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....