City Works (Woodfield Mall - Schaumburg) — Restaurant in Schaumburg Township

We usually get up to area 5 or 6 times a year and wanted to try something different. I found City Works and thought the menu looked fantastic. So we thought we would try it. We got there on a Saturday at about 3 pm for a late lunch.

The good--- the food is amazing. Fresh and delicious. I had ahi tacos and they were top notch. The chips had to have been home made as they were the best I ever had. The guys had a pick 2 meats BBQ plates and they were very impressed. The serving was huge and everything on the plate was really good. We had an Nashville chicken app and I could tell those were freshly made. Very good.

The bad --- service. When we were first seated our server cam right up to us. We told her we were trying to get to the drink menu on our phones so to give us a minute She came back not much longer and we were still having trouble. We asked if there was a paper menu and she said no. She said she would be back...... we got the menu open, decided what we wanted and then the waiting began. By the time she got back, I forgot the name of the beer I wanted and had to look it up again. Then we waited for ever for the beers.

We got our food and my husband wanted another beer I looked around and out server seemed to be spending a lot of time at the end of the bar with another server and some guy who works there. I get if you are waiting for drinks but it seemed she was always there! By the time she finally came by to ask if we wanted more drinks, we were pretty much done with our meals. Normally you ask when you deliver the food or shortly after that.

My husband and son ordered another beer and by the time those finally arrived, my husband was done and my son almost done. Again, she was off and back in her bar spot. When she did come back to ask if we were done and wanted dessert we said no. She left and we assumed we would get the bill...... and the waiting began yet again. At this point, we had no food and not drinks and just wanted to leave. WE gave up and I went to the front desk (we were right up front) and asked for a bill, which they gave us and we paid right there.

It is really sad because we kept thinking we would like to go back but service was really bad. We have been to places were the server is running their ass off but this one didn't seem to be in any rush to do much. Now I see why the reviews mentioned that servers like to hand out at that "spot at the bar".

If they could greatly improve the service. I would eat...

I came here with a friend, just at the tail end of lunchtime. The lunch special goes until 2 pm, and we came in and were ready to order before that time. But by the time our server came around to ask our orders, it was past 2, and she initially refused to allow us to place a lunch special order. After some back and forth, she eventually told us it was ok "just this once." And then the entire time we were there, it seemed as though she had an attitude about the fact. I hate to inconvenience service workers, but when I'm sitting with an empty glass of iced tea, and there's practically no one else in the restaurant, I can't help but feel targeted.

My food was decent. I had the pesto flatbread, which was tasty, but dripped with oil. I'll give the benefit of the doubt and assume it was olive oil added after baking for flavor. But it dripped all the same. And as a side, I had the chili, which was just the right level of spicy for me, and the cornbread added a great counterpoint of sweetness to the soup.

My friend was a bit disappointed with her food. She had a BLT, with some modifications, as her entree, and felt it was just ok. She ordered the soup of the day, a beer cheese soup, as her side, and didn't care for it at all.

For dessert, we split a "strawberry fried cheesecake." Which I felt ok with, but my friend was unhappy about. I don't see where they get off calling it a cheesecake, though. It was far closer to a strawberry ice cream wrapped in something like a egg roll wrapper, coated in a churro-like cinnamon sugar powder. No part of this dish resembled cheesecake. My friend didn't want to finish her half, and though the server offered a to-go box for the last piece, I thought it would make no sense to try to take it home, as it was melting before our eyes. I would just end up with a pink stain on my car seat. Attempted revenge, perhaps?

In all fairness, this place does seem to specialize more in beer and other alcoholic beverages than it does in food, and neither of us were partaking in that at the time. But if the place wants to call itself a restaurant, the food quality and selection could do with some improvement. Not to mention the service.

Overall? Not somewhere I'll be coming back...

City Works is a suburban chain, delivering many brews on tap and delicious food. I've never been to a City Works, and this experience did not disappoint. This location is located next to a hotel, make sure you park in the right parking lot, which is across the street from the front entrance. There are signs that direct you.

Inside, the place is rather large. There's a giant bar/open kitchen area, a chalk board showcasing the day's brews. Their outside patio has a decent amount of seating, with a long table with firepit in the middle, and speakers pumping some good tunes while you sip on wine, dine on good food, and have some great conversation.

We ordered the following : Cheese curds: comes in a cute lil basket, the cheese curds come sprinkled with white cheddar, cornmeal battered, and a delicious spicy mayo dipping sauce.

Buffalo Shrimp: this was really good! I wish it came with more than 6 of em. The dish consisted of crispy jumbo shrimp, bleu cheese crumbles, bleu cheese dressing, buffalo sauce.

Grilled chicken sandwich: cooked nicely, with a moist chicken breast, hardwood-smoked bacon, french fry aioli, shredded iceberg, vine-ripened tomato, red onion, avocado mash. The olive oil parsley fries was great.

Carolina fried chicken: A buttermilk breaded crispy chicken breast, spicy bread and butter pickles, carolina mustard bbq sauce, shredded iceberg, brioche bun.

And for dessert: S'mores Dip: It a little cast iron skillet, there's a layer of chocolate, and surface-crusted marshmallow. The dish was served with graham crackers.

Peanut Butter Snickers Pie: SO GOOD!! The pie had an oreo cookie crust, peanut butter mousse, snickers, whipped cream, chocolate and caramel sauce. Highly recommend!

Service was great, food was great, and the overall ambience was fantastic.

BATHROOM REVIEW: The bathroom consisted of a couple of urinals and bathroom stalls. Everything was in clean working order. Sit...