UNEXPECTED MOVE...

I had an unexpected out-of-state move, so unfortunately I had to put an unplanned hiatus to my search for Chicagoland's best Bloody Mary. Don't worry though! I will be back soon, and when I do, I will definitely continue my search & let you know about it here.  :)

Feel free to continue to enjoy the many reviews that I've done so far...there are some good Bloody Marys to be drink'n!

Also, if your curious to what I'm doing in the the meantime, please visit my new website:

www.dellsbucketlist.com

I'm continuing my search for adventure by going behind-the-scenes at various Wisconsin Dells bars, restaurants & attractions - please help me spread the word!

Also, since I have your ear - I recently published a book about the hijinx & debauchery of my days working at Santa's Village - it's guaranteed to make you laugh & smile - and maybe even shed a tear or two. Please check it out - I'd love to hear what you think!

www.santasvillagegonewild.com

STREETS OF CHICAGO SPORTS BAR & GRILL

STREETS OF CHICAGO
550 S. McLean Blvd. - Elgin, IL
847-697-7311
www.streetsofchicago.net
Date & Time: Saturday 09/25/10 - 12:30pm
Atmosphere: Sports Bar
Price: $2. 00!

I'm going to make this quick as there really wasn't much memorable about this cocktail except for the price. By FAR the cheapest Bloody Mary I got so far, it would have to be really bad for me not to recommend this drink, especially in this economic climate. 


The drink wasn't really that good, but it wasn't really that bad either. It was the standard Bloody Mary you get at any decent establishment, and will make do if your not a picky drinker. Hung over after a night of heavy drinking? This cocktail is more then adequate to help recovery....

DONLEY'S OLD WEST STEAKHOUSE

DONLEY'S OLD WEST STEAKHOUSE
8512 S. Union Rd. - Union, IL
815-923-8000 
www.wildwesttown.com
Date & Time: Tuesday 09/21/10
Atmosphere: An Old West Saloon

The Bloody Mary I had at Donley's Old West Steakhouse was surprising excellent. When it first arrived at the table, seeing only a pickle & celery stalk had me worried. It wasn't the most appetizing looking cocktail, but the taste was up there with the best I've had since beginning this journey.

After being greeted by a cute smiling girl in western garb, I made my way into the cavernous room filled with taxidermy heads & western memorabilia. This definitely was a first for me, and I have to admit, it had me doubtful in what I would be getting to wet my whistle....

AMICI'S CLUBHOUSE

AMICI'S CLUBHOUSE 
456 Reddington Dr. - S. Elgin, IL
847-531-8820
www.amicisclubhouse.com
Date & Time: Wednesday 09/15/10 - 12:45pm
Bartender: Katie
Price: $6. 00

I've been a little under the weather, so sorry it took so long to get this review up. Getting right into things, the next Bloody Mary on my quest to find Chicagoland's best was consumed at the newly opened restaurant & bar Amici's Clubhouse. While it doesn't take the top prize, the drink definitely was one I'd have again.

Made by a very friendly bartender named Katie, the cocktail came with 2 olives, pickle, lime wedge & celery stick. The drink had a nice taste, but could use a little more "kick" - I think adding a bit of horseradish would set things off nicely...

OLD STARKS TAVERN

OLD STARKS TAVERN
43W478 II Route 72 - Hampshire, IL
847-683-0014
Old Starks Tavern Metromix
Date & Time: Saturday 09/11/10 - 7pm
Atmosphere: Outdoor Deck
Price: ?

After getting a damn good Bloody Mary at the Red Ox, we went down the road to see if we could press our luck and find another. Unfortunately, after arriving at what I would have to describe as an "old bar" - we were informed that they were out of Bloody Mary mix...

Not being one to leave a bar without ordering something, we got a couple Miller Lites & went out on the back deck where a very friendly lady named Marina informed us that we must try some of the food from the cook - and went on to describe in detail the various options & how good each were. Even though I had ate before I left, her enthusiasm for the food definitely had my mouth watering, so I mentally made note to come back again sometime...hopefully they'll be able to provide a Bloody Mary when I do!

QUICK REVIEW OLD STARKS TAVERN BLOODY MARY

 Look: NO IDEA

Garnish: NO IDEA
Satisfaction: NONE

Rating: TBD (out of 5)

RED OX RESTAURANT & BAR

RED OX RESTAURANT & BAR
129 E. Oak Knoll Dr. - Hampshire, IL
847-683-2300
www.redoxhampshire.com
Date & Time: Saturday 09/11/10 - 6pm
Atmosphere: Outdoor Patio
Price: $4. 75

My second attempt at getting a Bloody Mary at the Red Ox was a success, and thankfully, it was worth the wait. Wanting to enjoy the good weather before it's gone for the rest of the year, my sister & I took advantage of the big back patio that we had virtually to ourselves, except for a cute elderly couple that turned out to be celebrating a big win at an OTB earlier in the day.

When our Bloody Marys arrived, the waiter brought with him a huge bottle of Tabasco sauce, which was a nice touch. This, as well as the nice amount of garnish overflowing from the top of the glass, had me licking my lips with anticipation....

HOULIHAN'S

HOULIHAN'S
1508 S. Randall Rd. - Algonquin, IL
847-658-4560
www.houlihans.com
Date & Time: Friday 09/10/10
Price: $5. 00

I'm going to keep this one short & give the review about as much time & effort that apparently was given to the creation of this extremely disappointing cocktail. While my disappointment partially may due to the fact that a good friend of mine had highly recommended a Houlihan's Bloody Mary she recently had in Lake Geneva, as I'm sure you can tell by the picture of the one I got in Algonquin - the drink was pretty pathetic.

Coming with a single celery stick, the concoction had no heat, no spice, and was very "tomato-e" - in a word, it was just bad. I actually wrote WTF! on my review sheet, and underlined a bunch of other descriptive adjectives...none of which were positive....

THE WALNUT SPEAKEASY

THE WALNUT SPEAKEASY
214 Walnut Ave. - Elgin, IL
847-695-2420
www.thewalnutspeakeasy.com
Date & Time: Thursday 08/26/10 - 4pm
Atmosphere: Brick & Wood Restaurant/Bar
Price: $5. 00







I'm happy to report that I found a damn good Bloody Mary! I don't know why, but I wasn't really expecting much when I first arrived. Maybe because I still have bad memories from years ago when the place was called The Walnut Inn, but boy times have changed...


The place itself has been totally refurbished.  Looking very upscale with the exposed brick & wood decor, the place is very nice. With over a dozen flat-screen TVs, it would be a great place to bring a date for a nice meal - and still get to keep your eye on the game.  As for the Bloody Mary...

JD's SPORTS BAR & GRILL

JD's SPORTS BAR & GRILL
908 W. Riverside Bl. - Rockford, IL
815-639-9488
www.jdssportsbar.com
Date & Time: Monday 08/16/10 - 9pm
Atmosphere: Large Open Space Sports Bar
Bartender: Amy

At this point in the evening my taste for Bloody Marys was getting thin, but not wanting to waste the opportunity to do another review, I bought one for the group to share.   Unfortunately for us, we probably should have called it a night on the Bloody Marys...

The bar itself is huge. High ceilings, and a ton of room to move around.  The place was filled with plenty of flat-screen TVs to catch a game or even play a game yourself.  (which we did by playing a game of Bags in the backroom - which is a nice touch)

2ND COUSINS BAR & GRILL

2ND COUSIN'S BAR & GRILL
6246 E. Riverside Bl. - Loves Park, IL
815-637-2660
www.2ndcousinsbarandgrill.com  
Date & Time: Monday 08/16/10 - 8pm
Atmosphere: Where else? (outdoor patio)
Bartender: Bridget?
Price: $3. 50

The third bar on our pub crawl took us down a ways, and brought us to 2nd Cousin's Bar & Grill - where not only did we find an outdoor patio to relax in, but another $0.35 wing special to boot. Life was good.

After drinking a couple 23oz beers to cleanse the pallet, I asked our waitress Bridget if they made a good Bloody Mary.  She of course said yes (they always do) and went off to get more cocktails for all.  The place was busy, but not too packed, and I noticed that our waitress was also helping out the bartender behind the bar, so I couldn't be too mad at the lengthy wait at times for some of the drinks to arrive....