Frato's Kitchen & Gaming — Restaurant in Schaumburg Township

For all the restaurants I’ve reviewed, I think Frato’s Culinary Kitchen is the most complicated. I’ve only gone here a handful of times, but there’s something very special and wholesome about this place.

Ecletic is a simple way to put Frato’s. Google’s algorithim for describing restaurants calls it as much, but it’s more than superficial or limited to the decor. Experiencing Fratos is unlike many other restaurants you and I have tried.

In a majority of my visits, when you come to Fratos, the seating area is empty, but the fellow employees are hard at work making food. It‘s like entering a funhouse at the carnival.

There is an element of humility that Frato’s deserves. Their workers are comprised of culinary students, many of whom hail from community or junior colleges. The in-store radio has humorous announcements recorded by the Frato’s staff.

Accompanying the decor and multi-TV layout are games like checkers and jenga. They take up a good portion of space on the desks; I’d imagine you would need to move them if you would want to sit a small group here.

But this is saying nothing of the Fratio’s food, so without further delay, let’s dig in.

Ordering food at Frato’s is like ordering at three different restaurants in one. Being a culinary school, having many choices of dish is precisely the point. That means having everything from just a salad to a hot dog and a drink, to bacon hamburgers and mozzerella rolls, and also to pizza and lemonade. They also sport a variety of sauces to put on your dish, in a display found in the corner of the restaurant.

The store is more than dine-in/carry-out, too. They also do catering and delivery for orders, and frequently have deals on pizza many days out of the week.

At Frato’s, food portions get hit with a growth ray. There are few places where I can say you get more than what you pay for, but Frato’s is definitely one of them. This can be a good thing and a bad thing, especially since the “Little Hamburger” (pictured) pales in stature compared to so many giant wedge fries. It was nonetheless delicious, with the edge of the bun toasted ever-so-slightly to make the textures stand out.

For more traditionally sized eats, such as the Vienna Beef hotdog, I’ve found the tater tots a better fit. The shakes are delicious, and served quite thick. Frato’s is also one of the few restaurants that has neither a Coke or Pepsi soda machine; they use RC products for their fountain. With that being the case, one can try the rather obscure flavors of Nehi Root Beer, St. Paddy’s Lime Soda (a drink with a similar flavor to Green River), Mystic Raspberry Iced Tea, and more.

Frato’s isn’t without its flaws. The price to make a combo meal is quite high (charging four dollars or more to add fries and a drink is not a deal) and that can double the total of some orders. The unconventionally arranged dining spaces and frequent vacancy of it can be off-putting to some. However, with a varied customer base (who may be at home ordering delivery, ordering catering at events, and dining in-store) it’s not at all a bad thing to focus on the ingredients over the furniture.

Frato’s is a unique restaurant, offering on-the-job training for its students and some incredible eats for the rest of us. If you haven’t dined here on an empty stomach, be sure to do so, and you’ll know by your first visit when...

Driving through my hometown I decided to stop and get my friend and family, dinner to go. I now live about 30 minutes away . I ordered myself a gyro and asked for the Tzatziki sauce on the side . I spent 53.00 on dinner for all of us. We got home only to find they forgot my sauce for the gyro. In my opinion, the sauce is what really makes it a gyro . Otherwise it’s just some meat in a pita . Ok no big deal, I’ll just call and get this rectified. I called up and they offered me 2.00 credit to use at the restaurant. I explained I don’t live there and the credit doesn’t help me . She then offered a 5.00 credit at the restaurant. Again I explained that I don’t live out there and that doesn’t help me . I would like a refund to my credit card . I was told by the lady I spoke to and another kid that worked there they can’t do that . They then took my email and said they would try to have the owner contact me as I was asking. Two minutes later another kid calls and says he is the manager and was just busy when I called. I said I wanted a gyro with the sauce and it was missing . I said the same thing i told the others, “without the sauce it is just some meat and a pita. “ He went on to list off all that I ordered saying that was not all i had. Well, the other food were for my family and a friend , and the French fries I got had nothing to do with not having my main course complete. Truly, didn’t think it was all going to this way. It seemed pretty simple. The other food was very good . Everyone liked it . They were very nice when we were there ordering. The place was clean and all were wearing masks. All I wanted was my credit to be back on my card. To come back there to use a credit was only going to cost me more money . At a time when I’m a single mom, unemployed and trying to make ends meet and took a night to treat my family , this was disappointing. It seems very logical to me and fair to just give the credit back to my card. I am truly understanding that people are human and make mistakes. This stuff can happen. I just think a credit for the restaurant use only benefits the business not the customer . Especially when I live far from the location. Sad, I had loved this place as a kid and went for some nostalgia tonight to lift my spirits from another tough week on unemployment and I feel like no one cared...

My husband and I chose Fratos to cater our backyard wedding. Chef Andy was our personal chef/coordinator who oversaw the entire process. We are so happy with the service!!! We opted to do a taco bar for dinner with a guacamole and salsa appetizer station for the cocktail hour. This was hands down some of the BEST TASTING guacamole and tacos we've ever eaten (and I grew up around authentic Mexican cuisine so that's saying something). The flavor in the cilantro rice was also incredible. And don't get me started on the homemade cheesecake brownies! Honestly, there wasn't a single item on the menu we didn't find absolutely delicious.

But it's not just about how good the food tasted, it's the amazing service Chef Andy and his team provided throughout the whole experience. From the moment we called to inquire about their catering options to the tasting he arranged for us (even throwing in a complimentary order of their famous mozzarella sticks because we mentioned reading about them). Chef Andy takes such pride in his craft. It's not a job for him, it's clearly a passion and art. He genuinely wants to create a memorable and amazing experience for his clients and is always seeking to improve his craft. He called us the day after our wedding to see how everyone liked the food and encouraged us to give constructive feedback if needed. Well sorry to disappoint you, Chef Andy, but I can't think of a single thing that wasn't perfect in our eyes! ☺️ We loved EVERYTHING. And we are so grateful for your patience and flexibility throughout the process (ESPECIALLY when our venue changed 3 weeks out from our wedding to a considerably farther location). You still showed up on time and our food remained warm through the cocktail hour and dinner.

Thank you for all your hard work and effort, Chef Andy. We will DEFINITELY be using your services again and recommending you to EVERYONE!!! Fratos is the best because they employ those with a true passion for their work. You will not be...