Restaurants near National Park

I took my 5 grandkids to L Woods Pine Lodge today for Christmas lunch and I love the way they decorate for Christmas. Our waitress was great and the food never disappoints. There is a nice selection on the menu and the foods is always good.

Our server was incredibly kind. The food was great and the drinks were very good. They gave us gift certificates and free desert to celebrate a special occasion with us. Will 100% be coming back.

My wife and I are frequent diners here. We had a very nice Greek salad and then the special Beef Wellington, which was the best piece of beef we have ever had, with a dressing to befit it. Well worth the price! Our server, Shayna, was terrific in her attentiveness, efficiency and promptness. What set her apart was her wonderful personality and sharing of her own story. She definitely added to the enjoyment of the evening! We got Christmas gift cards for our family, so we’ll be back regularly to use our bonus cards!

The surf and turf special 2 truffle crusted filet medallions and crab stuffed lobster tail was excellent. My boyfriend got the lobster butternut squash ravioli, which was also great. We did a wine tasting before dinner to try out options before we ate. And I always love the tabletop wine decanter. You can really taste the wine better. Our server was also very friendly and helpful . Always fun for a special occasion or date night !

This was a girls night out to celebrate a birthday and the holidays. My favorite thing about Ema - aside from how delicious and creative the food is - is that the portion sizes are big enough to share, but not so huge that you feel guilty ordering multiple dishes. There were six of us and we ordered a variety of cocktails (which were beautifully presented) followed by several dishes from all sections of the menu. We started with the classic hummus and the toasted almond & garlic spread. The hummus was predictably delicious, but the real standout was the toasted almond garlic spread. It was crunchy and nutty and had lots of flavor. We next had the chopped salad and the big eye tuna with Honeycrisp apple and pomegranate seeds. The chopped salad had a pleasantly surprising bit of spice to it, which we all enjoyed but….the tuna preparation was stellar and is a relatively new add to the menu. Ema’s previous tuna dish – from October – included watermelon, but this dish was truly spectacular! The bright pop of color and tartness in the pomegranate, paired with the tuna and diced apple, along with the mint… Made it look like Christmas on a plate. SK SO good!! We then had falafel, brussels sprouts and brown butter dates. The falafel is crunchy and flavorful, and served with a beet-laced tzatziki. The brussels sprouts were prepared with shallots and pumpkin seeds and a subtle hint of sticky sweetness. The dates were fine, but nobody was raving about them like we did the other dishes. We finished our meal with the harissa crusted halibut, and the cauliflower kebab. Both were excellent, although my personal favorite was the halibut. It is served on a bed of mushrooms, in a Dashi broth with a spicy crust on top. The fish was tender and flaky and full of flavor. Service (Morgan) was attentive but not annoying; ambience is chic and classy but comfortable. You would never know you are in a parking lot in Glenview as opposed to a terrace in the Mediterranean.