Correction, December 1, 2011: We recently reviewed the Crystal Lake Rib House and later had a discussion with the owner regarding information about their 2-for-1 Senior Special. What occurred on the night we reviewed the restaurant was that we also had Groupon coupon, which Groupon rules state that it cannot be used at the same time as other specials. In other words, it was a Groupon rule, NOT the restaurant’s rule. The owner wants all seniors to know that it doesn’t matter how many people are at the table, all are eligible for the 2-for-1 senior special on ribs. We apologize for any confusion this might have caused.
Editor’s Note: Our columnist is not a trained or paid professional, nor does he get complimentary meals from the restaurants visited. He and his party arrive unannounced and do not reveal that they will be doing a review. Comments or questions may be sent to Sam Geati, greengeezer9@comcast.net.
Recently, my wife and I invited good friends and backyard neighbors Kay and Lou to join us for a trek to try the famous ribs at the Crystal Lake Rib House. We were warned ahead of time not to expect anything fancy, which was right on from the moment we walked into the house-converted-into-a-restaurant. You walk up the stairs and step into the small area that is a combination waiting room, carry-out order desk, and soft-drink dispensing station. The wood floors are very clean but show their age, as does the rest of the building. There are two floors and very few tables available, maybe 15 tops. It was a Sunday night and we were fortunate to only have to wait 10 minutes to be seated. The staff does everything including greeting guests, answering phones for carry-out orders, filling beverage orders, all while appearing very enthused about their jobs and with a smile that says they are happy to see us.
Once seated, we were quickly told about the various beverage offerings, including many seasonal beer choices on tap. Lou and I ordered beers, mine being a very good October Fest lager. Later, our server told us about the Sunday Special for seniors, 2 for 1 full slabs of ribs for $19.95. This became a touchy situation, as the policy is one special per table. We thought this was ridiculous and told our server we would like two tables next to each other. We suspect this is a constant bugaboo for the servers, and she finally said even though they aren’t supposed to give separate checks, she was going to take care of it for us. With that behind us, we were able to enjoy an extra large slab of baby backs that were exactly up to expectations. They were very lean, tender, and basted with a mild, but very tasty barbeque sauce. For those who like it hot, there were sauces available on the table. The ribs came with fresh coleslaw and a choice of steak fries or baked beans. All of us opted for the fries, which were average, but the slaw was pretty tasty. Judy and I split one slab, which was just the right amount of food for each of us. We also ordered a whole chicken dinner at $12.95 because we had a voucher for $30.00. By the way, we had the chicken the following night and it was good, but not as outstanding as the ribs.
Also available were brisket or pulled pork sandwiches ($11.00), and burgers. But if you come here, come for the ribs. Homemade pies were also on the menu, but we declined because dessert was waiting for us at home.
Ratings (5 symbols being the highest):
Quality of food, value, and service: ****
Price range: See comments below.
Comments: This was a difficult place to rate fairly. If you don’t go on a Sunday to take advantage of the senior 2 or 1, the price for one slab is high, especially considering what comes with the meal.
Crystal Lake Rib House – located at 5111 East Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake, IL. Reservations are not accepted. Carry-outs are available. (815-477-3600) www.crystallakeribhouse.com
