Bartlett's Blue Ribbon: friendly, affordable (and popular)
Everybody needs a reliable standby that's close to home, and Blue Ribbon in Bartlett wants to be just that.
Affordable food and a laid-back setting are draws, but genuine frustration comes from its irregular hours. Despite calling and confirming opening hours the night before, we arrived to a closed restaurant with servers meandering around inside. When we called to inquire about the situation from the car outside, no one seemed to notice the doors remained locked 30 minutes after opening or, frankly, sure about when it was they were supposed to open at all. Strange. A word to the wise: Call to confirm the restaurant is open before heading out.
That said, once inside we were met with a friendly place: Striped banquettes occupy the dining room to the right, while high-tables and groupings of plush seating reside in the adjacent lounge. We opted for the latter, preferring the warm red walls and lack of formality. (But we sure were thankful when the blaring TV, which wasn't even tuned to a sports event, was lowered to a conversation-friendly volume.)
The first thing we noted about the menu was how widely approachable it was. Martinis are $6, beers just $3.50. That's almost unheard of these days. Foodwise, there's a lot of variety at play. And while most of what you'll find is pub grub-oriented, the menu holds a few surprises (graham-cracker-crusted, fried calamari).
We started with the tasty bacon-wrapped shrimp, served with a slightly sweet vanilla-bourbon sauce, and moved on to the showy (and, truth be told, Steak-Um-esque) do-it-yourself sirloin. Pricey at $10, it's still pretty cool. You just sear your paper-thin steak for a few seconds atop a sizzling river rock. A dipping sauce of some sort would have been a nice touch, however.
Other familiar starters come in the form of honey mustard chicken skewers; baked goat cheese in a pool of tomato sauce; spinach-artichoke dip; and crab cakes with garlic aioli.
Light eaters will appreciate the number of salads on offer, from a classic iceberg with tomatoes, carrots and cucumber to a blue-cheese-topped wedge, Mediterranean village salad with tomatoes, onions, green peppers and feta and the ubiquitous kitchen sink with all the trimmings.
The chef's specialty is pot roast, and it appears both as a dinner with carrot puree and (our choice) as a sandwich topped with onions, carrots and celery. It was nicely seasoned and totally homey, only the French roll it was served on was noticably stale. Crisp slaw and crunchy fries rounded off the plate.
The rest of the sandwiches are pretty pedestrian, from the Angus burger on a sesame bun to chicken breast, skirt steak and a barbecue chop.
The edited list of entrees offers up something for many persuasions: ribs, garlic and herb-marinated steak and chicken stir-fry with lemony sauce, to name a few. Seafood is an option as well, be it cedar-plank salmon, orange roughy with herb butter cream sauce and shrimp, salmon and orange roughy pasta in cream sauce. We tried the coconut shrimp and were pleased, especially when dipping it in the summery ginger-mango relish.
Desserts aren't a factor here, but you will want to check out the cocktail list, which is heavy on girly drinks. Of note is the fruity strawberry passion with Skyy vodka, muddled berries and passion fruit juice. There are Champagne cocktails, too, and they're a steal at $7 a pop. Wine lovers will encounter plenty of bottles in the $20 range and about a dozen by the glass for a mere $5 to $11.
When it comes to service, hour irregularity notwithstanding, some issues arose. For example, when asked that out leftovers get wrapped, the server instead tossed them. When we asked where they were, "oops, I threw them out" was the response. Upon pressing, a (half-hearted) offer was made to make another half order.
Gripes aside, Blue Ribbon is the kind of destination where you get what you pay for. And as long as you're not expecting too much, you'll likely walk away satisfied enough - particularly if you come here to meet up with friends.
• Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
Blue Ribbon
Facts: 203 S. Main St., Bartlett; (630) 213-9300
Cuisine: Bar fare
Setting: Casual, strip-mall-situated restaurant-lounge
Hours: Dinner 4 to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday (bar open later)
Price Range: Appetizers $4.50 to $10; salads $4 to $9.95; sandwiches and entrees $7.95 to $18.50
Accepts: Major credit cards