The Claim Company
2000 Northbrook Ct, Northbrook, IL, 60062
The Claim Company Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Northbrook for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Northbrook for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Northbrook for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2000 Northbrook Ct
Northbrook, IL, 60062 - Phone (847) 291-9111
- Website https://theclaimcompany.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Drive-Thru : No
Caters : No
Categories
Burgers
Burger or Hamburger is savored as the most desired fast food meal in the United States. A hamburger is basically a sandwich prepared by stuffing ground meat patty, generally beef, between two slices of a bun cut in half. Hamburger is also famous for its seasoning. Most popular condiments used in hamburgers in the United States are mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Besides ground meat patty, hamburgers are also stuffed with lettuce, onions, tomato slices, pickles, and cheese.
Hamburgers are also categorized into two types in the United States. Fast food hamburger and individual hamburgers served at restaurants are two basic types of burgers served in the United States. The individual hamburgers served at restaurants are prepared using everything including lettuce, onion, tomato, and sliced pickles as well as melted cheese on the patty or crumbled on top. American restaurants also serve veggie burgers for those who don't relish meat. Cheeseburgers are also hot favorite in the United States.
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Randall K.
First time here. Saturday night and had an hour to kill while wife/child were at a (cartoon) movie. I hate buying a ticket for something that I will just sleep through, so found myself at Claim Company with my teen who also refused to see the "kid" movie. We had the pick of the tables because it was a religious event (Passover). I think normally a 30 min wait during weekend dinners is to be expected. The food was OK. Daughters caesar salad was decent. The onion rings I will pass on next time. My buffalo chicken wrap was really tasty. No desert ordered. All in all, I'd go back. Not a bad introduction.
(4)Claudio V.
My wife worked at the mall a few years back before joining me in the real estate business. She tried this place while working there and fell in love with it. Once day she brought be here because we both love to try restaurants. Even now from time to time we make a trip from Chicago just to eat here. This is a great place for some BBQ sandwiches. While I can not say it is the best BBQ, it is very good. The food taste great. We have been here a number of times and the services is also great every time. If you are shopping at the mall or in the area looking for a great place to have a heavier lunch or dinner, I would recommend this place.
(4)Lauren K.
This was reminiscent of a crappy chain restaurant. I dunno, is it a chain resto? Service was below average at the bar. The bar tender was responsible for all of the tables in the bar area on a Saturday evening and then the entire bar. It was not his fault he was inattentive. My veggie burger was bland and flavorless. I liked the bread, but this is not the "bread company". I did like the mushrooms a top of the burger and the sweet potato fries. Overall this was underwhelming. I shall not return when I am starving in the mall.
(2)Angela S.
I tend to be a creature of habit when I frequent the same restaurant - that's because I hook into something that makes me want to go back. I would say I'm not the type who likes to experiment much with trying different menu items. I go back for the one thing that makes me happy. Otherwise, I'd rather just cook at home. However... Recently I stepped outside my usual Motherlode burger and salad and opted for a pulled pork BBQ sandwich with a side of homemade house chips. Considering that Highland Park has some darn good BBQ spots, especially one with a pulled pork sandwich I love, I was hesitant to try the sandwich here and figured it would only be mediocre. You know what? It was surprisingly really great. If you like a sweet sauce, then you'd like this. It was piled high with saucy meat, but for me the miss was the pretzel bun. Pretzel buns just don't hold up to moist sandwiches. I would have much preferred a different bun. Next time I order this sandwich I'll ask for a different bread. The chips here remind me of kettle cooked chips, but better. Not super salty and with a nice crispy crunch. Worth it just for the chips! So to wrap things up, I admit that the next time I come back I'm going to have a very hard time deciding whether to go beef burger or pulled pork. Regardless, these are my staples at Claim Company, and instead of ordering my usual sweet potato fries, bring on the chips!
(4)Mark Y.
Ordered a tuna steak sandwich. It was ok, service was good. They have a decent selection of local beers. A little pricey, but not exorbitant.
(3)Shirley Z.
I went in for a late lunch today. It took a long time to get a waiter for water, coffee. The coffee was luke-warm. Again, it took a search of the restaurant to find the waiter and ask for hot coffee. The steak sandwich was tough and full of gristle. It was a poor cut of meat. Cheese and toppings had been slapped on the meat, like at MacDonalds. After sitting there a half hour longer, I complained to the manager. He offered to get something else.However, I hadn't intended to spend the afternoon at the restaurant to try to round up decent service and food and let him know it. His attitude was, "OK, no charge for the meal" and he stomped off. Claim Company just lost a customer.
(1)Jess F.
They have great margarita's here. Something you wouldn't really expect from a restaurant like this. Their appetizers are great and food the same. Haven't had anything bad from here. Food is a little pricey so just keep an eye on how much and what you are ordering. Service at the bar is top notch and love sitting at the bar.
(4)Rits M.
Not sure why it has just 3 stars. I came here with a group of work people, and we had the burgers. we told the waiter we had to be in and out in an hour and he was really obliging. I asked for the motherlode burger with merkt's cheese and it was truly amazing. Juiciest thing ever, great flavors. I had the sweet potato fries as well, they come out really well. Lots of space too, a great salad bar and very easy on the wallet. It's my go-to when Im in northbrook again. There weren't a lot of people there around lunchtime when I went, so you can definitely get priority. Waiter was good, didnt hover too much and made sure we were happy.
(5)Andrea H.
I have been here multiple times and each time it's just ok. The salad bar is so over priced, it is decent but not $14.00 worth. Our service has also been so-so every time, no waiter was ever outstanding. This last time I went it was just my boyfriend and I. We were seated right away which was nice but then put at a table right in the middle of everyone and right next to the dish dumping station. It was very noisy, there was a table full of kids yelling next to us which I understand isn't the restaurants fault but it just wasn't very relaxing and our waitress seemed to be just uninterested in her job. The food has always been great though. I've never had a bad dish and I know they make my moms favorite veggie burger. They have a bar area I've never been to and we would have preferred to sit in there this past time we went but it was closed for a private party so that wasn't happening. Based on my experience they'd probably get about 2 stars but I know my family likes it here and they do cook good food and I like the atmosphere so I'm giving it 3. Just haven't been impressed yet.
(3)Alex H.
Pretty consistent. Usually 10 minute wait to be seated only because it's packed every night. Service is great once seated. Salad bar is great and the motherlode burger has always been fantastic! Been back dozens of times.
(4)T S.
Last night was my first visit to The Claim Company. My friend and I were there for an early dinner, looking forward to the salad bar. The restaurant was nice enough and our server was good, but I won't be going back. The salad bar was decent, but featured a lot of canned items. Unlike Sweet Tomatoes, the Claim Company's salad bar is an easy reach for small kids. As we sat and ate, children would go up to the salad bar and stick their hands into the offerings, and put the food right into their mouths, then walk down the salad bar, and pick up another delicacy. When one of the kids' grandparent told them not to do that, the boy put the food in his hand back into the serving container. UGH! I mentioned this to my server and she said that she is not allowed to tell kids not to handle the food. I also told the manager on duty, who was sympathetic, but not interested in doing anything about it. I told him that seeing kids' hands in my food makes me not want to return to the restaurant. His reply? "I don't blame you." Really? That's the official take on the situation? So, folks, order off the menu if you don't want kindergartners 'blessing' your food.
(1)Todd N.
It's hard not to expect the old claim company experience which to me meant big great burgers with great tipping choices. What I seemed to get was a skimpy version of that memory and just so so for the money. I could think of better places to go for a better experience.
(2)Robert G.
This is your prototypical suburban mall restaurant, complete with tired theme and average food. It's the type of place you bring your 5-year old and your 66-year old parents at the same time. It's a step above the Rainforest Cafe and two steps below a Portillos. It's the kind of place that's completely forgettable except for the weird entrance on the first floor, which leads to a stairway, which leads to, you guessed it, the restaurant waiting area. While we were prospecting for food at the Claim Company we noticed the service was quicker than most sit-down restaurants and the servers less personable than other restaurants. Do I blame the servers? At $3 an hour I will not be blaming a server for lacking motivation or personality. Thanks Claim Company, I can hardly remember why I walked through your door.
(3)Karma K.
I wish I could give CC five stars but sadly I compare it to the original ones on Michigan Avenue and Oak Brook and it's just not the same. I just don't like the ambiance. It's too sterile and cafeteria like. The old locations were comfy and made you want to stay and chat. That said, if you are a salad bar fan, CC has that down. Great options, always fresh and they keep it clean. I also love french onion soup. I'm sure it has a month's worth of calories, salt and fat but man is it tasty. Of course, besides their salad bar CC is known for their burgers and Claim sauce. I enjoy their veggie burger. Great bun that held it all together. I've never had a beef burger here but what I saw coming out of the kitchen looked legit. I'll return but I do miss the original locations. As Don Henley said "you can never go back."
(4)Bruce B.
I've eaten Motherlodes for decades, and lately have been eating their turkey burgers. They're all great. But I was looking for a change, so I ordered the fish tacos. OMG! They're as good or better than what's offered at the best specialty taco joints.
(5)Jimmy J.
Owners and management staff here are just plain dumb. We used to come here for the salad bar weekly but stopped. Why ? Because despite chArging 10 $ for it with no protein, they decided to reduce size of plate to a small 8" inch oval stainless plate. A plate so small, you can't build a salad and can't eat it without making a mess. I'm a restaurant owner and its the dumbest thing I've ever seen. What's even dumber is kids Salad bar which is limited to one trip on a small 7" plate is $7.99! While a burger n fries which cost them more is cheaper. .. Since the plate switch 1.5 yrs ago , ALL servers give us the old regular plates, no questions. Sunday, we got the server I've always been lucky to avoid. 5'3, unsettled hair, pot belly for the ages who said he can't give us the reg plates. I said then I'm leaving. He went to go talk to manager, I left anyways. Dark. Dreary place. Lame design. Dirty carpets. Owners without a clue.
(1)Phillip C.
I've been here a few times and I enjoy it. It's kind of a stale, tired theme (western, gold rush, etc.), but I like to think that people don't come here for atmosphere, but rather the food. If you're looking for atmosphere that's actually a big part of the experience of dining, you're coming to the wrong place. Now, I've had better, yes, but these burgers aren't bad by any means. Friend and I were making a sale in the parking lot outside for car parts. It's as we typically do. We were hungry so we walked in and found this place. Entrance was... interesting. Long hallway to some short stairs to another hallway into the waiting area. Our waitress was friendly. She came by, asked us for drink orders, and I ordered a Black Butte Porter. I got a chilled glass within a few minutes. I ordered a burger with an egg and jalapenos. Beef was made to order (medium), and egg was also to order (over easy). Jalapenos were fresh, and served on the side instead of directly on the burger. I prefer it this way, but some people may not. Sweet potato fries were tasty, too. The prices are what you'd expect, but the portions are pretty fair for the size. The service was friendly and quick. The restaurant was clean and well lit. Music choice isn't quite my style (bit too country for me). I'd come back again. It won't impress you in any major way but it's a solid choice.
(4)M L.
The nachos were caked with a greasy, lumpy cheese that wanted to cling to the back of my throat for the next 12 hours. The Caesar wrap was microwaved chicken, bottled dressing, and iceberg lettuce, something you could make in two minutes from whatever happens to be on sale at the supermarket. I've had better wraps and nachos (for under $10 even, unlike this place). This is overpriced garbage. They had some decent beers on the menu that drowned out the awful taste and texture of the food. The server was polite and friendly.
(1)Dave V.
I have yet to have any food here so i will have to update in the future. However, several times we have come here to grab a couple drinks before dinner or whatever. The bartenders we have had have been a pleasure. The prices are not cheap but are not overly expensive for what you'd expect. I personally prefer dive spots cuz they are simple and cheap but the atmosphere here is pretty chill Check it out and yelp it
(3)Bradley B.
Don't bother paying 3.99 for the side salad for the one trip to the salad bar. The plate isn't big enough to hold a cracker. The motherlode has shrunk immensely and is now just another pedestrian hamburger. Oh yea, bring earplugs because it is very loud in there.
(3)S S.
Great food and service! They have the best sweet potato fries you will ever have (and they're not greasy!). Also, we had the Stagecoach Chicken and soup and salad (excellent broccoli cheese soup that was exactly the right consistency and not too much salt), which were both excellent.. We'll definitely be back to try more dishes!
(5)Randi W.
I rarely write reviews but I was so disappointed and I keep trying and wanting to like The Claim Company. The service is always above average but the food is only ok and the prices are way high. With a small child with Celiac disease I am always looking for our go to restaurant for lunch or dinner. The Claim Company was such a disappointment. My child is only three so when the gluten free options are chicken and ribs it never goes over well. I was glad to see they and gluten free bread so she had a peanut butter and jelly. There was so much jelly she wouldn't eat it and it all fell apart. Then I was shocked when I got the bill they charged me 1.95 extra for gluten free bread. We paid 7.99 for gluten free peanut butter and jelly and fruit cause there fries aren't gluten free safe for celiacs. If it was homemade bread it would have been fine, but it was the crappy white gluten free bread that you buy at the store. My salmon sandwich was sub par and came on toasted wheat bread like you would make a turkey sandwich on. My other daughters kraft mac and cheese was fine, it was the blue box mac and cheese for 6.99. I have no problem spending money on food when its good and my kids enjoy it. This was the last time we will be going to The Claim Company, we given it lots of chances and its just bad.
(2)Sherry W.
Burger is great, tasty and juicy. Salad bar is good but plate is too small. The waiter Steve was very attentive and friendly. Good place for family meals
(4)Andrew M.
I have visited claim company several times with mixed experiences. I would say that this place deserves 2.5 stars, but I will round up as my last experience was more positive. Primarily, the theme of the restaurant is southwestern including cacti and covered wagon wall paintings. I can take or leave this part of the experience. The big draw for Claim Company is the salad bar, and I can see why. They have a great variety, and it is kept well-stocked. The best part is the chilled plates they give you to use at the salad bar. If you have considered putting something on a salad before, there is a good chance they have it. The menu has a good variety as well, but I am a firm believer of many sub-par choices does not a good menu make. Though their appetizers are pretty good, I have on several occasions sent back or given up on eating my meals here (most recently a poorly made burger that was inedible). Highlights for me are: the turkey chili, salad bar, and the bloody marys. This place is at or below average in my opinion, but there aren't a ton of options in the area.
(3)Ami K.
First of all, I would like to say that I'm not a fan of this kind of food so the fact that I didn't enjoy my meal is not surprising. It was convenient and I've never been here before so I decided to try it out. The menu reminds me of TGIF, Applebees but geared towards meat. Again, I don't dine at those types of establishment because I don't like dumbed down food for the mass. The decor is western theme, ok. We were seated at a large booth so that was nice. I ordered a slider because I wasn't very hungry. The meat was tender but not seasoned very well. My husband had the burger and put his own toppings. The burger was better. Maybe because he put so many toppings that it ended up tasting better. My kids ordered a burger and chicken tender off the kids menu. Again, it was just ok. I wasn't expecting much from a joint like this so I was not surprised at the presentation or the taste. The server we had was decent. He was courteous enough but not too friendly. He did his job and that was it. I wouldn't go back here again. The mall I was at also has CPK and I would go there first. I would eat at McDonalds before I eat here again. This was my first time and it will also be my last.
(2)Katie M.
Not the best food in town, but service is always great, and the staff is very polite. Definitely kid friendly and they're very quick to bring out meals. I order the same thing every time: chopped salad, no bacon, no chicken, with extra avocado and a plate of cheese fries ... Not really much room for error! Place is in need of a little upgrading and tables are always sticky/dirty though. I also suggest you ask for your check once the food comes out, or you'll be waiting 20 mins after your meal to get it. Otherwise, good little spot to stop after a little shopping.
(4)Henry L.
Was pretty surprised how bad the food was. Nothing particularly wrong with it, the food was just way lower grade than you would expect for a restaurant in the area. Fries are not hand cut, they are frozen flash cooked nasty fries. The burger was nothing special just a boring burger that lacked flavor. Bacon on the burger was soft and mushy like they just pre cooked a whole tray of bacon for the day and throw a few soggy piece of bacon on throughout the day. Bacon is supposed to be add crisp flavor not mushiness. Also our server was a nervous looking young kid. lol Would not go back.
(2)Anna L.
This place is pretty good. I got a taco salad. It was OK and very large.. Ive had better flavors (the meat was a little too spicy for my liking), and it seems to be missing ingredients that I would consider standard for a taco salad. The rest of my table had the make your own burger. They all seemed to enjoy it a lot. There are many toppings to choose from and yes.. they will put everything on your burger if thats what you want (be prepared for a mess). Id go back if I was at the mall, but I wouldnt go out of my way to get there if I wasn't.
(3)Ryan R.
Besides the fact the floors are dirty the food is actually very good. The salad bar is always fresh and the ambiance is great for kids. There are never really any specials on the menu, but who cares because I get the se great steak sandwich every time I go. They also have a kids menu and mini deserts which allows me extra time to finish my own meal. And how about those home-made potato chips! Yum!
(4)Matt R.
Eh. Gets really crowded during the day. Have you ever really hoped you'd like somewhere, and then just went "nah."? Well, that's Claim Company for me. Located in Northbrook court and including a Salad bar, it's actually potentially more healthy than any other restaurant in the area. (PF Changs has about as much salt as a can of Campbells in everything you order, not to mention having more calories than a Mcdonalds shake). My goal was to have a decent relatively healthy meal. The reality is that the food here is fairly overpriced and not even close to the quality I would expect even if it was cheaper. I started with the steamed whole artichoke. This was pretty decent, except for the fact that it was $8.29. I'm sorry, but that's a rip off for a single artichoke that you steamed. You changed a 2 to an 8, is how I would word this. At $2.29, this would be acceptable. There's no creation involved even though you call it a "Claim Company Creation", and I wouldn't be surprised if it was frozen before you cooked it and served it. Considering I can buy artichokes on amazon for about $1.50 which is high by itself, I don't see what makes this worth 4x the premium. You can tell it's a selling point as it's at the top of the menu. Now, lets get to the salad bar. That's what I came for, right? Oh, whoops - I forgot, they had tomato soup to give us beforehand, which tasted premade. It may have come with the salad bar but it was still pretty gross. Then we get to the salad bar, which seems to have a lot of turnover of food but it seems to be coming from prepared frozen buckets in the back. So again we get to a theme here - if you're going to make a salad bar, employ some chefs who do so. Don't just unfreeze a block of food which still has ice in it mostly because I don't want to eat ice frozen with the food. That's just disgusting. Should I even go on? TLDR: I was disappointed here, bigtime. unhealthy, lack of preparation on the food (which reflects on the chefs and/or management) and low quality (which reflects on the chefs and/or management). I have jumped the Claim, and that means I'm sure a heck not coming back here.
(2)Rick H.
The Claim Company is an prime example of trying to do too much, and not really succeeding at any of it. The overall ambiance is over done South Western Kitsch, that seems to cover every wall. Useless "decorations" abound as tripping hazards. At least there were no "pun" or joke signs trying to lighten the mood. Apparently this was still the best of a series of bad dining choices in the area though, as there was still a 45+ minute wait on a Sunday Night. I was able to find a seat at the bar though and order food from there. Bartenders were friendly, but kept tag teaming the service. This led to a few small issues in overall service. The martini I ordered, dry with well vodka was mediocre, but expected when ordering well. The "one trip" through the salad bar was probably the best part of the meal. While not an impressive salad bar by any means, it was certainly passable. A few unexpected gems such as kalamata olives in addition to black olives, and a fairly passable selection of dressings promised much. The main course was the BBQ skirt steak, which was served on a slice of garlic bread. The BBQ sauce on the steak was OK, but it tasted a lot like Heinz BBQ sauce. The meat itself was quite chewy for skirt steak and other then the BBQ sauce, not a lot of flavor. Even the garlic bread - what few bites I had of it before it became to soggy, didn't have much taste. The green beans on the side were actually the best part of the meal. They were cooked perfectly, although for most places they would actually have been undercooked. Over all, it was OK. I won't avoid the Claim Company, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back either.
(2)Chris M.
This is NOT your mother and father's Claim Company. I remember when it used to be in the location of Di Pescara in NB Court, when it was plain and simple without the corny Southwestern Cowboy theme....oh yeah, and the food was good. The place now looks like it's dealing with an identity crisis. I don't know whether to cover my ears for bad country music about to be played or wait for a kids birthday party to come blowing through the doors, but the theme is not doing it so much for me. The food is mediocre at best. I had a burger, built it myself for $11.00. For less than that, I can get a MUCH better burger at Charlie Beinlichs, and believe me, next time I WILL. My folks had the salad bar which is a far cry from what it used to be. The food items do not seem all freshly prepared. Claim Company used to pride itself on the quality of their food, and now it seems they have thrown quality to the wayside. Best of luck serving mediocre product to the people of the Northshore. I give it 2 stars based on what this place USED to be, in hopes that they can turn things around. An alternative to Food Court food in Northbrook Court is an awesome concept, but has to be executed better than what Claim Company is currently putting out there.
(2)Annie T.
Awesome salad bar! Great burgers! Wonderful service! The salad bar is kept extremely tidy, and is chock full of basics as well as specialty offerings! I have a garlic allergy, and they are very careful when preparing their awesome burgers! I highly recommend!
(5)Brian W.
Had to walk out, as child's menu the burger is only available in beef and not veggie. Since my child does not eat meat, this was not an option. Waitress was not friendly and said will have to charge me for adult size meal, but my daughter is only five years old and could not possibly eat an adult sized meal. Waitress said they cannot take a knife and cut burger in half. So for a matter of fifteen cents worth of beans, they let a $100 family order for seven walk out the door. Walked out and took our business next door to California Pizza Kitchen.
(1)Richard B.
First, let's emulate Mr. Peabody and use his Way Back Machine. Let's go to about 1974 on Clark Street in Chicago, and visit the Original Claim Company. Two U of Wisconsin graduates opened the Claim Company restaurant which featured a large customizable hamburger called the "Motherlode." It was served on a big metal platter that was supposed to be like the pans that gold miners used way back. Of course, they also had a variety of similar sandwich items, entrees, and an overpriced small buffet, too. I remembered that it took me about 20 minutes to find a legal place to park, because then (as today), that neighborhood is super-congested. It was a pleasant place, but their offerings were no better and no worse than many other places that served similar fare. They opened two other locations: one in Oakbrook and one in Northbrook Court. Mr. Cheapskate (me) and his wife took our young kids to their Northbrook restaurant on a couple of New Years Eves because they ran a half-price special between something like 4 pm and 9 pm. The lines were out the door by 5 pm. During the long NYE waits, I recall amusing our kids by improving their vocabularies. We found a menu and wrote as many synonyms for "vomit" as we could think of. I helped them conjure esoteric words like "upchuck," "honk," and many other technical terms. Educational AND amusing, right? Mrs. B squawked at me for doing such disgusting things. I felt that I added at least 100 points to their ACT English vocabulary scores. All of these locations were eventually closed, and The Claim Company ceased to exist some time in the 1990s. Then a few years ago, the Claim Company reopened at new location in Northbrook Court. Former Claim Company employees ran this new incarnation; and from what I understand, they used the same recipes and business methods as the original owners'. Apparently the original owners never trademarked their stuff. But they never offered deals - so Mr Scrooge did not visit them very much. Until New Years' Eve on 31 December 2013. A bit of nostalgia, but without our grown children. We went there early in the evening and the place was only about 1/3 filled. We both ordered their Motherlode and kinda looked around. A few observations: 1. The place has a clumsy layout with two entrances: one from the mall, and one from the outside. If you enter via the mall, you need to navigate past a maze of tables and fixtures to reach the receptionist. 2. The salad bar is sparse, and it has all kinds of warnings that you may not share with others, and it cost something like $12.99 for a handful of things. I'm sure that the food was OK, but it seemed to offer very little. Meat, chicken, etc. cost more. 3. The place is nicely decorated in a faux Western motif with rough wooden tables, western drawings, etc. 4. The service is efficient and knowledgeable. 5. The Motherlode seems to be the same as I recall it from the mid-70s, EXCEPT the sandwich is now on a standard plate. There is nothing wrong with the Claim Company nor its food. But there is nothing compelling either. Give me a deal, discount, or incentive; and I will return. My prissy wife did not allow me to play any educational vocabulary games with her. Feh!
(3)Michael P.
I really like the food here there hasn't been one time where I didn't enjoy but it seems like I always get stuck with the worst waitress on the floor
(3)Jimmy M.
Let me start by saying that I was looking for a steakhouse. I thought this was one walking in. It's not. I had the Cajun egg rolls to start... there is nothing Cajun about them. They had very little flavor. They were just chicken and cheese in an eggroll. Then I had the "motherlode" burger. It kind of bothered me right offf the bat that the waiter couldn't even tell me how big the burger is. If you call your burger "The Motherlode", you should be able to tell someone the size. His response was, "Well, it's pretty big". The burger was a solid "okay" as far as burgers go. I had the onion roll and goat cheese. The cheese really set it off. I also paid extra to have a fried egg added to it. The fried egg was finally brought out to me when I was half done with the burger, on its own plate. All in all, I would not fear going back, but I wouldn't go out of my way to make a return visit.
(3)Patrick M.
My son and I were both very pleased with the quality of out cheeseburgers. Great choice or breads toppings and cheese. I am pretty picky about burgers and these ones are among the best in the area.
(4)Dan S.
This place has one of my all time favorite salad bars as well are great burgers and sandwiches. I come from the north side of the city just for their salad bar. Also I'm a big fan of French onion soup and theirs is pretty spot on.
(5)Theresa C.
How often do you get your favorite restaurant back? I always get the same thing - steak sandwich. So sad when the chain closed but so glad to have it back. I know they are known for their salad bar and motherload but the steak sandwich is so good I can't risk it - the secret is the sauce.
(4)Beckie R.
They were extremely nice and let us come in before they closed and kept the salad bar opened for us until we finished. The waiter was extremely nice and the food is amaZing. They have a great salad bar
(5)Yatin P.
I came here with my fiance after spending some time window shopping at the mall that this place is a part of. What initially attracted us to this place was that they serve a variety of things including Nachos (which my fiance loves) and Burgers (which I love). I'll admit the overall decor and them can get a little cheesy, the South/Old West them is overplayed throughout. But I can easily get over the cheesy atmosphere if the food and service is great. The Food It's not bad at all, the nachos were delicious. They indicate on the menu that the beans are vegetarian (something other restaurants leave out) which is a happy sight to see if you are in fact vegetarian. Besides the cheese, the toppings for the nachos all come on the side in little cups which will annoy some and be great for others. Fresh jalapenos (if you ask for them) are delicious with the nachos. The burger I ordered was pretty good, not excellent - but for $10 I got a veggie burger topped with everything to my liking, even Avocado which is almost always an up-charge elsewhere. It's not a small burger either, its a pretty good size and you definitely get your $10 worth. I opted for the fries instead of the "Claim Chips" and they were not that great - seemed like your basic crinkle cut fries you could get in a frozen bag. Next time i'll probably just try the Claim Chips. Besides the fries, I found a piece of Avocado in my burger that was over ripe (dark gray). Nothing I couldn't fix by just removing that piece, though I do wish they had never put it in there in the first place. The Service The server we got was great, came by often to check on us, fill water, etc. which is exactly what I would like to see when coming to a restaurant like this. I had no issues with the service at all. Overall, I think its a decent place to eat. I would eat here again if I was in the area, but it's not really the kind of restaurant I would make a special trip just to eat here for.
(3)Mukund B.
Very cool joint. Am a fussy guy but their service, food and ambience were impeccable. I did the Turkey Chili, Blackened Tuna and Claim Chips and everything was good. Recommend!
(5)MaryEllen S.
This place is so tired. The carpeting and upholstery are just filthy they need to be replaced even cleaning wouldn't be enough. As other reviewers of mentioned, the menu is just too large for all the food to be good. Stick with the burgers and you'll do okay but don't try the Mexican food. The burrito and fajitas were disappointing to say the least. One positive notice that the service was very friendly and efficient. All in all it's a much better idea to go to Champps at Old Orchard.
(1)Megan K.
The worst service I've ever had. Couldn't understand why so many people were there. The food was nothing special, maybe bc it was wrong, but I'll never go back.
(1)shi d.
Okay, so after waiting a few months, I went back. I am happy to report that the lady hovering around the salad bar, or the salad bar nazi as I called her, is GONE! That is the only major improvement. The salad bar has gotten a teeny bit better, but the prepared salads are always so mayo laden. If you are coming here for the salad bar, come around 11:30am. That's when it is the freshest!
(2)Joel A.
I grew up on the original on Clark Street in Chicago and this restaurant isn't the same but it is a great replacement! I always order my cottage chips a little undercooked at they taste the best with the center raw. The Morherload is a great burger. I prefer it on a pretzel bun. One of the best salad bars in the world can be found here.
(5)Mike A.
We came here last week with another family and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Positives: Excellent burgers and superb wings (app). Nice variety of items on the menu and the salad bar is great. Yes some point out that's it one trip, but lets face it for $4 add-on, most places just bring you a side salad: so quite your bitching. Negatives: Service was poor and the waitress always seemed to be in a hurry and refills, checking on our meals,etc was almost nonexistent. We basically had to flag her down for everything. The kids pizza, which 2 kids ordered, looked and tasted like a cheap frozen pizza. No reason why something so simple can't be made on site. Overall: Its a great option in the mall and we will most likely return. Giving 4 stars, when service was so poor, is a stretch, but except for that and the kids pizza, everything was very good.
(4)Caveat E.
We Had an early dinner at this place in Dec of 13' on a semi busy night. The 4 dollar salad, that is a small plate with a strict rule of only 1 trip to the salad bar. Now listen up.. That $4 salad... When the waitress comes by again with a larger plate becomes a $7.00 salad UPSELL (with a larger plate). Seriously, who does that to customers? Who makes their waitress do that to customers? That kind of cheap will give any restaurant a bad image and is just desperate and stupid in my humble opinion. My medium-Well burger was not cooked on the inside and because of the low lighting I could not tell how 100 percent RAW and UNcooked my burger was on the inside. Think about this, I'm 1/2 through eating, and I discover I'm eating RAW hamburger meat!!!! No matter how " Prime" they claim their meat to be... What ever that term "prime" means anyway..? It's fricken RAW hamburger meat!! I sent it back not to re-cook but for health and safety reasons, as I wanted a MGR to see what the cooks are doing (or NOT doing) back there in the kitchen. Was sick to my stomach thinking about eating raw hamburger meat, and with a 60.00 bill and a full tip (not the waitresses fault) I never received an apology (from a Mgr.) or even an offer to Comp at least my burger. That same night, I placed a call to speak with the manager because I was worried for other customers/ kids and he didn't take my call (too busy) and I never received any call back. What does that tell you about their concern for customers? It's for these reasons that I choose to not eat there ever again.
(1)Arletta C.
Located in Norhtbrook Court mall. A good place to take co-workers/colleagues! The food was yum! The service was great!
(4)Howard C.
We like Claim Company. I remember coming here as a kid, then it went away, and now its back. Great salad bar. Really good burgers and chicken sandwiches. Can't beat the unlimited topping aspect as I love all that special crap on my sandwiches. Lots of breads to choose from, good muffins, just yummy. Oh, and they have Diet Sprite on tap!!! No one has Diet Sprite on tap and they do! Thank you Claim Company for bringing me one of my favorite soft drinks.
(4)Lolia S.
A local dining institution, The Claim Company is known for its build your own gourmet burgers (Motherlode burgers) and its salad bar (the Salad Saloon - it's no Fresh Choice but is sizeable). The portions are generous like you'd expect from a family friendly old time Southwestern theme. It reminded me of Chili's. The décor is busy -it's meant to capture the look of their three previous locations. The menu includes burgers (beef, chicken, turkey, veggie, tuna), salads, grilled meat, and sandwiches. * Tuna steak Motherlode burger - you can choose the bread, cheese, toppings and sauces ($9.99) and it comes with a side of plain thin potato chips. I chose a pretzel roll, blackening spice, mushrooms and sautéed onions. The pretzel roll was the best part - fluffy, soft, chewy, slightly sweet, no salt on top. I asked for the tuna steak to be cooked medium rare, but it was still dry on the edges. They put very little blackening spice on the extra thick slab of tuna. The tuna was definitely bland. The soy wasabi dipping sauce didn't taste like soy or wasabi. * Mozzarella sticks - these were big plump sticks, the cheese is wrapped in won ton wrappers, so it they sticks look like slim egg rolls, the skin had little flavor, the marinara sauce was okay. My soda was watered down and flat tasting. I expected a little more from a local institution. Maybe it used to be a lot better.
(2)Dena H.
Great food and service was outstanding. The BBQ sauce is amazing whether it is on the pulled pork or chicken wrap. A lot of fresh veggie and salad dressing variety at the salad bar. The ice cream cake is yummy and can serve several. Very reasonably priced and we were seated promptly with a party if 8. My kids love the homemade chips also.
(4)Isabelle L.
The highlight here is the build your own burger with no restriction on the number of toppings you can add. For about $10 you can make a decent rather gourmet burger and the meat is good. But that's the only highlight. The service is OK but don't expect a smile or a lot of attention. The dining room is really not appealing and almost cafeteria style and when it's packed with a few large parties it's quite noisy. Bottom line, OK burgers but don't expect much of an experience.
(3)Brian B.
Stopped here for lunch because I needed to pick up a gift card inside the mall. Was decent overall. The french onion soup was good but average. I had one of the motherlode burgers where you name what you want on them and the type of bun. It was a decent burger I guess. The place was not very full that afternoon but the service was very good.
(3)D W.
I used to come here years ago when it was open in Chicago, and at Northbrook Court. I liked the atmosphere better then, darker, more woody, and authentic. Salad bar back then seemed to be more extensive, and burgers were large and quite delicious. Maybe it was an off nite, but I found the burger to be not impressive. The bun was cold, and my medium rare burger was also a bit cold as well. I was looking forward to an extraordinary burger, and what I got was not that. I may go back again someday, but not for awhile.
(2)Irene Z.
Came here recently for lunch with coworkers. None of us had been here before and were excited to try it out. We weren't disappointed. We asked what their specialty was...and our server told us their burgers and their salad bar, and/or pretty much anything with their bbq sauce. I settled on a prime burger, so did one coworker, and the other 2 chose the unlimited salad bar and bowl of soup. We were all happy. My burger was cooked perfectly. They have a great variety of bread (I had mine on pretzel bread...which I don't see often on menus, so that was a plus for me), cheese, and unlimited toppings. My burger came with their house chips, which were delicious, and still crispy after eating leftovers for dinner. Portions are generous. My coworker also enjoyed her burger. The two coworkers who had the salad bar said it had a great variety including cold pastas and also breads (muffins, cornbread, etc.). I almost asked for a single trip to the salad bar after I saw what they brought back on their plates...it looked so good. Service was great. Our server was attentive, polite, and helpful. We didn't have to wait for drinks and he was quick to bring new plates for the salad bar. Ambiance is very 'western' and suited to the restaurant. There were a few families there and it seems like a good place to go if you want a good meal with the kids after/before shopping around the mall. All in all, a great lunch, and I'll definitely be back again for lunch and maybe even dinner.
(4)George W.
We love this place. Extremely nice staff. Very kid friendly. Many restaurants in the area place families in a kid ghetto in another - usually unpleasant - room (you know, so they do t bother the real customers). This angers us since we usually spend a LOT to take our family out to eat (5 very well behaved children). Claim Company treats us great. There is something on the menus for everyone and the burgers are excellent - moist and flavorful. This is our family's favorite place to eat.
(4)Rob W.
Really more of a 3.5 star place, but part of my criticism is the interior itself, which has little to do with food or service, so I rounded up. Ok - the ambience - it's a little cheesy and chainish. I do like the old place better in that respect - much more charm and class. But if the food is good, I can overlook it and in this case I do. The "Motherlode" is still a great char-broiled burger with numerous options for variations. I've always received it cooked correctly and nicely presented. It's a pretty good value at $9.99 when many burgers are a little more pricey nowadays. I also enjoy the chicken quesadillas as an appetizer - their salsa complements them well. I usually sit at the bar when I go there and service is cordial, though sometimes spotty. I enjoy the new Claim Company and feel that their burger is one of the better ones in Chicago - welcome back.
(4)Alexis A.
Um.. the only reason to go here is for their burgers, which are pretty good. Their salad bar sucks. Especially in comparison to most other restaurants with such a self-proclaimed amazingly fantastical salad bar option. I've sat down in this restaurant once for a meal, and have had take-out a few times. The waiter I had was really cheesy and laughed at his own failed jokes one too many times. The atmosphere is pretty tacky too. There is really no "pizzaz" to this place. It is in no way memorable and nothing tempts me to come back again for a sit down meal. I work in the mall so it's easy to get take-out, but a lot of times I've noticed they aren't on top of their orders. And once I asked for specific sides on my burger, which I did not get. OH! I almost forgot to mention that they serve the rarest burgers I've ever seen. I ask for medium-rare every time, and yet every time it appears much more pink that what I asked for. I'm not sure if this is a bad thing because it definitely didn't taste bad, nor did it make me sick... but it just wasn't what I wanted. So they could work on being more conscious of preparing their orders. The best part about takeout from Claim Co. is stealing handfuls of chocolate mints at the hostess desk while i wait a good 10-15 minutes for my order that I called in for over an hour before picking up.
(2)John E.
I don't eat here often, but when I do I always feel like I get my money's worth. The salad bar is varied, fresh and good. The hamburgers are prepared the way I want it, and the fries are good and crispy.
(5)Max E.
The Claim Company is a decent place to go for lunch at Northbrook Court. There is something on the menu for everyone, and the prices are quite bearable. I had the tuna melt, which was quite tasty.
(4)Sandra B.
There are so many fabulous restaurants in the suburbs, why settle for mediocre. I've eaten here numerous times when my husband and I meet for dinner with his family. His family had zero taste in restaurants lol the salad bar is ok but often the lettuce has brown edges. The food is not fresh and nothing is natural, I break out in hives from artificial chemicals and preservatives and always react here. This is the second time this restaurant has opened in northbrook court, perhaps they should have stopped when they were ahead. If you want a delicious, fresh meal try di pescara which is also in northbrook court. You will be happy you did.
(2)Randal R.
Decent burger place with a nice salad bar. The burgers are fine, nothing special, but it's nice that you can put any toppings you want on your burger without any up-charge. It was also nice to see that they offered gluten free buns, as my mother is gluten intolerant so she was actually able to enjoy a burger with a bun for a change. I also did the salad bar add on to the burger, which was a nice way to start the meal. Tons of options on the salad bar, and a very large selection of dressings and pasta salads too. The star of the meal for me though was the potato chips. They were crispy and delicious!
(3)Beverly R.
One trip to the salad bar with a sandwich is not great when the sandwich comes while you barely had a chance to eat the salad. Sent back the food while we ate our salad. When the sandwiches were brought out, the buns were over toasted and 2 of the 3 sandwiches came out wrong. When the second sandwich came out wrong the third time, we knew there was a Big problem in the kitchen. Although our waiter was so apologetic, the manager said 600 meals come out correct, guess ours didn't. Although we like the menu, location and price, we won't be back.
(1)Martin B.
Several weeks ago my wife and son and I sat down at The Claim Company in Northbrook. The restaurant was almost empty, yet it took our waiter a half an hour to come up to our table and take our order. He was standing several feet away from our table, but continued in conversations with others. I was thinking: did I say or do something to offend him, neh that couldn't be. Anywho, then it took another half hour for my mediocre blackened catfish sandwich to come out. By this time my wife already had her salad from the bar. At the end of our lunch I had to find my tattoo-covered waiter myself because he was nowhere to be found, and after more than 90 minutes of bad expereince I just wanted to go. I found him sitting down at the bar watching TV and talking to other people. Nice!
(1)Andrew M.
I am pretty sure Claim Company ships their food in from Appleby's and marks it up 30%. I know people around here like it plain and bland, but this place is ridiculous. I'd like to re-Claim the $30 I spent on dinner. Stay far away.
(1)Kelly E.
Great burger and salads. We really like their food. LOUD. Romper room, kid friendly, but not relaxing for kid free adults. Always so busy that there is a long wait and waitstaff is moving a mile a minute and hard to track down. Great location at Northbrook Court. Decent prices.
(3)Karen K.
Very poor restaurant. I feel like it is a place that could be featured on those reality shows where a famous chef rescues a failing establishment. Their menu is so big it can't all be fresh. The fajitas were atrocious. Marinated in a disgusting extra salty dark brown liquid. The salmon sandwich features the ends of salmon filets. It's a joke. Why does a BBQ western place serve pizza?!? Service was extremely friendly.
(1)Sherwin C.
Solid burgers and sandwiches which are prepared nicely although the sides aren't always great. Since the food choices within the mall aren't that good, this is probably one of the best choices for dining if you don't want to leave the mall area.
(4)Daniel L.
I've been here a handful of times and liked it well enough even if I wasn't blown away. It's the only optional salad bar I know of within 10 minutes of the area (other than Sweet Tomatoes where everyone has to pay to get in whether you want salad bar or not). However, while I had noticed the average Yelp reviews for this place it took me a few trips to see the problems with it for myself: The prices are just a little too much for the quality of food. Nothing is under $10 and the average dish is $15 and yet it's not always very fresh food. I had wilted lettuce on a burger once and browning guacamole with my quesadilla another time. The prices are almost a premium but the food is not. Also the wait staff, while friendly and well intending, do not all seem like they've been doing it for very long. All these problems are are only exacerbated by how the place is always very slow which gives a cavernous, ghost town feel to the prospector themed decor.
(3)Lawrence H.
I'd eaten at several different place on movie excursions to Northbrook Court, but had never spotted The Claim Company until this past weekend. Scanning the menu posted outside, the extensive southwestern offerings, plus a salad bar, looked promising. So, after the movie, in I went. The salad bar seemed a popular choice, but having spotted a soft taco choice on the menu, that's what I had a taste for. A pleasant, friendly hostess/waitress led me through the pleasantly darkened room to a table; western decor everywhere. The meal came quickly; of the meat choices (ground beef, pork, chicken), I'd opted for the chicken, which was nicely spiced or marinated. Accompanied by a generous rice side and refried beans (does anyone really like those?), the tacos came with guacamole, sour cream and salsa, all of which added to the tastiness of the main course. While the dining room got decently populated, the noise level and overall ambience never got annoying, and the men's room was immaculate. Overall, my visit to The Claim Company was a very positive experience, and the menu options almost demand a second try, and maybe a third.
(4)Alex K.
Nothing to write home about - your typical Applebee's / Friday's fare, but with a hefty mark up because it's attached to a mall.
(2)Peter S.
I remember eating here a bunch of times, as a kid, and I think the menu has improved quite a bit, minus the intimate atmosphere (both a plus and a minus). We went there on Memorial Day, later in the evening, so the staff looked tired - but they still marched on. The BBQ pulled-chicken sandwich I ordered, was one of the best I've had, North of Tennessee. My groups shared an artichoke, everyone enjoyed their entreés, and my friends devoured their dessert. There are a few other items on their menu, which I would like to try, so we'll definitely be going back.
(4)Amy G.
As a kid, I loved going to both Claim Company locations in 900 North Michigan Ave. and Northbrook Court while out in the 'burbs visiting my grandparents. The north suburban favorite has been revived with its ample salad bar, huge burgers, homemade chips, and some great Tex-Mex classics added to the menu. For those that are into delicious, perfectly seasoned, juicy beef burgers, the Claim Company is a dream. Their Motherlode burger is freakin' epic and comes with as many delicious, premium toppings--from caramelized onions and barbecue rub to Maytag bleu cheese--as you want with no add-on to the base price. The only extra charges are for tangy Wisconsin cheddar spread or a fried egg atop the sandwich of your carnivorous fantasies. All sandwiches (whether you get a Motherlode burger, grilled chicken patty, tuna steak, or veggie burger) come with a side of chips and the option to swap that for French fries, sweet potato fries, creamy cole slaw, baked potato, or baked sweet potato. For an additional $3.99, you get an aluminum platter that you can load as many delicious greens, vegetables, fruits, quick breads, and dressings on as your gluttonous little heart desires. I'm partial to the mixed greens with tomatoes, bacon bits, shredded carrots, jicama, sunflower seeds, and fried onion strips with garlic-herb vinaigrette. Make sure to save space on your plate for fresh strawberries and melon and mini corn- and blueberry-muffins. Desserts are hit or miss. If your palate requires something a little sweet after gorging on all that meat, Claim Company offers two to three bite "shots" featuring their most popular dessert offerings. So, with the solid makings for an awesome burger joint, why the three stars? The inconsistent service. Go on a quiet night and you'll receive pretty solid service with the occasional fumble. On a busy night? This popular establishment, especially since it's in a mall, seems way, way understaffed. The space can also get loud with so many young families. And, finally, I think the restaurant is still working out ordering--occasionally the salad bar just runs out of popular items (ahem, bacon bits) that are expected in a place famed for its great offerings.
(3)Erik J.
The Motherload burger is fantastic. Its a make it your own with many choices. You can choose a pretzel roll bun and their famous bbq sauce to put on your burger. Another amazing thing there is their homemade chips. you dip one into their bbq sauce and it tastes Amazing! They also have a Motherload Challenge witch is a 3 and a half pound burger!
(5)Len L.
Passing thru town and decided to grab a bite at the mall. The french onion soup in this weather was my deciding factor to order one. It was pretty good because the soup was not too salty. I also ordered the bbq chicken quesadilla which filled me up. This combination was a perfect match for a cold afternoon.
(3)Jim P.
My wife and I ate here and then had the McGurgles afterward while watching a movie. No good. The ambience is cheesy, the waiters push the $3.99/single trip salad bar too hard and the sandwiches were LAME. My wife had a chicken wrap that was incredibly plain. No flavor, fell apart with too much moisture. I figured that fajitas would be safe but even they were disappointing. There was little to no good flavor even when I loaded on the "salsa" they provided. We will NOT be back. I understand that it was a Northbrook institution a long time ago but things must've gone downhill hard.
(1)Annie C.
Had the mozzarella stick appetizer, appetizing indeed. Instead of breading, egg roll skins were used. Pretty yummy. Onto the main course. The Motherlode. Top your burger anyway you please. It wasn't a good lode. Disguising burgers with toppings is a way to cover up the bland taste of your burger. The ironic part is that even with all the toppings, I could still taste the blandness of my burger. The only saving grace was that you could chose which type of bun you wanted, and they had multigrain, which was fantastic. I went to this restaurant having high hopes, but was greatly disappointed. Not to mention, the plates that were given to us were dirty. We asked for another one, and that was one dirty as well. So, if you are in the mood for creative mozarella sticks and a bland burger with TONS of topping options on dirty plates, take a gander at The Claim Company.
(2)Drew W.
Pretty good. Took a lady friend there for an early Monday (5;00pm) evening dinner, Not crowded, though they were filling up as we left. Mix of young families and older (some rather cantakerous) diners. Food was good, yes the decor is a cleaned up version of a trapped in the late 70s RJ Grunts ish kinda thing, but hey I respect the fact they are honoring the heritag eof the place. And it is clean. Salad bar is good, as big as a Sweet Tomatoes...no as good...on some levels yes. Toppings interesting. Burgers good, good sized, a lil pricey. Yes, a little expensive, but pretty good overall. Staff is a little suburban mall chainy inexperienced, but about what I expected. Woudl I go there again, sure, would I rush? No.
(3)Matt W.
The old days are gone.... While the owners have tried to recreate an old favorite, execution isn't there. The salad bar is a simple array of ingredients found at your local grocery store's do it yourself - minus some items. Not worth it. The restaurant was snugly fit into a former retailer's space on the second floor of Northbrook Court Mall, and doesn't have much soundproofing, so with minimal traffic the place gets a bit loud. The hailed Motherload burger was OK, appetizer of fried zucchini came out with mushrooms that were over-cooked & dry (we requested they leave those out, but who listens anymore?), and the chicken was nothing special. It may be OK for a mall restaurant, but I won't be returning based on the food or ambience.
(2)Jen S.
This place sucks. It should not exist in the same mall as a Tiffany and Louis Vuitton. So, it's Friday even and we like taking the kiddo out because she loves going to restaurants. I figure that this place is probably like the Claim Jumper that closed in Wheeling - kid friendly, but with food good enough for me to eat, too. WRONG! So, the hostesses were all wearing sleeveless tops. It's 90 degrees out, and I'm not offended by a bare shoulder or two, so whatever - however, the manager was yelling at them about it while we were trying to get a table. Not exactly a great way to walk into a place I've never been before, but I didn't give it much thought. Our waitress needed a serious attitude adjustment. I could see her rolling her eyes when she walked to our table and I'm assuming it was because we had a small child. She happens to be a very well behaved and we clean up any of the food that might accidentally fall on the floor on its way to her mouth. The food is terrible. I got the fajitas because there was a sign that said they were the "best in town." They're not - not even close. We never got drink refills. WAY too expensive - $50 for dinner for three. And another waiter had to come and cash us out because after the waitress gave us the bill, she disappeared, never to be seen again. And I mean, NEVER, because we'll never go there again.
(2)Anthony M.
It's a shame to see other people had a bad experience. I had lunch here today and I was very pleased. The Motherload burger I had was awesome. I suppose if someone had a bland burger, they chose bland options. For my burger I took a page out of Kuma's and replicated the Mastodon (pretzel bun, cheddar, fried onions, Claim Company sauce). Again, the burger was awesome and one of the tastiest I've ever had. And it's good to know I can have a Kuma's burger without the Kuma's wait. The decor is acceptable for the theme, but the sectioned off bar would be my preferred choice for seating. I would hope other CC's menu items are as good, but I might never know cause I can't pass up that burger! Other points go to: -Mini pepper grinder and Claim Company sauce (yum!) at each table. -Server provided extra napkins without a request. -Dark atmosphere in sectioned off bar area. -Big clean bathroom. If this place ever gets Guinness on tap and waffle fries, I'd nut!
(4)Cheryl G.
Luv, Luv, Luv Claim Company! I went here a couple nights ago with the family. The food is out of this world! One of my favorite dishes to get here is the BBQ Chicken Wrap. This is a flour tortilla wrap that has BBQ chicken, romaine lettuce, fried onions, monterey jack cheese, and ranch dressing. In addition, with your meal you have got to go to the salad bar. They have a wide variety of salads, dressings, muffins roles etc. So good! The only problem I have with this restaurant is that at times you can have a wait to get a table. You should plan early and reserve a table on opentable!
(4)Adam B.
Great salad bar. Decent food. Decent service. It's just not what it used to be back in the day or last year year even. It's good though, but it's missing something. I'd give it an extra half star for the salad bar though!
(3)Leah B.
This is a great place to go if you are gluten free because they have gluten free buns for their sandwiches. The food is decent, there is better in the area but I would definitely recommend going here if you are craving a burger and are gluten free. The sweet potato fries are also really good.
(4)Minah L.
anal. the restaurant policy about not sharing salad is standard, yes. but it is only standard when the salad bar is unlimited. there was one option where you could only get salad ONCE. and you still couldn't share? i don't get it.. it's like any other entree then.. no? either way.. the waitress there was sooo anal.. she was all up on our asscracks. eeeeeek. not a good feeling when you're trying to enjoy lunch. SWEET POTATO FRIES-- i'm not a fan of Cinnamon but they sprinkled some cinnamon on their fries. i have to say, it was a pleasant surprise. nowhere have i ever had sweet potato fries with cinnamon on it. good combination. thumbs up for that one. CLAIM BURGER-- definitely get it with the pretzel bun. it gives it a unique look and taste. and you can CLAIM you've had a pretzel bun now. (was that too lame? hehehehe) anyways.. burger was juicy!! excellento! the COLE SLAW on the other hand.. was oddddddd. and way too green for my liking. tasted like wasabi though. if you were expecting KFC's or Popeye's cole slaw-- let me warn you now-- that is NOT what you are going to get. SALAD-- wide variety. loved their pasta salads!! oh what was the best part?? THEIR CHOCLATE MINT THINGS AT THE FRONT. my friends and i were so addicted to it, it's not even funny. actually it was funny when we tried to take a handful and the hostess was standing right there. BAHAHAHA. i want some more.
(3)Justin T.
Haven't eaten here in years. I had a burger it was a typical burger, kids had hot dogs. Service was good. Wife had a taco Salad, key word being SALAD! Now modt salads have a variety of vegetables plus add the salad shell/bowl and taco meat and you have your taco salad. This had 80 percent spicy ground beef and no real salad to speak of, my wife ate half of it and then pushed it away. I tried it and found it to be unappealing and not very tasty. So if your going to eat here dont have the taco salad. The salad bar is probably the best thing going here.
(2)Ronni G.
A blast from the past. Jim Errant's western themed Claim Company has been resurrected by people who know what they're doing. Not only did they bring back the famous Motherlode sandwich but it now comes as a veggie burger or tuna steak in addition to the delicious hamburger. The generous salad bar has been modernized to include tofu and several light salad dressings. The pork carnitas are just the thing if, like me, you have a taste for heat. One thing that fails to please are the discount Margaritas which taste like cheap grocery store powdered mix. Do yourself a favor, and order a beer instead. Also, waits for tables get quite long on the weekends after 6pm. Do yourself a favor, and call for preferred seating(their alternative to a reservation.) if you're arriving after 5:30pm.
(4)Simone G.
Good Burgers. Good big salad bar. And good service. Done
(4)Liezl P.
We decided to dine here after a day of shopping for it was conveniently located inside Northbrook court. None of the entrees sounded to appealing, and the salad bar was small and too crowded, so I ordered "The Motherload" (Build your own burger), and it was deeelicious! I'm a sucker for burgers on pretzel rolls (you can also find them at Kuma's Corner and Cravin). So when I saw that option on the bread list, I was sold! I also tried the steamed whole artichoke, which I had fun eating, but my dinner mate did not really enjoy it. We did however both like the sweet potato fries. I would go back if I were in the area and had a taste for a burger. Tip: If you want a more peaceful dining experience, you may want to chose a table in the bar area. Not to many kids running around in there :)
(4)David G.
Pretty good but significantly over-priced. $13 for a salad bar? $10 for an appetizer of wings? Come on.
(4)Biancs R.
im a vegan so its hard to eat out. but damnnnnnn. i chose the build your own burger and you could put as many toppings as you want free of charge. this was awesome because usually places charge like a dollar or more extra per boss toppings like avocado or grilled onions ect. anyways, i got a veggie burger with avocado, onions, tomato, lettuce, mushrooms, and some sauce. IT WAS DELICIOUS! best veggie burger of my life (maybe tied with Champs. Champs makes a mean South of the Border Veggie Burger). ANDDD i chose the sweet potato fries as my side. YUM! oh and the iced tea is unsweetened and delicious. this place is my new favorite. If you are vegan, eat healthy(ish), or just LOVE good food...this is the place.
(5)Will R.
Love the wraps. We have 3 kids. Every time the grandparents come in town, we go. It is loud which makes it great for families with kids. Adults only should head to the bar area. Always packed.
(4)xiaoyan y.
Love their french onion soup~~It's kinda pity that they dont put it with salad buffet for lunch~
(3)Randy S.
I loved the original claim company. The new version is just ok. Always a long wait, bad service, food quality is so so. I really want this to be a better experience but it seems like the owners and managers just don't care. They don't have to because it always seems to be busy
(2)Jeff M.
This is a pretty good American sandwich, burger, and salad bar restaurant. Their Motherlode burgers are only ordered in a completely choose-the-ingredients-yourself fashion, which I am usually not a fan of, but for burgers, it does make sense, since we all seem to know exactly how we want our burgers done. It's a fairly large burger (10oz), and it does seem like it is formed by machine, given how perfectly shaped the edges were. However, the burger was cooked to perfection, I asked for medium rare and it was medium rare...so many times restaurants give me a medium burger. They have a plastic toothpick that says the doneness, just like ordering a steak at most restaurants. The burger was great, it was not complicated, just cooked the way it should be with the ingredients I wanted (egg bun, lettuce, tomato, sauteed onion, avocado, bacon, blue cheese). The burger comes with chips that are made in house, which were very thin, crisp, and good. You can also order a tuna steak burger, which was also very good..normally cooked medium rare, I'm not sure if they would cook it rare though. I also wanted to try the salad bar, which was definitely above average, but I'm not sure if it was worth the $4 for a single trip. It included baby shrimp, hearts of palm, artichokes, edamame, bacon, fried onion, asian slaw, banana-nut muffins, and more, among the regular items. If I'm in the area and I want a burger, I'm definitely coming back.
(4)Vera Lynn W.
I want to like this place. I really do. I loved it back in the 80s. Its not terrible, its just not good. Everything is just ok. Mediocre. The owners (Michael and Arnie) don't know basic customer service. They are indifferent and cold. The salad bar that claims to have 75 different items counts every flavor of salad dressing as an item. Really? The bartenders are hit or miss. Some are good, some not so much. The girl has the personality of a worm. One of the men seemed to be slightly inebriated. The wait staff is hit n miss. Some are good, some not so much. If I didn't work near here, I wouldn't frequent this place. Plus its a lot of money for what you get.
(2)Amy A.
I am so happy the Claim company is back!!!! I have had the Motherload there, which didn't change at all! I have also had the veggie burger which is very good. I commend the owners for making changes to the restaurant, so it is not as loud. I feel too many people come on to yelp to complain. Use your own judgement and give it a shot. I will still go back when I'm in the area! The only reason I do not rate the restaurant 5 stars, is because the bathroom seems to be a mess every time I go there.
(4)Doug C.
I was a fan of The Claim Company in the old days and I'm even more of one now. The salad bar is one of the best around and constant attention by staff on every visit assured that the lettuce was crisp and all ingredients fresh. I have to say, though, that my favorite meal is the appetizer of BBQ Chicken Quesadillas along with some potato skins. I'm also a fan of their Motherload turkey burger and their fajitas which, are as delicious as those served at a number of my favorite Mexican restaurants. One downside on the menu is the Cajun egg rolls. I found them overspiced and underflavored. Another downside is the crowding (typical for other mall restaurants at peak times), and particularly the noise level when the restaurant is full. Even so, the waitstaff, including the bartenders, on each one of my visits has been wonderful. Can't say the same for the sullen hostesses, usually twenty-somethings, who all seem like they would rather be somewhere else and have no real interest in putting on a happy-face to greet and seat their customers.
(4)L H.
The main attraction here is definitely the burger and salad bar. It's a little pricey for a burger, but if you want a good, juicy burger and a salad bar with a nice assortment, this is a great option. I wouldn't expect other items to be as strong. Get the pretzel bun. The kid's burger isn't made from the same high quality meat as full-size, so get the big one or lower your expectations.
(4)Steve D.
I was so happy to hear that the Claim Company was coming back. I grew up on the Claim Company so I eagerly waited for the reopening. I've been there twice this week, the motherlode is a great burger. The salad bar has everything I remember as a kid. High quality and fresh. My son had the french onion soup that he loved. I wan't crazy about the decor, it seems a little too much like a cafeteria, but when I went back the second time I sat in the bar which was much nicer. Great place to grab a burger and beer while watching a ball game.
(4)Kristine C.
the WORST TAKE OUT SERVICE EVER!!! the woman that answered the phone was SUPER RUDE AND SUPER UNPLEASANT !! the food is good BUT BAD BAD SERVICE EVER!!
(2)Darlene L.
Yesterday... I remember the Claim Company of the 70's which was first located in Chicago and later in Northbrook. Always loved to go there on dates and with groups enjoying the famous Moterlode burger. Enough for nostalgia and on to the current Claim Company which does replicate the old menu to include a salad bar and the Motherlode. Greeters include officious 20 somethings who act like they enjoy the power of determining when you eat. We were 20 minutes Early for our reservation, curtly asked if our entire party was present, and then given a beeper. Ten minutes later our name was called and we were seated. The beeper never went off and when given to the seater, she seamed clueless. No one smiled from the moment of our arrival. The waiter was slow to arrive for our drink order. The Malbec by the glass tasted like plonk and was one of the most expensive by the glass offerings. Salad bar was ok but some items were inconveniently placed as trays were doubled up with the rear ones presenting a long reach. Had the turkey burger which was dry and hard. Waiter had to ask the kitchen if it was white, dark, or mixed meat. He reported white but I have my doubts. Others had the burgers which were fine and filled the plate requiring take home containers. A-OK for a shopping center stop but not a place to return to for burgers or salad bar as there are much better options for both.
(3)Joey B.
warning...went to claim company the other night with some students of mine (it's clear they don't enjoy waiting on teenagers and didn't realize I was much older than my students) they will charge you 18% gratuity if you have 6 people sit at a table if only 5 people order/eat...$11+ just cause I sat with a group of students...AND they are very serious about policing their salad bar, even accused one of my students of taking 2nds when it was a different girl who actually paid for unlimited...not a very gracious experience...will be second guessing my next trip to claim company... :(
(2)david l.
Not what I remembered about the old place. Long wait, average food and service. The place looks like the old Palm restaurant with a paint job.
(3)julie r.
So happy to have the Motherlode and Salad Bar back at Northbrook Ct! Lots of friendly and familiar faces at the front desk and throughout the place it is still a place to run into people and eat very well.
(4)Claudio V.
My wife worked at the mall a few years back before joining me in the real estate business. She tried this place while working there and fell in love with it. Once day she brought be here because we both love to try restaurants. Even now from time to time we make a trip from Chicago just to eat here. This is a great place for some BBQ sandwiches. While I can not say it is the best BBQ, it is very good. The food taste great. We have been here a number of times and the services is also great every time. If you are shopping at the mall or in the area looking for a great place to have a heavier lunch or dinner, I would recommend this place.
(4)Lauren K.
This was reminiscent of a crappy chain restaurant. I dunno, is it a chain resto? Service was below average at the bar. The bar tender was responsible for all of the tables in the bar area on a Saturday evening and then the entire bar. It was not his fault he was inattentive. My veggie burger was bland and flavorless. I liked the bread, but this is not the "bread company". I did like the mushrooms a top of the burger and the sweet potato fries. Overall this was underwhelming. I shall not return when I am starving in the mall.
(2)Randall K.
First time here. Saturday night and had an hour to kill while wife/child were at a (cartoon) movie. I hate buying a ticket for something that I will just sleep through, so found myself at Claim Company with my teen who also refused to see the "kid" movie. We had the pick of the tables because it was a religious event (Passover). I think normally a 30 min wait during weekend dinners is to be expected. The food was OK. Daughters caesar salad was decent. The onion rings I will pass on next time. My buffalo chicken wrap was really tasty. No desert ordered. All in all, I'd go back. Not a bad introduction.
(4)Angela S.
I tend to be a creature of habit when I frequent the same restaurant - that's because I hook into something that makes me want to go back. I would say I'm not the type who likes to experiment much with trying different menu items. I go back for the one thing that makes me happy. Otherwise, I'd rather just cook at home. However... Recently I stepped outside my usual Motherlode burger and salad and opted for a pulled pork BBQ sandwich with a side of homemade house chips. Considering that Highland Park has some darn good BBQ spots, especially one with a pulled pork sandwich I love, I was hesitant to try the sandwich here and figured it would only be mediocre. You know what? It was surprisingly really great. If you like a sweet sauce, then you'd like this. It was piled high with saucy meat, but for me the miss was the pretzel bun. Pretzel buns just don't hold up to moist sandwiches. I would have much preferred a different bun. Next time I order this sandwich I'll ask for a different bread. The chips here remind me of kettle cooked chips, but better. Not super salty and with a nice crispy crunch. Worth it just for the chips! So to wrap things up, I admit that the next time I come back I'm going to have a very hard time deciding whether to go beef burger or pulled pork. Regardless, these are my staples at Claim Company, and instead of ordering my usual sweet potato fries, bring on the chips!
(4)Mark Y.
Ordered a tuna steak sandwich. It was ok, service was good. They have a decent selection of local beers. A little pricey, but not exorbitant.
(3)Shirley Z.
I went in for a late lunch today. It took a long time to get a waiter for water, coffee. The coffee was luke-warm. Again, it took a search of the restaurant to find the waiter and ask for hot coffee. The steak sandwich was tough and full of gristle. It was a poor cut of meat. Cheese and toppings had been slapped on the meat, like at MacDonalds. After sitting there a half hour longer, I complained to the manager. He offered to get something else.However, I hadn't intended to spend the afternoon at the restaurant to try to round up decent service and food and let him know it. His attitude was, "OK, no charge for the meal" and he stomped off. Claim Company just lost a customer.
(1)Jess F.
They have great margarita's here. Something you wouldn't really expect from a restaurant like this. Their appetizers are great and food the same. Haven't had anything bad from here. Food is a little pricey so just keep an eye on how much and what you are ordering. Service at the bar is top notch and love sitting at the bar.
(4)Andrea H.
I have been here multiple times and each time it's just ok. The salad bar is so over priced, it is decent but not $14.00 worth. Our service has also been so-so every time, no waiter was ever outstanding. This last time I went it was just my boyfriend and I. We were seated right away which was nice but then put at a table right in the middle of everyone and right next to the dish dumping station. It was very noisy, there was a table full of kids yelling next to us which I understand isn't the restaurants fault but it just wasn't very relaxing and our waitress seemed to be just uninterested in her job. The food has always been great though. I've never had a bad dish and I know they make my moms favorite veggie burger. They have a bar area I've never been to and we would have preferred to sit in there this past time we went but it was closed for a private party so that wasn't happening. Based on my experience they'd probably get about 2 stars but I know my family likes it here and they do cook good food and I like the atmosphere so I'm giving it 3. Just haven't been impressed yet.
(3)Alex H.
Pretty consistent. Usually 10 minute wait to be seated only because it's packed every night. Service is great once seated. Salad bar is great and the motherlode burger has always been fantastic! Been back dozens of times.
(4)Dave V.
I have yet to have any food here so i will have to update in the future. However, several times we have come here to grab a couple drinks before dinner or whatever. The bartenders we have had have been a pleasure. The prices are not cheap but are not overly expensive for what you'd expect. I personally prefer dive spots cuz they are simple and cheap but the atmosphere here is pretty chill Check it out and yelp it
(3)Bradley B.
Don't bother paying 3.99 for the side salad for the one trip to the salad bar. The plate isn't big enough to hold a cracker. The motherlode has shrunk immensely and is now just another pedestrian hamburger. Oh yea, bring earplugs because it is very loud in there.
(3)T S.
Last night was my first visit to The Claim Company. My friend and I were there for an early dinner, looking forward to the salad bar. The restaurant was nice enough and our server was good, but I won't be going back. The salad bar was decent, but featured a lot of canned items. Unlike Sweet Tomatoes, the Claim Company's salad bar is an easy reach for small kids. As we sat and ate, children would go up to the salad bar and stick their hands into the offerings, and put the food right into their mouths, then walk down the salad bar, and pick up another delicacy. When one of the kids' grandparent told them not to do that, the boy put the food in his hand back into the serving container. UGH! I mentioned this to my server and she said that she is not allowed to tell kids not to handle the food. I also told the manager on duty, who was sympathetic, but not interested in doing anything about it. I told him that seeing kids' hands in my food makes me not want to return to the restaurant. His reply? "I don't blame you." Really? That's the official take on the situation? So, folks, order off the menu if you don't want kindergartners 'blessing' your food.
(1)Todd N.
It's hard not to expect the old claim company experience which to me meant big great burgers with great tipping choices. What I seemed to get was a skimpy version of that memory and just so so for the money. I could think of better places to go for a better experience.
(2)Robert G.
This is your prototypical suburban mall restaurant, complete with tired theme and average food. It's the type of place you bring your 5-year old and your 66-year old parents at the same time. It's a step above the Rainforest Cafe and two steps below a Portillos. It's the kind of place that's completely forgettable except for the weird entrance on the first floor, which leads to a stairway, which leads to, you guessed it, the restaurant waiting area. While we were prospecting for food at the Claim Company we noticed the service was quicker than most sit-down restaurants and the servers less personable than other restaurants. Do I blame the servers? At $3 an hour I will not be blaming a server for lacking motivation or personality. Thanks Claim Company, I can hardly remember why I walked through your door.
(3)Karma K.
I wish I could give CC five stars but sadly I compare it to the original ones on Michigan Avenue and Oak Brook and it's just not the same. I just don't like the ambiance. It's too sterile and cafeteria like. The old locations were comfy and made you want to stay and chat. That said, if you are a salad bar fan, CC has that down. Great options, always fresh and they keep it clean. I also love french onion soup. I'm sure it has a month's worth of calories, salt and fat but man is it tasty. Of course, besides their salad bar CC is known for their burgers and Claim sauce. I enjoy their veggie burger. Great bun that held it all together. I've never had a beef burger here but what I saw coming out of the kitchen looked legit. I'll return but I do miss the original locations. As Don Henley said "you can never go back."
(4)Bruce B.
I've eaten Motherlodes for decades, and lately have been eating their turkey burgers. They're all great. But I was looking for a change, so I ordered the fish tacos. OMG! They're as good or better than what's offered at the best specialty taco joints.
(5)Jimmy J.
Owners and management staff here are just plain dumb. We used to come here for the salad bar weekly but stopped. Why ? Because despite chArging 10 $ for it with no protein, they decided to reduce size of plate to a small 8" inch oval stainless plate. A plate so small, you can't build a salad and can't eat it without making a mess. I'm a restaurant owner and its the dumbest thing I've ever seen. What's even dumber is kids Salad bar which is limited to one trip on a small 7" plate is $7.99! While a burger n fries which cost them more is cheaper. .. Since the plate switch 1.5 yrs ago , ALL servers give us the old regular plates, no questions. Sunday, we got the server I've always been lucky to avoid. 5'3, unsettled hair, pot belly for the ages who said he can't give us the reg plates. I said then I'm leaving. He went to go talk to manager, I left anyways. Dark. Dreary place. Lame design. Dirty carpets. Owners without a clue.
(1)Rits M.
Not sure why it has just 3 stars. I came here with a group of work people, and we had the burgers. we told the waiter we had to be in and out in an hour and he was really obliging. I asked for the motherlode burger with merkt's cheese and it was truly amazing. Juiciest thing ever, great flavors. I had the sweet potato fries as well, they come out really well. Lots of space too, a great salad bar and very easy on the wallet. It's my go-to when Im in northbrook again. There weren't a lot of people there around lunchtime when I went, so you can definitely get priority. Waiter was good, didnt hover too much and made sure we were happy.
(5)Phillip C.
I've been here a few times and I enjoy it. It's kind of a stale, tired theme (western, gold rush, etc.), but I like to think that people don't come here for atmosphere, but rather the food. If you're looking for atmosphere that's actually a big part of the experience of dining, you're coming to the wrong place. Now, I've had better, yes, but these burgers aren't bad by any means. Friend and I were making a sale in the parking lot outside for car parts. It's as we typically do. We were hungry so we walked in and found this place. Entrance was... interesting. Long hallway to some short stairs to another hallway into the waiting area. Our waitress was friendly. She came by, asked us for drink orders, and I ordered a Black Butte Porter. I got a chilled glass within a few minutes. I ordered a burger with an egg and jalapenos. Beef was made to order (medium), and egg was also to order (over easy). Jalapenos were fresh, and served on the side instead of directly on the burger. I prefer it this way, but some people may not. Sweet potato fries were tasty, too. The prices are what you'd expect, but the portions are pretty fair for the size. The service was friendly and quick. The restaurant was clean and well lit. Music choice isn't quite my style (bit too country for me). I'd come back again. It won't impress you in any major way but it's a solid choice.
(4)M L.
The nachos were caked with a greasy, lumpy cheese that wanted to cling to the back of my throat for the next 12 hours. The Caesar wrap was microwaved chicken, bottled dressing, and iceberg lettuce, something you could make in two minutes from whatever happens to be on sale at the supermarket. I've had better wraps and nachos (for under $10 even, unlike this place). This is overpriced garbage. They had some decent beers on the menu that drowned out the awful taste and texture of the food. The server was polite and friendly.
(1)Randi W.
I rarely write reviews but I was so disappointed and I keep trying and wanting to like The Claim Company. The service is always above average but the food is only ok and the prices are way high. With a small child with Celiac disease I am always looking for our go to restaurant for lunch or dinner. The Claim Company was such a disappointment. My child is only three so when the gluten free options are chicken and ribs it never goes over well. I was glad to see they and gluten free bread so she had a peanut butter and jelly. There was so much jelly she wouldn't eat it and it all fell apart. Then I was shocked when I got the bill they charged me 1.95 extra for gluten free bread. We paid 7.99 for gluten free peanut butter and jelly and fruit cause there fries aren't gluten free safe for celiacs. If it was homemade bread it would have been fine, but it was the crappy white gluten free bread that you buy at the store. My salmon sandwich was sub par and came on toasted wheat bread like you would make a turkey sandwich on. My other daughters kraft mac and cheese was fine, it was the blue box mac and cheese for 6.99. I have no problem spending money on food when its good and my kids enjoy it. This was the last time we will be going to The Claim Company, we given it lots of chances and its just bad.
(2)Sherry W.
Burger is great, tasty and juicy. Salad bar is good but plate is too small. The waiter Steve was very attentive and friendly. Good place for family meals
(4)Andrew M.
I have visited claim company several times with mixed experiences. I would say that this place deserves 2.5 stars, but I will round up as my last experience was more positive. Primarily, the theme of the restaurant is southwestern including cacti and covered wagon wall paintings. I can take or leave this part of the experience. The big draw for Claim Company is the salad bar, and I can see why. They have a great variety, and it is kept well-stocked. The best part is the chilled plates they give you to use at the salad bar. If you have considered putting something on a salad before, there is a good chance they have it. The menu has a good variety as well, but I am a firm believer of many sub-par choices does not a good menu make. Though their appetizers are pretty good, I have on several occasions sent back or given up on eating my meals here (most recently a poorly made burger that was inedible). Highlights for me are: the turkey chili, salad bar, and the bloody marys. This place is at or below average in my opinion, but there aren't a ton of options in the area.
(3)S S.
Great food and service! They have the best sweet potato fries you will ever have (and they're not greasy!). Also, we had the Stagecoach Chicken and soup and salad (excellent broccoli cheese soup that was exactly the right consistency and not too much salt), which were both excellent.. We'll definitely be back to try more dishes!
(5)Ami K.
First of all, I would like to say that I'm not a fan of this kind of food so the fact that I didn't enjoy my meal is not surprising. It was convenient and I've never been here before so I decided to try it out. The menu reminds me of TGIF, Applebees but geared towards meat. Again, I don't dine at those types of establishment because I don't like dumbed down food for the mass. The decor is western theme, ok. We were seated at a large booth so that was nice. I ordered a slider because I wasn't very hungry. The meat was tender but not seasoned very well. My husband had the burger and put his own toppings. The burger was better. Maybe because he put so many toppings that it ended up tasting better. My kids ordered a burger and chicken tender off the kids menu. Again, it was just ok. I wasn't expecting much from a joint like this so I was not surprised at the presentation or the taste. The server we had was decent. He was courteous enough but not too friendly. He did his job and that was it. I wouldn't go back here again. The mall I was at also has CPK and I would go there first. I would eat at McDonalds before I eat here again. This was my first time and it will also be my last.
(2)Katie M.
Not the best food in town, but service is always great, and the staff is very polite. Definitely kid friendly and they're very quick to bring out meals. I order the same thing every time: chopped salad, no bacon, no chicken, with extra avocado and a plate of cheese fries ... Not really much room for error! Place is in need of a little upgrading and tables are always sticky/dirty though. I also suggest you ask for your check once the food comes out, or you'll be waiting 20 mins after your meal to get it. Otherwise, good little spot to stop after a little shopping.
(4)Henry L.
Was pretty surprised how bad the food was. Nothing particularly wrong with it, the food was just way lower grade than you would expect for a restaurant in the area. Fries are not hand cut, they are frozen flash cooked nasty fries. The burger was nothing special just a boring burger that lacked flavor. Bacon on the burger was soft and mushy like they just pre cooked a whole tray of bacon for the day and throw a few soggy piece of bacon on throughout the day. Bacon is supposed to be add crisp flavor not mushiness. Also our server was a nervous looking young kid. lol Would not go back.
(2)Anna L.
This place is pretty good. I got a taco salad. It was OK and very large.. Ive had better flavors (the meat was a little too spicy for my liking), and it seems to be missing ingredients that I would consider standard for a taco salad. The rest of my table had the make your own burger. They all seemed to enjoy it a lot. There are many toppings to choose from and yes.. they will put everything on your burger if thats what you want (be prepared for a mess). Id go back if I was at the mall, but I wouldnt go out of my way to get there if I wasn't.
(3)Ryan R.
Besides the fact the floors are dirty the food is actually very good. The salad bar is always fresh and the ambiance is great for kids. There are never really any specials on the menu, but who cares because I get the se great steak sandwich every time I go. They also have a kids menu and mini deserts which allows me extra time to finish my own meal. And how about those home-made potato chips! Yum!
(4)Matt R.
Eh. Gets really crowded during the day. Have you ever really hoped you'd like somewhere, and then just went "nah."? Well, that's Claim Company for me. Located in Northbrook court and including a Salad bar, it's actually potentially more healthy than any other restaurant in the area. (PF Changs has about as much salt as a can of Campbells in everything you order, not to mention having more calories than a Mcdonalds shake). My goal was to have a decent relatively healthy meal. The reality is that the food here is fairly overpriced and not even close to the quality I would expect even if it was cheaper. I started with the steamed whole artichoke. This was pretty decent, except for the fact that it was $8.29. I'm sorry, but that's a rip off for a single artichoke that you steamed. You changed a 2 to an 8, is how I would word this. At $2.29, this would be acceptable. There's no creation involved even though you call it a "Claim Company Creation", and I wouldn't be surprised if it was frozen before you cooked it and served it. Considering I can buy artichokes on amazon for about $1.50 which is high by itself, I don't see what makes this worth 4x the premium. You can tell it's a selling point as it's at the top of the menu. Now, lets get to the salad bar. That's what I came for, right? Oh, whoops - I forgot, they had tomato soup to give us beforehand, which tasted premade. It may have come with the salad bar but it was still pretty gross. Then we get to the salad bar, which seems to have a lot of turnover of food but it seems to be coming from prepared frozen buckets in the back. So again we get to a theme here - if you're going to make a salad bar, employ some chefs who do so. Don't just unfreeze a block of food which still has ice in it mostly because I don't want to eat ice frozen with the food. That's just disgusting. Should I even go on? TLDR: I was disappointed here, bigtime. unhealthy, lack of preparation on the food (which reflects on the chefs and/or management) and low quality (which reflects on the chefs and/or management). I have jumped the Claim, and that means I'm sure a heck not coming back here.
(2)Rick H.
The Claim Company is an prime example of trying to do too much, and not really succeeding at any of it. The overall ambiance is over done South Western Kitsch, that seems to cover every wall. Useless "decorations" abound as tripping hazards. At least there were no "pun" or joke signs trying to lighten the mood. Apparently this was still the best of a series of bad dining choices in the area though, as there was still a 45+ minute wait on a Sunday Night. I was able to find a seat at the bar though and order food from there. Bartenders were friendly, but kept tag teaming the service. This led to a few small issues in overall service. The martini I ordered, dry with well vodka was mediocre, but expected when ordering well. The "one trip" through the salad bar was probably the best part of the meal. While not an impressive salad bar by any means, it was certainly passable. A few unexpected gems such as kalamata olives in addition to black olives, and a fairly passable selection of dressings promised much. The main course was the BBQ skirt steak, which was served on a slice of garlic bread. The BBQ sauce on the steak was OK, but it tasted a lot like Heinz BBQ sauce. The meat itself was quite chewy for skirt steak and other then the BBQ sauce, not a lot of flavor. Even the garlic bread - what few bites I had of it before it became to soggy, didn't have much taste. The green beans on the side were actually the best part of the meal. They were cooked perfectly, although for most places they would actually have been undercooked. Over all, it was OK. I won't avoid the Claim Company, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back either.
(2)Chris M.
This is NOT your mother and father's Claim Company. I remember when it used to be in the location of Di Pescara in NB Court, when it was plain and simple without the corny Southwestern Cowboy theme....oh yeah, and the food was good. The place now looks like it's dealing with an identity crisis. I don't know whether to cover my ears for bad country music about to be played or wait for a kids birthday party to come blowing through the doors, but the theme is not doing it so much for me. The food is mediocre at best. I had a burger, built it myself for $11.00. For less than that, I can get a MUCH better burger at Charlie Beinlichs, and believe me, next time I WILL. My folks had the salad bar which is a far cry from what it used to be. The food items do not seem all freshly prepared. Claim Company used to pride itself on the quality of their food, and now it seems they have thrown quality to the wayside. Best of luck serving mediocre product to the people of the Northshore. I give it 2 stars based on what this place USED to be, in hopes that they can turn things around. An alternative to Food Court food in Northbrook Court is an awesome concept, but has to be executed better than what Claim Company is currently putting out there.
(2)Annie T.
Awesome salad bar! Great burgers! Wonderful service! The salad bar is kept extremely tidy, and is chock full of basics as well as specialty offerings! I have a garlic allergy, and they are very careful when preparing their awesome burgers! I highly recommend!
(5)Brian W.
Had to walk out, as child's menu the burger is only available in beef and not veggie. Since my child does not eat meat, this was not an option. Waitress was not friendly and said will have to charge me for adult size meal, but my daughter is only five years old and could not possibly eat an adult sized meal. Waitress said they cannot take a knife and cut burger in half. So for a matter of fifteen cents worth of beans, they let a $100 family order for seven walk out the door. Walked out and took our business next door to California Pizza Kitchen.
(1)Richard B.
First, let's emulate Mr. Peabody and use his Way Back Machine. Let's go to about 1974 on Clark Street in Chicago, and visit the Original Claim Company. Two U of Wisconsin graduates opened the Claim Company restaurant which featured a large customizable hamburger called the "Motherlode." It was served on a big metal platter that was supposed to be like the pans that gold miners used way back. Of course, they also had a variety of similar sandwich items, entrees, and an overpriced small buffet, too. I remembered that it took me about 20 minutes to find a legal place to park, because then (as today), that neighborhood is super-congested. It was a pleasant place, but their offerings were no better and no worse than many other places that served similar fare. They opened two other locations: one in Oakbrook and one in Northbrook Court. Mr. Cheapskate (me) and his wife took our young kids to their Northbrook restaurant on a couple of New Years Eves because they ran a half-price special between something like 4 pm and 9 pm. The lines were out the door by 5 pm. During the long NYE waits, I recall amusing our kids by improving their vocabularies. We found a menu and wrote as many synonyms for "vomit" as we could think of. I helped them conjure esoteric words like "upchuck," "honk," and many other technical terms. Educational AND amusing, right? Mrs. B squawked at me for doing such disgusting things. I felt that I added at least 100 points to their ACT English vocabulary scores. All of these locations were eventually closed, and The Claim Company ceased to exist some time in the 1990s. Then a few years ago, the Claim Company reopened at new location in Northbrook Court. Former Claim Company employees ran this new incarnation; and from what I understand, they used the same recipes and business methods as the original owners'. Apparently the original owners never trademarked their stuff. But they never offered deals - so Mr Scrooge did not visit them very much. Until New Years' Eve on 31 December 2013. A bit of nostalgia, but without our grown children. We went there early in the evening and the place was only about 1/3 filled. We both ordered their Motherlode and kinda looked around. A few observations: 1. The place has a clumsy layout with two entrances: one from the mall, and one from the outside. If you enter via the mall, you need to navigate past a maze of tables and fixtures to reach the receptionist. 2. The salad bar is sparse, and it has all kinds of warnings that you may not share with others, and it cost something like $12.99 for a handful of things. I'm sure that the food was OK, but it seemed to offer very little. Meat, chicken, etc. cost more. 3. The place is nicely decorated in a faux Western motif with rough wooden tables, western drawings, etc. 4. The service is efficient and knowledgeable. 5. The Motherlode seems to be the same as I recall it from the mid-70s, EXCEPT the sandwich is now on a standard plate. There is nothing wrong with the Claim Company nor its food. But there is nothing compelling either. Give me a deal, discount, or incentive; and I will return. My prissy wife did not allow me to play any educational vocabulary games with her. Feh!
(3)Michael P.
I really like the food here there hasn't been one time where I didn't enjoy but it seems like I always get stuck with the worst waitress on the floor
(3)Jimmy M.
Let me start by saying that I was looking for a steakhouse. I thought this was one walking in. It's not. I had the Cajun egg rolls to start... there is nothing Cajun about them. They had very little flavor. They were just chicken and cheese in an eggroll. Then I had the "motherlode" burger. It kind of bothered me right offf the bat that the waiter couldn't even tell me how big the burger is. If you call your burger "The Motherlode", you should be able to tell someone the size. His response was, "Well, it's pretty big". The burger was a solid "okay" as far as burgers go. I had the onion roll and goat cheese. The cheese really set it off. I also paid extra to have a fried egg added to it. The fried egg was finally brought out to me when I was half done with the burger, on its own plate. All in all, I would not fear going back, but I wouldn't go out of my way to make a return visit.
(3)Patrick M.
My son and I were both very pleased with the quality of out cheeseburgers. Great choice or breads toppings and cheese. I am pretty picky about burgers and these ones are among the best in the area.
(4)Dan S.
This place has one of my all time favorite salad bars as well are great burgers and sandwiches. I come from the north side of the city just for their salad bar. Also I'm a big fan of French onion soup and theirs is pretty spot on.
(5)Theresa C.
How often do you get your favorite restaurant back? I always get the same thing - steak sandwich. So sad when the chain closed but so glad to have it back. I know they are known for their salad bar and motherload but the steak sandwich is so good I can't risk it - the secret is the sauce.
(4)Beckie R.
They were extremely nice and let us come in before they closed and kept the salad bar opened for us until we finished. The waiter was extremely nice and the food is amaZing. They have a great salad bar
(5)Yatin P.
I came here with my fiance after spending some time window shopping at the mall that this place is a part of. What initially attracted us to this place was that they serve a variety of things including Nachos (which my fiance loves) and Burgers (which I love). I'll admit the overall decor and them can get a little cheesy, the South/Old West them is overplayed throughout. But I can easily get over the cheesy atmosphere if the food and service is great. The Food It's not bad at all, the nachos were delicious. They indicate on the menu that the beans are vegetarian (something other restaurants leave out) which is a happy sight to see if you are in fact vegetarian. Besides the cheese, the toppings for the nachos all come on the side in little cups which will annoy some and be great for others. Fresh jalapenos (if you ask for them) are delicious with the nachos. The burger I ordered was pretty good, not excellent - but for $10 I got a veggie burger topped with everything to my liking, even Avocado which is almost always an up-charge elsewhere. It's not a small burger either, its a pretty good size and you definitely get your $10 worth. I opted for the fries instead of the "Claim Chips" and they were not that great - seemed like your basic crinkle cut fries you could get in a frozen bag. Next time i'll probably just try the Claim Chips. Besides the fries, I found a piece of Avocado in my burger that was over ripe (dark gray). Nothing I couldn't fix by just removing that piece, though I do wish they had never put it in there in the first place. The Service The server we got was great, came by often to check on us, fill water, etc. which is exactly what I would like to see when coming to a restaurant like this. I had no issues with the service at all. Overall, I think its a decent place to eat. I would eat here again if I was in the area, but it's not really the kind of restaurant I would make a special trip just to eat here for.
(3)Mukund B.
Very cool joint. Am a fussy guy but their service, food and ambience were impeccable. I did the Turkey Chili, Blackened Tuna and Claim Chips and everything was good. Recommend!
(5)MaryEllen S.
This place is so tired. The carpeting and upholstery are just filthy they need to be replaced even cleaning wouldn't be enough. As other reviewers of mentioned, the menu is just too large for all the food to be good. Stick with the burgers and you'll do okay but don't try the Mexican food. The burrito and fajitas were disappointing to say the least. One positive notice that the service was very friendly and efficient. All in all it's a much better idea to go to Champps at Old Orchard.
(1)Megan K.
The worst service I've ever had. Couldn't understand why so many people were there. The food was nothing special, maybe bc it was wrong, but I'll never go back.
(1)shi d.
Okay, so after waiting a few months, I went back. I am happy to report that the lady hovering around the salad bar, or the salad bar nazi as I called her, is GONE! That is the only major improvement. The salad bar has gotten a teeny bit better, but the prepared salads are always so mayo laden. If you are coming here for the salad bar, come around 11:30am. That's when it is the freshest!
(2)Joel A.
I grew up on the original on Clark Street in Chicago and this restaurant isn't the same but it is a great replacement! I always order my cottage chips a little undercooked at they taste the best with the center raw. The Morherload is a great burger. I prefer it on a pretzel bun. One of the best salad bars in the world can be found here.
(5)Mike A.
We came here last week with another family and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Positives: Excellent burgers and superb wings (app). Nice variety of items on the menu and the salad bar is great. Yes some point out that's it one trip, but lets face it for $4 add-on, most places just bring you a side salad: so quite your bitching. Negatives: Service was poor and the waitress always seemed to be in a hurry and refills, checking on our meals,etc was almost nonexistent. We basically had to flag her down for everything. The kids pizza, which 2 kids ordered, looked and tasted like a cheap frozen pizza. No reason why something so simple can't be made on site. Overall: Its a great option in the mall and we will most likely return. Giving 4 stars, when service was so poor, is a stretch, but except for that and the kids pizza, everything was very good.
(4)Caveat E.
We Had an early dinner at this place in Dec of 13' on a semi busy night. The 4 dollar salad, that is a small plate with a strict rule of only 1 trip to the salad bar. Now listen up.. That $4 salad... When the waitress comes by again with a larger plate becomes a $7.00 salad UPSELL (with a larger plate). Seriously, who does that to customers? Who makes their waitress do that to customers? That kind of cheap will give any restaurant a bad image and is just desperate and stupid in my humble opinion. My medium-Well burger was not cooked on the inside and because of the low lighting I could not tell how 100 percent RAW and UNcooked my burger was on the inside. Think about this, I'm 1/2 through eating, and I discover I'm eating RAW hamburger meat!!!! No matter how " Prime" they claim their meat to be... What ever that term "prime" means anyway..? It's fricken RAW hamburger meat!! I sent it back not to re-cook but for health and safety reasons, as I wanted a MGR to see what the cooks are doing (or NOT doing) back there in the kitchen. Was sick to my stomach thinking about eating raw hamburger meat, and with a 60.00 bill and a full tip (not the waitresses fault) I never received an apology (from a Mgr.) or even an offer to Comp at least my burger. That same night, I placed a call to speak with the manager because I was worried for other customers/ kids and he didn't take my call (too busy) and I never received any call back. What does that tell you about their concern for customers? It's for these reasons that I choose to not eat there ever again.
(1)Arletta C.
Located in Norhtbrook Court mall. A good place to take co-workers/colleagues! The food was yum! The service was great!
(4)Howard C.
We like Claim Company. I remember coming here as a kid, then it went away, and now its back. Great salad bar. Really good burgers and chicken sandwiches. Can't beat the unlimited topping aspect as I love all that special crap on my sandwiches. Lots of breads to choose from, good muffins, just yummy. Oh, and they have Diet Sprite on tap!!! No one has Diet Sprite on tap and they do! Thank you Claim Company for bringing me one of my favorite soft drinks.
(4)Lolia S.
A local dining institution, The Claim Company is known for its build your own gourmet burgers (Motherlode burgers) and its salad bar (the Salad Saloon - it's no Fresh Choice but is sizeable). The portions are generous like you'd expect from a family friendly old time Southwestern theme. It reminded me of Chili's. The décor is busy -it's meant to capture the look of their three previous locations. The menu includes burgers (beef, chicken, turkey, veggie, tuna), salads, grilled meat, and sandwiches. * Tuna steak Motherlode burger - you can choose the bread, cheese, toppings and sauces ($9.99) and it comes with a side of plain thin potato chips. I chose a pretzel roll, blackening spice, mushrooms and sautéed onions. The pretzel roll was the best part - fluffy, soft, chewy, slightly sweet, no salt on top. I asked for the tuna steak to be cooked medium rare, but it was still dry on the edges. They put very little blackening spice on the extra thick slab of tuna. The tuna was definitely bland. The soy wasabi dipping sauce didn't taste like soy or wasabi. * Mozzarella sticks - these were big plump sticks, the cheese is wrapped in won ton wrappers, so it they sticks look like slim egg rolls, the skin had little flavor, the marinara sauce was okay. My soda was watered down and flat tasting. I expected a little more from a local institution. Maybe it used to be a lot better.
(2)Dena H.
Great food and service was outstanding. The BBQ sauce is amazing whether it is on the pulled pork or chicken wrap. A lot of fresh veggie and salad dressing variety at the salad bar. The ice cream cake is yummy and can serve several. Very reasonably priced and we were seated promptly with a party if 8. My kids love the homemade chips also.
(4)Isabelle L.
The highlight here is the build your own burger with no restriction on the number of toppings you can add. For about $10 you can make a decent rather gourmet burger and the meat is good. But that's the only highlight. The service is OK but don't expect a smile or a lot of attention. The dining room is really not appealing and almost cafeteria style and when it's packed with a few large parties it's quite noisy. Bottom line, OK burgers but don't expect much of an experience.
(3)Brian B.
Stopped here for lunch because I needed to pick up a gift card inside the mall. Was decent overall. The french onion soup was good but average. I had one of the motherlode burgers where you name what you want on them and the type of bun. It was a decent burger I guess. The place was not very full that afternoon but the service was very good.
(3)D W.
I used to come here years ago when it was open in Chicago, and at Northbrook Court. I liked the atmosphere better then, darker, more woody, and authentic. Salad bar back then seemed to be more extensive, and burgers were large and quite delicious. Maybe it was an off nite, but I found the burger to be not impressive. The bun was cold, and my medium rare burger was also a bit cold as well. I was looking forward to an extraordinary burger, and what I got was not that. I may go back again someday, but not for awhile.
(2)Irene Z.
Came here recently for lunch with coworkers. None of us had been here before and were excited to try it out. We weren't disappointed. We asked what their specialty was...and our server told us their burgers and their salad bar, and/or pretty much anything with their bbq sauce. I settled on a prime burger, so did one coworker, and the other 2 chose the unlimited salad bar and bowl of soup. We were all happy. My burger was cooked perfectly. They have a great variety of bread (I had mine on pretzel bread...which I don't see often on menus, so that was a plus for me), cheese, and unlimited toppings. My burger came with their house chips, which were delicious, and still crispy after eating leftovers for dinner. Portions are generous. My coworker also enjoyed her burger. The two coworkers who had the salad bar said it had a great variety including cold pastas and also breads (muffins, cornbread, etc.). I almost asked for a single trip to the salad bar after I saw what they brought back on their plates...it looked so good. Service was great. Our server was attentive, polite, and helpful. We didn't have to wait for drinks and he was quick to bring new plates for the salad bar. Ambiance is very 'western' and suited to the restaurant. There were a few families there and it seems like a good place to go if you want a good meal with the kids after/before shopping around the mall. All in all, a great lunch, and I'll definitely be back again for lunch and maybe even dinner.
(4)George W.
We love this place. Extremely nice staff. Very kid friendly. Many restaurants in the area place families in a kid ghetto in another - usually unpleasant - room (you know, so they do t bother the real customers). This angers us since we usually spend a LOT to take our family out to eat (5 very well behaved children). Claim Company treats us great. There is something on the menus for everyone and the burgers are excellent - moist and flavorful. This is our family's favorite place to eat.
(4)Rob W.
Really more of a 3.5 star place, but part of my criticism is the interior itself, which has little to do with food or service, so I rounded up. Ok - the ambience - it's a little cheesy and chainish. I do like the old place better in that respect - much more charm and class. But if the food is good, I can overlook it and in this case I do. The "Motherlode" is still a great char-broiled burger with numerous options for variations. I've always received it cooked correctly and nicely presented. It's a pretty good value at $9.99 when many burgers are a little more pricey nowadays. I also enjoy the chicken quesadillas as an appetizer - their salsa complements them well. I usually sit at the bar when I go there and service is cordial, though sometimes spotty. I enjoy the new Claim Company and feel that their burger is one of the better ones in Chicago - welcome back.
(4)Alexis A.
Um.. the only reason to go here is for their burgers, which are pretty good. Their salad bar sucks. Especially in comparison to most other restaurants with such a self-proclaimed amazingly fantastical salad bar option. I've sat down in this restaurant once for a meal, and have had take-out a few times. The waiter I had was really cheesy and laughed at his own failed jokes one too many times. The atmosphere is pretty tacky too. There is really no "pizzaz" to this place. It is in no way memorable and nothing tempts me to come back again for a sit down meal. I work in the mall so it's easy to get take-out, but a lot of times I've noticed they aren't on top of their orders. And once I asked for specific sides on my burger, which I did not get. OH! I almost forgot to mention that they serve the rarest burgers I've ever seen. I ask for medium-rare every time, and yet every time it appears much more pink that what I asked for. I'm not sure if this is a bad thing because it definitely didn't taste bad, nor did it make me sick... but it just wasn't what I wanted. So they could work on being more conscious of preparing their orders. The best part about takeout from Claim Co. is stealing handfuls of chocolate mints at the hostess desk while i wait a good 10-15 minutes for my order that I called in for over an hour before picking up.
(2)John E.
I don't eat here often, but when I do I always feel like I get my money's worth. The salad bar is varied, fresh and good. The hamburgers are prepared the way I want it, and the fries are good and crispy.
(5)Max E.
The Claim Company is a decent place to go for lunch at Northbrook Court. There is something on the menu for everyone, and the prices are quite bearable. I had the tuna melt, which was quite tasty.
(4)Sandra B.
There are so many fabulous restaurants in the suburbs, why settle for mediocre. I've eaten here numerous times when my husband and I meet for dinner with his family. His family had zero taste in restaurants lol the salad bar is ok but often the lettuce has brown edges. The food is not fresh and nothing is natural, I break out in hives from artificial chemicals and preservatives and always react here. This is the second time this restaurant has opened in northbrook court, perhaps they should have stopped when they were ahead. If you want a delicious, fresh meal try di pescara which is also in northbrook court. You will be happy you did.
(2)Randal R.
Decent burger place with a nice salad bar. The burgers are fine, nothing special, but it's nice that you can put any toppings you want on your burger without any up-charge. It was also nice to see that they offered gluten free buns, as my mother is gluten intolerant so she was actually able to enjoy a burger with a bun for a change. I also did the salad bar add on to the burger, which was a nice way to start the meal. Tons of options on the salad bar, and a very large selection of dressings and pasta salads too. The star of the meal for me though was the potato chips. They were crispy and delicious!
(3)Beverly R.
One trip to the salad bar with a sandwich is not great when the sandwich comes while you barely had a chance to eat the salad. Sent back the food while we ate our salad. When the sandwiches were brought out, the buns were over toasted and 2 of the 3 sandwiches came out wrong. When the second sandwich came out wrong the third time, we knew there was a Big problem in the kitchen. Although our waiter was so apologetic, the manager said 600 meals come out correct, guess ours didn't. Although we like the menu, location and price, we won't be back.
(1)Martin B.
Several weeks ago my wife and son and I sat down at The Claim Company in Northbrook. The restaurant was almost empty, yet it took our waiter a half an hour to come up to our table and take our order. He was standing several feet away from our table, but continued in conversations with others. I was thinking: did I say or do something to offend him, neh that couldn't be. Anywho, then it took another half hour for my mediocre blackened catfish sandwich to come out. By this time my wife already had her salad from the bar. At the end of our lunch I had to find my tattoo-covered waiter myself because he was nowhere to be found, and after more than 90 minutes of bad expereince I just wanted to go. I found him sitting down at the bar watching TV and talking to other people. Nice!
(1)Andrew M.
I am pretty sure Claim Company ships their food in from Appleby's and marks it up 30%. I know people around here like it plain and bland, but this place is ridiculous. I'd like to re-Claim the $30 I spent on dinner. Stay far away.
(1)Kelly E.
Great burger and salads. We really like their food. LOUD. Romper room, kid friendly, but not relaxing for kid free adults. Always so busy that there is a long wait and waitstaff is moving a mile a minute and hard to track down. Great location at Northbrook Court. Decent prices.
(3)Karen K.
Very poor restaurant. I feel like it is a place that could be featured on those reality shows where a famous chef rescues a failing establishment. Their menu is so big it can't all be fresh. The fajitas were atrocious. Marinated in a disgusting extra salty dark brown liquid. The salmon sandwich features the ends of salmon filets. It's a joke. Why does a BBQ western place serve pizza?!? Service was extremely friendly.
(1)Sherwin C.
Solid burgers and sandwiches which are prepared nicely although the sides aren't always great. Since the food choices within the mall aren't that good, this is probably one of the best choices for dining if you don't want to leave the mall area.
(4)Daniel L.
I've been here a handful of times and liked it well enough even if I wasn't blown away. It's the only optional salad bar I know of within 10 minutes of the area (other than Sweet Tomatoes where everyone has to pay to get in whether you want salad bar or not). However, while I had noticed the average Yelp reviews for this place it took me a few trips to see the problems with it for myself: The prices are just a little too much for the quality of food. Nothing is under $10 and the average dish is $15 and yet it's not always very fresh food. I had wilted lettuce on a burger once and browning guacamole with my quesadilla another time. The prices are almost a premium but the food is not. Also the wait staff, while friendly and well intending, do not all seem like they've been doing it for very long. All these problems are are only exacerbated by how the place is always very slow which gives a cavernous, ghost town feel to the prospector themed decor.
(3)Lawrence H.
I'd eaten at several different place on movie excursions to Northbrook Court, but had never spotted The Claim Company until this past weekend. Scanning the menu posted outside, the extensive southwestern offerings, plus a salad bar, looked promising. So, after the movie, in I went. The salad bar seemed a popular choice, but having spotted a soft taco choice on the menu, that's what I had a taste for. A pleasant, friendly hostess/waitress led me through the pleasantly darkened room to a table; western decor everywhere. The meal came quickly; of the meat choices (ground beef, pork, chicken), I'd opted for the chicken, which was nicely spiced or marinated. Accompanied by a generous rice side and refried beans (does anyone really like those?), the tacos came with guacamole, sour cream and salsa, all of which added to the tastiness of the main course. While the dining room got decently populated, the noise level and overall ambience never got annoying, and the men's room was immaculate. Overall, my visit to The Claim Company was a very positive experience, and the menu options almost demand a second try, and maybe a third.
(4)Alex K.
Nothing to write home about - your typical Applebee's / Friday's fare, but with a hefty mark up because it's attached to a mall.
(2)Peter S.
I remember eating here a bunch of times, as a kid, and I think the menu has improved quite a bit, minus the intimate atmosphere (both a plus and a minus). We went there on Memorial Day, later in the evening, so the staff looked tired - but they still marched on. The BBQ pulled-chicken sandwich I ordered, was one of the best I've had, North of Tennessee. My groups shared an artichoke, everyone enjoyed their entreés, and my friends devoured their dessert. There are a few other items on their menu, which I would like to try, so we'll definitely be going back.
(4)Amy G.
As a kid, I loved going to both Claim Company locations in 900 North Michigan Ave. and Northbrook Court while out in the 'burbs visiting my grandparents. The north suburban favorite has been revived with its ample salad bar, huge burgers, homemade chips, and some great Tex-Mex classics added to the menu. For those that are into delicious, perfectly seasoned, juicy beef burgers, the Claim Company is a dream. Their Motherlode burger is freakin' epic and comes with as many delicious, premium toppings--from caramelized onions and barbecue rub to Maytag bleu cheese--as you want with no add-on to the base price. The only extra charges are for tangy Wisconsin cheddar spread or a fried egg atop the sandwich of your carnivorous fantasies. All sandwiches (whether you get a Motherlode burger, grilled chicken patty, tuna steak, or veggie burger) come with a side of chips and the option to swap that for French fries, sweet potato fries, creamy cole slaw, baked potato, or baked sweet potato. For an additional $3.99, you get an aluminum platter that you can load as many delicious greens, vegetables, fruits, quick breads, and dressings on as your gluttonous little heart desires. I'm partial to the mixed greens with tomatoes, bacon bits, shredded carrots, jicama, sunflower seeds, and fried onion strips with garlic-herb vinaigrette. Make sure to save space on your plate for fresh strawberries and melon and mini corn- and blueberry-muffins. Desserts are hit or miss. If your palate requires something a little sweet after gorging on all that meat, Claim Company offers two to three bite "shots" featuring their most popular dessert offerings. So, with the solid makings for an awesome burger joint, why the three stars? The inconsistent service. Go on a quiet night and you'll receive pretty solid service with the occasional fumble. On a busy night? This popular establishment, especially since it's in a mall, seems way, way understaffed. The space can also get loud with so many young families. And, finally, I think the restaurant is still working out ordering--occasionally the salad bar just runs out of popular items (ahem, bacon bits) that are expected in a place famed for its great offerings.
(3)Erik J.
The Motherload burger is fantastic. Its a make it your own with many choices. You can choose a pretzel roll bun and their famous bbq sauce to put on your burger. Another amazing thing there is their homemade chips. you dip one into their bbq sauce and it tastes Amazing! They also have a Motherload Challenge witch is a 3 and a half pound burger!
(5)Len L.
Passing thru town and decided to grab a bite at the mall. The french onion soup in this weather was my deciding factor to order one. It was pretty good because the soup was not too salty. I also ordered the bbq chicken quesadilla which filled me up. This combination was a perfect match for a cold afternoon.
(3)Jim P.
My wife and I ate here and then had the McGurgles afterward while watching a movie. No good. The ambience is cheesy, the waiters push the $3.99/single trip salad bar too hard and the sandwiches were LAME. My wife had a chicken wrap that was incredibly plain. No flavor, fell apart with too much moisture. I figured that fajitas would be safe but even they were disappointing. There was little to no good flavor even when I loaded on the "salsa" they provided. We will NOT be back. I understand that it was a Northbrook institution a long time ago but things must've gone downhill hard.
(1)Annie C.
Had the mozzarella stick appetizer, appetizing indeed. Instead of breading, egg roll skins were used. Pretty yummy. Onto the main course. The Motherlode. Top your burger anyway you please. It wasn't a good lode. Disguising burgers with toppings is a way to cover up the bland taste of your burger. The ironic part is that even with all the toppings, I could still taste the blandness of my burger. The only saving grace was that you could chose which type of bun you wanted, and they had multigrain, which was fantastic. I went to this restaurant having high hopes, but was greatly disappointed. Not to mention, the plates that were given to us were dirty. We asked for another one, and that was one dirty as well. So, if you are in the mood for creative mozarella sticks and a bland burger with TONS of topping options on dirty plates, take a gander at The Claim Company.
(2)Drew W.
Pretty good. Took a lady friend there for an early Monday (5;00pm) evening dinner, Not crowded, though they were filling up as we left. Mix of young families and older (some rather cantakerous) diners. Food was good, yes the decor is a cleaned up version of a trapped in the late 70s RJ Grunts ish kinda thing, but hey I respect the fact they are honoring the heritag eof the place. And it is clean. Salad bar is good, as big as a Sweet Tomatoes...no as good...on some levels yes. Toppings interesting. Burgers good, good sized, a lil pricey. Yes, a little expensive, but pretty good overall. Staff is a little suburban mall chainy inexperienced, but about what I expected. Woudl I go there again, sure, would I rush? No.
(3)Matt W.
The old days are gone.... While the owners have tried to recreate an old favorite, execution isn't there. The salad bar is a simple array of ingredients found at your local grocery store's do it yourself - minus some items. Not worth it. The restaurant was snugly fit into a former retailer's space on the second floor of Northbrook Court Mall, and doesn't have much soundproofing, so with minimal traffic the place gets a bit loud. The hailed Motherload burger was OK, appetizer of fried zucchini came out with mushrooms that were over-cooked & dry (we requested they leave those out, but who listens anymore?), and the chicken was nothing special. It may be OK for a mall restaurant, but I won't be returning based on the food or ambience.
(2)Jen S.
This place sucks. It should not exist in the same mall as a Tiffany and Louis Vuitton. So, it's Friday even and we like taking the kiddo out because she loves going to restaurants. I figure that this place is probably like the Claim Jumper that closed in Wheeling - kid friendly, but with food good enough for me to eat, too. WRONG! So, the hostesses were all wearing sleeveless tops. It's 90 degrees out, and I'm not offended by a bare shoulder or two, so whatever - however, the manager was yelling at them about it while we were trying to get a table. Not exactly a great way to walk into a place I've never been before, but I didn't give it much thought. Our waitress needed a serious attitude adjustment. I could see her rolling her eyes when she walked to our table and I'm assuming it was because we had a small child. She happens to be a very well behaved and we clean up any of the food that might accidentally fall on the floor on its way to her mouth. The food is terrible. I got the fajitas because there was a sign that said they were the "best in town." They're not - not even close. We never got drink refills. WAY too expensive - $50 for dinner for three. And another waiter had to come and cash us out because after the waitress gave us the bill, she disappeared, never to be seen again. And I mean, NEVER, because we'll never go there again.
(2)Anthony M.
It's a shame to see other people had a bad experience. I had lunch here today and I was very pleased. The Motherload burger I had was awesome. I suppose if someone had a bland burger, they chose bland options. For my burger I took a page out of Kuma's and replicated the Mastodon (pretzel bun, cheddar, fried onions, Claim Company sauce). Again, the burger was awesome and one of the tastiest I've ever had. And it's good to know I can have a Kuma's burger without the Kuma's wait. The decor is acceptable for the theme, but the sectioned off bar would be my preferred choice for seating. I would hope other CC's menu items are as good, but I might never know cause I can't pass up that burger! Other points go to: -Mini pepper grinder and Claim Company sauce (yum!) at each table. -Server provided extra napkins without a request. -Dark atmosphere in sectioned off bar area. -Big clean bathroom. If this place ever gets Guinness on tap and waffle fries, I'd nut!
(4)Cheryl G.
Luv, Luv, Luv Claim Company! I went here a couple nights ago with the family. The food is out of this world! One of my favorite dishes to get here is the BBQ Chicken Wrap. This is a flour tortilla wrap that has BBQ chicken, romaine lettuce, fried onions, monterey jack cheese, and ranch dressing. In addition, with your meal you have got to go to the salad bar. They have a wide variety of salads, dressings, muffins roles etc. So good! The only problem I have with this restaurant is that at times you can have a wait to get a table. You should plan early and reserve a table on opentable!
(4)Adam B.
Great salad bar. Decent food. Decent service. It's just not what it used to be back in the day or last year year even. It's good though, but it's missing something. I'd give it an extra half star for the salad bar though!
(3)Leah B.
This is a great place to go if you are gluten free because they have gluten free buns for their sandwiches. The food is decent, there is better in the area but I would definitely recommend going here if you are craving a burger and are gluten free. The sweet potato fries are also really good.
(4)Minah L.
anal. the restaurant policy about not sharing salad is standard, yes. but it is only standard when the salad bar is unlimited. there was one option where you could only get salad ONCE. and you still couldn't share? i don't get it.. it's like any other entree then.. no? either way.. the waitress there was sooo anal.. she was all up on our asscracks. eeeeeek. not a good feeling when you're trying to enjoy lunch. SWEET POTATO FRIES-- i'm not a fan of Cinnamon but they sprinkled some cinnamon on their fries. i have to say, it was a pleasant surprise. nowhere have i ever had sweet potato fries with cinnamon on it. good combination. thumbs up for that one. CLAIM BURGER-- definitely get it with the pretzel bun. it gives it a unique look and taste. and you can CLAIM you've had a pretzel bun now. (was that too lame? hehehehe) anyways.. burger was juicy!! excellento! the COLE SLAW on the other hand.. was oddddddd. and way too green for my liking. tasted like wasabi though. if you were expecting KFC's or Popeye's cole slaw-- let me warn you now-- that is NOT what you are going to get. SALAD-- wide variety. loved their pasta salads!! oh what was the best part?? THEIR CHOCLATE MINT THINGS AT THE FRONT. my friends and i were so addicted to it, it's not even funny. actually it was funny when we tried to take a handful and the hostess was standing right there. BAHAHAHA. i want some more.
(3)Justin T.
Haven't eaten here in years. I had a burger it was a typical burger, kids had hot dogs. Service was good. Wife had a taco Salad, key word being SALAD! Now modt salads have a variety of vegetables plus add the salad shell/bowl and taco meat and you have your taco salad. This had 80 percent spicy ground beef and no real salad to speak of, my wife ate half of it and then pushed it away. I tried it and found it to be unappealing and not very tasty. So if your going to eat here dont have the taco salad. The salad bar is probably the best thing going here.
(2)Ronni G.
A blast from the past. Jim Errant's western themed Claim Company has been resurrected by people who know what they're doing. Not only did they bring back the famous Motherlode sandwich but it now comes as a veggie burger or tuna steak in addition to the delicious hamburger. The generous salad bar has been modernized to include tofu and several light salad dressings. The pork carnitas are just the thing if, like me, you have a taste for heat. One thing that fails to please are the discount Margaritas which taste like cheap grocery store powdered mix. Do yourself a favor, and order a beer instead. Also, waits for tables get quite long on the weekends after 6pm. Do yourself a favor, and call for preferred seating(their alternative to a reservation.) if you're arriving after 5:30pm.
(4)Simone G.
Good Burgers. Good big salad bar. And good service. Done
(4)Liezl P.
We decided to dine here after a day of shopping for it was conveniently located inside Northbrook court. None of the entrees sounded to appealing, and the salad bar was small and too crowded, so I ordered "The Motherload" (Build your own burger), and it was deeelicious! I'm a sucker for burgers on pretzel rolls (you can also find them at Kuma's Corner and Cravin). So when I saw that option on the bread list, I was sold! I also tried the steamed whole artichoke, which I had fun eating, but my dinner mate did not really enjoy it. We did however both like the sweet potato fries. I would go back if I were in the area and had a taste for a burger. Tip: If you want a more peaceful dining experience, you may want to chose a table in the bar area. Not to many kids running around in there :)
(4)David G.
Pretty good but significantly over-priced. $13 for a salad bar? $10 for an appetizer of wings? Come on.
(4)Biancs R.
im a vegan so its hard to eat out. but damnnnnnn. i chose the build your own burger and you could put as many toppings as you want free of charge. this was awesome because usually places charge like a dollar or more extra per boss toppings like avocado or grilled onions ect. anyways, i got a veggie burger with avocado, onions, tomato, lettuce, mushrooms, and some sauce. IT WAS DELICIOUS! best veggie burger of my life (maybe tied with Champs. Champs makes a mean South of the Border Veggie Burger). ANDDD i chose the sweet potato fries as my side. YUM! oh and the iced tea is unsweetened and delicious. this place is my new favorite. If you are vegan, eat healthy(ish), or just LOVE good food...this is the place.
(5)Will R.
Love the wraps. We have 3 kids. Every time the grandparents come in town, we go. It is loud which makes it great for families with kids. Adults only should head to the bar area. Always packed.
(4)xiaoyan y.
Love their french onion soup~~It's kinda pity that they dont put it with salad buffet for lunch~
(3)Randy S.
I loved the original claim company. The new version is just ok. Always a long wait, bad service, food quality is so so. I really want this to be a better experience but it seems like the owners and managers just don't care. They don't have to because it always seems to be busy
(2)Jeff M.
This is a pretty good American sandwich, burger, and salad bar restaurant. Their Motherlode burgers are only ordered in a completely choose-the-ingredients-yourself fashion, which I am usually not a fan of, but for burgers, it does make sense, since we all seem to know exactly how we want our burgers done. It's a fairly large burger (10oz), and it does seem like it is formed by machine, given how perfectly shaped the edges were. However, the burger was cooked to perfection, I asked for medium rare and it was medium rare...so many times restaurants give me a medium burger. They have a plastic toothpick that says the doneness, just like ordering a steak at most restaurants. The burger was great, it was not complicated, just cooked the way it should be with the ingredients I wanted (egg bun, lettuce, tomato, sauteed onion, avocado, bacon, blue cheese). The burger comes with chips that are made in house, which were very thin, crisp, and good. You can also order a tuna steak burger, which was also very good..normally cooked medium rare, I'm not sure if they would cook it rare though. I also wanted to try the salad bar, which was definitely above average, but I'm not sure if it was worth the $4 for a single trip. It included baby shrimp, hearts of palm, artichokes, edamame, bacon, fried onion, asian slaw, banana-nut muffins, and more, among the regular items. If I'm in the area and I want a burger, I'm definitely coming back.
(4)Vera Lynn W.
I want to like this place. I really do. I loved it back in the 80s. Its not terrible, its just not good. Everything is just ok. Mediocre. The owners (Michael and Arnie) don't know basic customer service. They are indifferent and cold. The salad bar that claims to have 75 different items counts every flavor of salad dressing as an item. Really? The bartenders are hit or miss. Some are good, some not so much. The girl has the personality of a worm. One of the men seemed to be slightly inebriated. The wait staff is hit n miss. Some are good, some not so much. If I didn't work near here, I wouldn't frequent this place. Plus its a lot of money for what you get.
(2)Amy A.
I am so happy the Claim company is back!!!! I have had the Motherload there, which didn't change at all! I have also had the veggie burger which is very good. I commend the owners for making changes to the restaurant, so it is not as loud. I feel too many people come on to yelp to complain. Use your own judgement and give it a shot. I will still go back when I'm in the area! The only reason I do not rate the restaurant 5 stars, is because the bathroom seems to be a mess every time I go there.
(4)Doug C.
I was a fan of The Claim Company in the old days and I'm even more of one now. The salad bar is one of the best around and constant attention by staff on every visit assured that the lettuce was crisp and all ingredients fresh. I have to say, though, that my favorite meal is the appetizer of BBQ Chicken Quesadillas along with some potato skins. I'm also a fan of their Motherload turkey burger and their fajitas which, are as delicious as those served at a number of my favorite Mexican restaurants. One downside on the menu is the Cajun egg rolls. I found them overspiced and underflavored. Another downside is the crowding (typical for other mall restaurants at peak times), and particularly the noise level when the restaurant is full. Even so, the waitstaff, including the bartenders, on each one of my visits has been wonderful. Can't say the same for the sullen hostesses, usually twenty-somethings, who all seem like they would rather be somewhere else and have no real interest in putting on a happy-face to greet and seat their customers.
(4)L H.
The main attraction here is definitely the burger and salad bar. It's a little pricey for a burger, but if you want a good, juicy burger and a salad bar with a nice assortment, this is a great option. I wouldn't expect other items to be as strong. Get the pretzel bun. The kid's burger isn't made from the same high quality meat as full-size, so get the big one or lower your expectations.
(4)Steve D.
I was so happy to hear that the Claim Company was coming back. I grew up on the Claim Company so I eagerly waited for the reopening. I've been there twice this week, the motherlode is a great burger. The salad bar has everything I remember as a kid. High quality and fresh. My son had the french onion soup that he loved. I wan't crazy about the decor, it seems a little too much like a cafeteria, but when I went back the second time I sat in the bar which was much nicer. Great place to grab a burger and beer while watching a ball game.
(4)Kristine C.
the WORST TAKE OUT SERVICE EVER!!! the woman that answered the phone was SUPER RUDE AND SUPER UNPLEASANT !! the food is good BUT BAD BAD SERVICE EVER!!
(2)Darlene L.
Yesterday... I remember the Claim Company of the 70's which was first located in Chicago and later in Northbrook. Always loved to go there on dates and with groups enjoying the famous Moterlode burger. Enough for nostalgia and on to the current Claim Company which does replicate the old menu to include a salad bar and the Motherlode. Greeters include officious 20 somethings who act like they enjoy the power of determining when you eat. We were 20 minutes Early for our reservation, curtly asked if our entire party was present, and then given a beeper. Ten minutes later our name was called and we were seated. The beeper never went off and when given to the seater, she seamed clueless. No one smiled from the moment of our arrival. The waiter was slow to arrive for our drink order. The Malbec by the glass tasted like plonk and was one of the most expensive by the glass offerings. Salad bar was ok but some items were inconveniently placed as trays were doubled up with the rear ones presenting a long reach. Had the turkey burger which was dry and hard. Waiter had to ask the kitchen if it was white, dark, or mixed meat. He reported white but I have my doubts. Others had the burgers which were fine and filled the plate requiring take home containers. A-OK for a shopping center stop but not a place to return to for burgers or salad bar as there are much better options for both.
(3)Joey B.
warning...went to claim company the other night with some students of mine (it's clear they don't enjoy waiting on teenagers and didn't realize I was much older than my students) they will charge you 18% gratuity if you have 6 people sit at a table if only 5 people order/eat...$11+ just cause I sat with a group of students...AND they are very serious about policing their salad bar, even accused one of my students of taking 2nds when it was a different girl who actually paid for unlimited...not a very gracious experience...will be second guessing my next trip to claim company... :(
(2)david l.
Not what I remembered about the old place. Long wait, average food and service. The place looks like the old Palm restaurant with a paint job.
(3)julie r.
So happy to have the Motherlode and Salad Bar back at Northbrook Ct! Lots of friendly and familiar faces at the front desk and throughout the place it is still a place to run into people and eat very well.
(4)