The Prospect — Restaurant in Elk Grove Township

I had a great meal at the chef's counter. We ended up having four appetizers shared across two people, and then just skipping to sharing a dessert, as that was plenty of food. (We had two cocktails each as well, which worked out well.) The food was great and the ambiance and decor were pleasant.

The appetizers we ordered - the wedge salad, short rib, burrata, and octopus, were all excellent. The wedge salad was prepared well, complete with a couple strips of bacon alongside it to nicely complement it. The short ribs had a good flavor, the kimchi was a good contrast, and while I'm used to sesame just being perfunctory in many galbi recipes, it had an evident - and pleasant - flavor here. The octopus had an interesting aji base, and the citrus (blood orange?) went nicely with it - it was a preparation I wasn't familiar with, but it turned out well. The burrata was fresh and went very well with its accompaniments, and the crostini were simple but pleasantly flavorful.

We decided that we were too full to embark on a full main dish - even split between the two of us - and skipped straight to dessert. If you're wondering, then, two starters apiece can certainly be sufficiently filling. We split the cookie a la mode (plus a dessert cocktail for each of us), which provided a pleasant cap to the meal. The cookie came with a generous helping of ice cream, and the cookie itself was made in a large ramekin, making a good base.

All of the drinks we had were well-made, including some interesting tweaks to well-known cocktail standards. They were served in fancy - but appropriate - cocktail glasses and with appealing garnishes and presentation. Additionally, being at the chef's counter was a good experience: the first floor of the restaurant can be a touch loud, so the counter would be tricky with more than two people who would like to talk, but it was neat to see how the various dishes were prepared, and the chefs were happy to talk when they weren't busy.

All in all, it was a good meal. I would recommend going to The Prospect for a nice meal - certainly one of the better restaurants I've been to in the northwest suburbs. I expect I'll probably be back, although unfortunately the bill being just shy of $100/person after tip (admittedly including two cocktails, dessert, and a good amount of food) means I may not afford to be a regular for larger dinners.

(A note: this review has been updated. Initially I had some service concerns that I mentioned to the manager separately. He offered a discount to try The Prospect again, and on our second visit the service was significantly improved, from the same server. The server did not appear to have been prompted or remember us - which is fine! - so I'm comfortable saying that our initial service quibbles were likely a fluke, and have updated the rating and a couple of comments accordingly. Our second visit included the Steak and Frites (picture attached), Corvina (not pictured, but still tasty), and the Milk Chocolate Mousse Cake (pictured), all of which are worth eating, and had good...

My wife and I had the pleasure of dining at The Prospect last night. As a genuine food lover, I must say, this is one of the best meals I have had in my life. We had cocktails and "clarity cocktails." We ordered the burrata, the tuna crudo, the octopus, black cod, steak frites, peach budino, and milk chocolate cake. WOW.

The "hummingbird" clarity cocktail tasted like biting into fresh pineapple. My wife loved her drink with absinthe.

The burrata was simple but perfectly seasoned and the accompanying salad was dressed well without being overpowering.

The tuna crudo was for my wife - she loved it! A little spicy, and described as "melt in your mouth."

The octopus rocked our socks. It was tender, well-seasoned, and the aji amarillo sauce was plate-licking good.

The black cod with miso, forbidden rice, and coconut curry was such a pleasant surprise. The cod was perfection and the coconut curry had a really subtle spice that left my mouth tingling for several minutes after I ate it - absolutely delicious.

The steak frites was better than I could have expected. They were out of the skirt steak so substituted it with a smaller portion of their usual NY strip and, again, WOW. Exceptional. Super flavorful and delicious with the chimichurri.

My wife made fun of me for wanting the budino but quickly took it back once she tasted it. Both the budino and the milk chocolate cake were truly exceptional composed desserts with layers of flavor without being too sweet.

We sat outside on the beautiful patio and had Bianca as our server. We explained that we weren't in a hurry and she paced our meal out perfectly so we could enjoy without feeling rushed. Truly awesome atmosphere...

Yoooo

5 Stars – A Standout Dining Experience in Mount Prospect!

I recently visited The Prospect, a new gem that just opened up in Mount Prospect, and I have to say—this place is exactly what the area needed!

I arrived around 6:50 PM and there was a bit of initial confusion about whether I’d be seated right away or closer to 8 PM. But once I spoke with the manager, Eric, everything turned around. He not only offered me a cocktail during the wait (a classy touch), but truly went above and beyond by seating me near the chef’s table—an unexpected and unforgettable experience.

From there, it only got better. I had the opportunity to watch the kitchen in action and connect with Irvin and Chef Raul. Their teamwork and passion for what they do was so impressive—it felt like watching a symphony of flavor come to life.

To start, I had the bread basket with sun-dried tomato butter. Normally, paying for bread gives me pause, but this was well worth it. The butter was perfectly salty and balanced, and the bread had that warm, fresh-baked crisp that just hits right. I also ordered the lamb chops, paired with a unique apple chutney that elevated the dish to a whole new level. Every bite was packed with flavor and thoughtful complexity.

The bar was lively all night, consistently pumping out everything from signature cocktails to customized drinks. The overall vibe, energy, and pace reminded me of some of my favorite spots in Miami—a rare find since moving to Illinois.

Huge thanks to Eric for his outstanding hospitality and to the entire kitchen team, especially Irvin and Chef Raul, for an unforgettable evening. I’ll definitely be back—realistically, probably...