Kouri's Grill & Bar — Restaurant in Pekin

If you read none of this, here are the highlights Don’t have Tori as a server Sit in the back on Saturday evenings Don’t order beef tortellini Do order wings and hummus Don’t move your own tables around

All three stars go to our server in the back on a Saturday night, Carrie and the other sweet server (brunette with nice makeup, shorter)

Let’s start from the beginning. Knowing our party of 9 would arrive around 6:45p, we called at 6:00p and asked if they took reservations or had a wait list, the man said “no, but I think we should be able to make it work” Cool, no worries

Five of us arrive first and the sign says “seat yourself”. All of us were hesitant to do so with such a big group. As we’re standing near the door, a man picking up a to-go order (presumably a regular) says “they usually let people pull tables together.” His confidence led us to (still hesitantly) walk to the first two square 4-tops we see empty in the front area of the restaurant.

I had one hand on a table to my right, one hand on the table to my left, and not just half a second into pulling them together, a server (Tori) zooms toward us and pulls one of the chairs back that had, subsequently, moved with the table, and says something similar to “stop, you can’t pull tables together that are in two different sections!” Her tone was opposite of how I would have approached me. I stop immediately and back up and apologize. I then say “we called around 6 and a man said we’d be fine with nine people.” She looks at me, turns around to the make bartender, presumably asks about my call, and turns around to me and says “we don’t know anything about that”. I said “okay, are there two different tables available?” She said “I don’t know let me figure it out” My mother in law came almost immediately and was appalled by how Tori was speaking to me. A guardian angel server, (brunette, really nice makeup) who saw the whole encounter, zooms from the server station with a huge smile and says she’ll find a place for us.

Didn’t see Tori again. The nice lady brings us to the back section where 1 server (Carrie) is hustling! We get sat and had our meal. Carrie was phenomenal and always had our drinks full. For nine people, the food came quick. The beef tortellini was blah. The hummus was delicious! Family said the wings were good.

I was hoping Tori just wasn’t having a great day and was having a hard time. But, at the conclusion of our meal, we chatted with other staff who told us this isn’t the first time Tori has had complaints, but the manager can’t really fire her or anyone because there’s no one to...

First-timer...The online menu with grilled tenders got me in. Hooray to you guys for having unfried options. The hostess was pleasant and helpful. The waitress was nice. The place was clean. Not many customers... the waitress was still constantly at it, which impacted service to the tables.

The garlic parmesan sauce is amazing. The sear and firmness of the chicken were just right. Served on a lettuce leaf? The hot chicken juice made the leaf look wilted as time passed. The leaf made for an akward cutting surface. Not under the chicken will be my request next time. Two or Three of those grilled tenders with rice and a veggie, and I'd be eating here all the time.

The menu balancing is rough. The items and pricing appear to not be cohesive across the menu. Driven by increasing costs no doubt, such is the times. It still presented poorly to me as a customer. All I saw were prices all over the place. Made it feel like you're not thoughtfully pricing your menu. It gives the impression of intential profiting. Balancing costs throughout the entire menu and keeping to reasonable ranges between meals will eliminate that impression ... my upset during the visit was the $4.59 for a side... It was disappointing to find no side with the tenders, forced into the up-charge for a balanced-ish meal... then a small portion comes out. I did not want to take food out with me, but that side was small. I was glad the chicken was over-portioned when I saw that.

I wanted to like this place. I will likely try them again in a few months to see if...

Grate place, very friendly and welcoming environment! For a local business and the waitress enlighten our experience by remembering every detail and engaging socially! With a Local Small Town energy, Gourmet dining & food! Friendly,Fast and Aware staff.. Make's the environment and staff my go to Dinning Restaurant

*~Rememberble Notes - • Local Business • Everyday people • Staff put effort to get to know you & build relationship • Employees always on alert and watch for almost empty drinks and take care of you before you tell them!

Bit Of Background Partnered Local Business - Excalibur Seasons Company, LTD Pekin IL, 61554

1986-Current (Mar 3rd,2022) In Loving Memory Of Excalibur Founder, Jerry Hall, (Founder/Owner)

Kin - | - Detail - V. Hall - Wife | (widow) J. Hall - Son | (Meat Processing Consultant) V. Hall - Son | ...