate it... so I decided to give it a shot (skeptical but why not). Well we were not disappointed. We went on Memorial Day (the day of our anniversary) so it was not crowded. The place was quiet, with soft music. The water feature in the middle of the restaurant is serene, very relaxing and beautiful. I love the decor, simple yet striking! Our server was fantastic! Funny, happy, and polite, he was really on top of taking care of us! We didn't feel rushed, the food came out at the perfect time, nothing seemed to take too long or come out too quick. Yes the restaurant was not crowded but I've experienced restaurants before during a slow period and people can get lazy, this place was great! My one complaint, and this may be a bit picky but when the busser came by to remove the extra place settings at our table he kind of just dumped the silverware on his tray with a loud clash. Otherwise both busser and waiter were great! They served Edamame while we perused the menu. We ordered a bottle of sauvignon blanc which was absolutely tasty with our spicy dishes and chicken spring rolls. Then to top off our night we were served a fabulous chocolate cheese cake on the house for our anniversary. We will most definitely be back for future special occasions!
(5)Rick H.
Really loved the salmon. The best dish they have. Nice ambiance for water lovers.
(4)Kaye V.
A nice surprise for a suburban hotel restaurant. The decor at Karma is top-notch Asian contemporary. We had a great reception at the door, attentive staff to clear our table and a waiter who was enthusiastic but not over the top. The shitake mushroom potstickers were excellent as an appetizer. Served with a few tempura green beans and a red pepper sauce with a touch of orange flavor, they were both creative and tasty. Our dessert was unique - a twist on the Doubletree hotel cookie turned into a muffin-shaped bread pudding with a side of coconut ice cream. It was inventive and not too heavy. However, our entrees were not as exciting. The Red Curry Mahi-Mahi was adequate and sauce was excellent, but the side of wok tossed vegetables was bland, as well as the black (and sticky) forbidden rice. The Charred Beef with Fried Basil was not acceptable. I tasted not even a hint of basil, the beef was served overcooked at medium well (although we were told it would be medium rare), and the spicy onion strings were stale. The chive potato cakes, on the other hand, were quite nice. This is a restaurant that we'll certainly try again, in hopes that we can find the entrees that complement the excellent ambiance, good service and creative appetizers and desserts offered.
(4)David C.
So hip it hurts...the restaurant with its water feature seems out of place in this (admittedly high-standard Crowne Plaza) motel in the middle of the burbs. I confess to being a captive audience as I stayed there on business as it was close to my office and didn't really know my way around. Food was teetering on pretentious at times but often the eating experience was a little lacklustre. Put it this way. I've eaten better Asian Fusion and paid a lot less for the privilege.
(2)Warren R.
1. Terrible service 2. Terrible service 3. Nice trendy atmosphere 4. food... fair to good 5. Very pricey terrible service Waited a half hour after they brought me and my wife water. One waiter who also greeted soon to be sorry customers and a server who could not speak English, people waiting to pay so theycould get the hell out this poor service nightmare!
(1)Jason B.
Not sure what is up with the new menu? This was a 5 star restaurant enforce the menu change.
(2)mari l.
Great decor and and good service. But the food... It seemed fresh (which is important) and carefully prepared, but neither my appetizer nor my main dish (whole sea bass) had much flavor. The sea bass on its own was fine, but the sauce was just (too) sweet, and that's all. Did not add to the taste of the vegetables and the rice. Considering how much you pay for the food, I was disappointed. I guess, if I would have paid less, I'd be okay with it. (Though I still would not have ordered the appetizer -- some kind of lobster-shrimp roll).
(2)Sergio V.
Super swanky modern atmosphere, great asian/french fusion food, superb dish presentation, but way overpriced. Feels like your in the city, but also priced like your in the city. Can't say the food isn't worth it, but would go back much more often than once a year if it were more reasonably priced. Sweet bar too, but always dead. Probably because the bar staff is among the rudest I have ever encountered.
(4)thomas d.
Mother's Day brunch at 1:00 pm...SUCKED! lets see where to begin for my slaying of this sh!tty place... okay the good. Our waitress, Lori I believe, was the high point. She really was on the ball for taking our order, refilling water, coffee & drinks, removing plates and overall a good person. Her supporting staff, i.e. busboys, bartender & brunch cutters & omelet maker are F**KING for sh!t! busboys didn't bus, lori did. the bartender was this queen that reminded me of seth rogen. just not funny at all. the bartender should be fired because he doesn't know how to make a freaking bloody mary to save his life! the hostess sat our party of 10 in the back corner that was the in/out door for the kitchen. that really sucked. oh the cutter for the very dry & horrible cooked roast beef didn't even try to understand english. no matter how many times I tried to tell him I wanted a thin slice from the center for the most rear! if your employees don't understand basic english keep them out of serving the public. Management was poor at best for this call. there is no freaking raw horseradish for the roast beef. only cream. thank god again for Lori, she found the raw horseradish for me. had to go directly to the "chef". judging on how the overall meal, presentation and cutters performed i think the chef failed out of culinary school. half of the buffet items were freaking cold! seriously, what the sh!t man! so for future reference, stay away find somewhere else and don't bother. this place needs to go out of business. but I only want the best for Lori. She busted her @$$ off for our party while having 2 other tables of 6+!
(1)Heath S.
Loved it. Great service, loved the ahi with the black rice. Will definitely go back.
(5)Peter W.
Probably the trendiest restaurant that I know in Mundelein... on par with downtown Chicago. The food is good. The steak was great. The other items were fine, but didn't have quite the punch that you might have expected.
(4)Vicki K.
Pleasantly surprised! Tried this restaurant because I had a Restaurant.com certificate. When we drove up and I saw that it was a "hotel restaurant", I was not expecting much, but to my delight, it was wonderful! We took the waiter's suggestions and were not disappointed. I had the BBQ Salmon served with forbidden rice and sauteed bokchoy and shitakes with crispy sweet potatoe shoestrings and it was fabulous. I was apprehensive because I am probably the most pickiest person when it comes to salmon, and this was great! The sides were almost more delicious than the salmon. My husband had the macadamia crusted filet and it was cooked to perfection and wonderful. Take a chance on this hotel restaurant and you won't be disappointed!
(4)Nicole S.
This is not nicole but her husband writing this. We went to Karma for Dinner and drinks before we went to zanies, and loved the place. Easy to find, very trendy and nice. Drinks are moderately priced for the quality, food was outstanding. We had four of us and everyone loved their food. I had the Ribeye with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables and my wife had I think the sesame crusted tuna with the black forest rice I think it was. This rice was so delectable I could have eaten an entire bowl of it for dinner. The ribeye was done perfect, and the vegtables were amazing as well. What I didn't like about Karma was the service. I wanted to wait to order wine before the meal came, which is what I told my server, she stopped by to take the order and drop off the check, THATS ALL SHE DID. I had to flag down the manager to get my glass of wine. It wasn't even busy. Other than the service we all loved this place and we will be back. Will have to make sure we get a different server.
(4)joanne y.
the environment was nice but the food was definitely not worth the price. would never go back...ever.
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