Schaumburg's Pilot Pete's lands with locals

Nestled into the Schaumburg Regional Airport's terminal, Pilot Pete's Restaurant has catered to locals and pilots for more than 10 years.

Motif: The bar sits front and center in the dining area, under a bamboo canopy wrapped in ivy. It has a tropical feel, accented by travel and aviation memorabilia. There are seats at the bar and several high, round tables. If you sit at the end of the bar or in the dining area, there's a great view of the runway to watch planes take off and land.

Crowd: We were in about 8 p.m. on a Saturday, and both the bar and the dining area were packed with patrons of all ages — from families waiting for tables in the restaurant to a crowd of 30s and older in the bar for drinks and appetizers.

Service: Our server was friendly and attentive — an impressive feat considering how busy the bar was that night. She was happy to suggest drinks and appetizers, and her suggestions were excellent.

Liquid consumption: Pilot Pete's serves domestic and import beers, a small selection of specialty drinks and wine by the bottle and glass, as well as standard cocktails and frozen drinks. There are daily drink specials. On the night we were there the specials included $4 margaritas, which is what we ordered. It was a great value — a good-sized, tasty drink that was neither too strong nor too weak.

Food:The full food menu is available in the bar and includes a huge number of choices at really reasonable prices. Our server suggested Pilot Pete's chicken fingers as an appetizer, which are billed on the menu as #8220;the best on the planet.#8221; And you know what? They just might be. For $7.95, you get six crispy battered chicken strips that are not at all greasy, served with a really different, but delicious, honey mustard sauce for dipping.

We followed with reasonably priced $8.95 sandwiches: a pot roast sandwich made with perfectly cooked black angus round and cheddar cheese on a fresh pretzel roll, and the St. Thomas steak wrap #8212; tender, sliced rib-eye rolled up in a tortilla with cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and mango aioli that was at once both sweet and spicy.

All the sandwiches are served with fries and some tasty coleslaw made with the usual ingredients, plus golden raisins and apples. I usually skip coleslaw, but I'm glad I didn't this time. The menu also includes soups, salads, burgers, pizza, pasta, steak, seafood and desserts.

Parking: The large, free lot off Irving Park Road offers plenty of parking. Even though the restaurant was busy, we had no trouble finding a spot.

Overall: You don't need to be a pilot to enjoy Pilot Pete's. With a good selection of drinks and a huge food menu, Pilot Pete's is a great place for families to have dinner or for friends to enjoy a cocktail and appetizers.

<b>Pilot Pete's</b>

At the Schaumburg Regional Airport, 905 W. Irving Park Road, Schaumburg, (847) 891-5100, pilot-petes.com

<b>Hours: </b>11 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. daily