Mrs. Yoss & I tried Bonton in Lombard last Saturday, nice place. It has a very contemporary decor and two 52" Sharp LCD monitors. Thy also have an outdoor cafe area adjacent to St. Charles rd. We each had a martini which were very good. I'm curious if anyone has tried the food there and what you thought?

I was there on a Saturday evening during Cruise Nights this summer and enjoyed the outdoor eating are. We had drinks and an appetizer so I can't really comment on the food. It is crowded most evenings especially Saturday.

I thought the Praga (sp?) was still there and the Bonton was just a nightclub next door. If it is still the Praga...the food is amazing. I will have to check into it further.

I found this on the web...one of many great reviews!

“Lovely In Lombard!”
Praga Restaurant

mathgenius
Tinley Park, IllinoisJul 4, 2008

For our 36th wedding anniversary, I wanted to take my wife someplace special, but not "downtown Chicago" expensive. So, I got out my trusty Chicago Magazine, and found Praga---it sounded really nice, But my "restaurant bible" is always the TripAdvisor---Praga "passed the test" with flying colors! Then, I found another restaurant review website that had more than twenty great reviews of Praga.

So, we drove the forty mile/one-hour trip from Tinley Park to Lombard. It was soooooooooooo worth the drive. Definitely one of the best dining experiences in our lives. We had two outstanding appetizers---Escargot and Maryland Crab Cakes---two wonderful salads from the "specials" menu---superb seafood specials---we each ordered the capellini with giant prawns, humongous grilled scallops, and shrimps in a wonderful sauce (our server highly recommended this delicious feast)---desserts to die for---mine, a bread pudding surrounded by fresh sliced strawberries and whipped cream, all covered in a superb whiskey sauce---the "little lady", a warm rhubarb crisp topped with French Vanilla ice cream, surrounded by fresh sliced strawberries.

My wife and I are not wine drinkers, so I had a delicious Tanqueray martini with blue cheese olives, and two 17-ounce bottles of Golden Pheasant imported beer---my wife had three 7-Ups---we each had three cups of the most delicious (strong) coffees.

The "bread girl" kept coming around with a chewy, delicious bread (I had eight slices), and olive oil, and pure butter. Our server was Anthony, so informative, friendly and knowledgeable re: the menu. Service is attentative, without being a bit over-powering. When Anthony brought out the check, I was shocked (but in a good way!) Everything was "ala carte". The complete check including tax---110 bucks---UNREAL!!!

I am a salt and pepper "freak", and usually get "freaked out" by the absence of shakers on the tables in French restaurants---I always sheepishly (and guiltily) ask for salt and pepper shakers---not here!---everything was just seasoned to perfection!

Needless to say, even with the forty mile drive, we will be dining at Praga on a regular basis. Next time, we'll have a cocktail in the "brand new" remodeled bar/wine room---it is too beautiful to even describe. For you outdoors types, there is a wonderful flower and plant filled sidewalk cafe in which to dine, "al fresco".

I drove by that Bonton place coming back from York on Friday. The place has a neon/Italian lights palm tree in the entryway. Seriously? Contemporary decor is one thing...but I will never step into a place with electric palm trees. There are just too many places out there without electric palm trees that I can give my martini dollar to.

After 9PM it gets very busy. It draws a late 20's to early 40's singles crowd.

quote:

Originally posted by J.R.Briquette:
The place has a neon/Italian lights palm tree in the entryway. Seriously? Contemporary decor is one thing...but I will never step into a place with electric palm trees.

Question: Is it the Italian lights, or the neon style Italian lights, the palm tree, or a combination of all of the above that offends you?

Bitterboy and I will add Bonton to our project, can't totally count them out on a decor miscue

quote:

Originally posted by ear_ringer:
After 9PM it gets very busy. It draws a late 20's to early 40's singles crowd.

Sounds like just the place for an enterprising divorce attorney.

That it is my friend!

We tried the Bonton lounge again recently and it was a slow Saturday, staff was a bit harried, but had a tasty crispy pizza, fine Golden Pheasant beer and a good wine. There is potential.

Did you see any of these?