The Village Squire (Crystal Lake) — Restaurant in Crystal Lake

I really never share one star reviews, and it's been almost 3 months of me debating writing this, but I am. We came on a Sunday evening (me, my husband, and my two younger stepsons) and our server was in a terrible mood. Ok, no problem, I get it as I used to serve/bartend. Not all days are great. I have very severe food allergies and presented her with an allergy card when we were ordering. She BERATED me about my allergies. NEVER has this ever happened to me. EVER. She refused to bring my allergy card to the kitchen (I have several cards and tell servers they can keep them, and always ask that they show the cooks for cross contamination). She argued with me that I just needed to order something without ingredients I'm allergic to (as if I don't realize that) and when I did, she proceeded to argue with me about her not needing to show anyone the card because the sandwich I ordered didn't have my allergens in it. I asked if items were prepared in the same area and she didn't know. She was really pissed at this point. I felt terrible and my kids were really upset. I just said that I would have water and asked that she just take everyone else's order. That pissed her off MORE. I wasn't even angry about it, I just very nicely told her I didn't feel comfortable and I was fine with everyone else eating (we were celebrating my husband) and I didn't want to drag the kids to another restaurant. She raised her voice and said that FINE she would take my card to the kitchen but it was pointless. I told her "respectfully, I no longer feel comfortable" and she told me that this was ridiculous. I told her that I knew it was the end of a (probably) long Sunday for her and I just wanted to let everyone else order and not make a bigger deal out of it, as now people from the bar area are staring at us. She told me she was ordering the sandwich for me anyways. My husband (who is very quiet) jumped in and told her that this was a matter of life or death and if she wasn't going to take it seriously, we needed to leave. She told him she DID take it seriously and was putting in the sandwich order I no longer wanted. Then my 9 year old stepson told us that he wanted to go somewhere that I was safe. So we told her we were going to leave, and thanked her for her time. She was FURIOUS and blocked us in the booth. After a few more back and forths, we were able to leave the booth and as we were walking away she said she was fine with my allergies and she didn't understand why we were leaving.

For a couple months I felt like this was me just being sensitive, but it's not. My allergies have become a matter or life or death and I take precautions when I go out, and I still deserve the right to go out. I have worked in 15+ restaurants and I know how preparations can be done carefully. So shame on her.

Btw, this was our first time here. First experience ever with a Village Squire, and we live down the street....

I visited while I was visiting family in Illinois with my bestie and her mom, for my birthday, and we stopped in to have lunch here. Our server's name was Kyle- nice-looking guy about 5'8-5'10 with a beard.

I ordered fried pickles for the table, My friend ordered a Ruben sandwich, her mom got a prime rib grinder with a french onion soup ( without the crunchy toppings), I got a bacon cheeseburger with no veggies and swiss cheese.

I asked for dr.pepper, Kyle said there was only Mr.Pibb and joked 'they are the same thing', joke didnt land. We had no waters and had to ask for some and were told they would bring them. After 10 minutes there was no waters- we tried calling Kyle but he didn't seem to hear us and asked another staffer to bring some water and plates (for the fried pickles). When we saw kyle again, he came with waters and plates that he swiveled and gave to another table. Ok, maybe its a mistake- we ask for them again. Eventually we get the plates, our waters and our food.

The burger i had ordered came with veggies which i immediately sent back as it was not how I ordered the burger (meaning the order was put into the kitchen wrong as well), the prime rib grinder that was ordered didnt come with its soup- we had to ask for the soup we ordered. The burger seemed to be returned to me with just the veggies removed rather than remade, regardless, it tasted frozen, with pre-made grill marks, as well as fresh grill marks (they crisscrossed one another). Eventually the soup came.

We politely finished the meal and left as we could since I did not want to make a scene on what was also my birthday.

I couldnt be more displeased in the service offered by our dedicated server, the hosted was nice and I found myself displeased with the burger I got which is why im writing this review and rated...

My fiancée Kim was fired late last night — technically early July 3rd — just one day before the 4th of July. She had just worked a full shift on July 2nd and came in like she always did: professional, fast, and dependable. She was a loyal waitress who regularly handled multiple tables at once, and customers gave her compliments all the time.

Even the owner, Aleko Karas, personally complimented her recently after she served him and his guests. He told her she did a good job. But after one online complaint from a customer — who still tipped her $20 on a check under $100 — she was suddenly fired without any warning, write-ups, or second chances. Just like that.

And Aleko didn’t even tell her himself. He made Nadine, the manager who originally hired Kim, deliver the bad news. And what’s worse — Nadine already knew, but waited until Kim had already left and got home to tell her. That’s a cowardly move too. If you respect someone even a little, you tell them face to face — not after they’ve just worked a full shift and gone home thinking everything was fine.

This restaurant didn’t just lose a good worker. They lost someone guests respected. If this is how they treat loyal employees, I’d be cautious about how they treat guests too.

I’m also strongly considering taking this to the Illinois Department of Labor, because this doesn’t feel right — and it’s not over. No one should lose their job like this: no warning, no...