Restaurants in Melrose Park

Though you might not know it from the outside, the kitchen at Aqua Bar and Grill, part of a hotel building from the 1940s, is the site of a nightly culinary summit. There, flavorful representatives from Cajun and Caribbean traditions meet to form an ever-changing menu that includes cajun sandwiches, penne pasta tossed with three kinds of sausage and jambalaya, top sirloin steak, coconut shrimp, crab-stuffed mushrooms, and crab legs. The chefs concoct a selection of seasonal American fare with emphasis on seafood that complements the bar and grill's well-rounded wine list and selection of more than 25 craft beers. Amid the high ceilings and walls dotted with paintings from local artists, Aqua's friendly owners also prowl the restaurant floor, mixing up signature cocktails at the bar, making friends, and daring people to sing their orders to the tune of "Turkey In The Straw".

Inside a knotted-wood edifice watched over by a cow statue on the rooftop, Etno Village Grill's cooks prepare gourmet fast food inspired by the street fare of Eastern Europe. Patrons can build custom sandwiches from artisan breads and hormone- and antibiotic-free meats—including traditional cevaps (skinless sausages)—before dressing creations with seasonal produce from the free condiment bar. Signature sandwiches fill out the menu, which spotlights house favorites such as the Cason burger with ginger poached pears and applewood-smoked bacon. Diners can claim stools in front of the picture window and admire exposed bricks between bites, take their eats outside to the patio, or teleport around the corner to nosh in nearby Jonquil Park. As an added bonus, the BYOB establishment offers to pop brought bottles without charging a corkage fee.

At Ameer Kabob, chefs whip up artfully plated traditional Mediterranean cuisine. Aromas of grilled, marinated beef and chicken waft from sizzling kebab entrees, and a convoy of appetizers includes classic noshables such as hummus, tabouleh salad, and house-made lentil soup. The gastronomers also make their cuisine mobile, catering events for up to 1,000 diners or two hungry giants.

At Guys & Wok, cooks simmer up the sweet and spicy flavors of Thailand to make classic noodle and rice dishes. Perched at the heart of Boystown, the restaurant asserts its presence with a neon teal sign and floor-to-ceiling windows stamped with a giant ampersand. Upon entering, an analog chalkboard competes with digital flat-screen TVs to relay menu options such as mango spring rolls and red, green, yellow, and panang curries. Restaurant specialties, such as the Sunset squid with chili-lime-garlic dipping sauce accompany refreshments including traditional Thai drinks and certified-organic loose teas. Facing Halsted Street, stools sidle up to countertops, offering views of the bustling street and its boisterous bar crowds. As a WiFi-equipped eatery, the restaurant invites patrons to settle in at tables, enjoy their fares, and google their second-grade teachers.

For more than 30 years, Quiznos has toasted its submarine sandwiches to bring out the hidden flavors found in butcher-quality meats, cheese, and artisan breads. Its classic and signature subs take on a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles ranging from the prime rib mushroom and swiss to the classic italian donning black olives, mozzarella, red-wine vinaigrette, and plentiful sliced meats. Those closely monitoring their waistlines can take unabashed bites of sandwiches that have fewer than 500 calories, such as the pork-cuban, Baja-chicken, and veggie-caprese subs. Quiznos' Toasty Bullets and Torpedoes offer slimmer versions of sub fare and flaunt supreme aerodynamics when shot out of T-shirt cannons and into mouths. A selection of Flatbread Sammies, soups, and salads round out Quiznos' varied menu.

Beaded curtains and maroon tapestries drape Pars Cove’s dining room in Old World charm, matching the Persian and Mediterranean influence on the restaurant’s menu. The dishes incorporate "flavors both familiar and daring," according to CenterStage, covering land and sea more effectively than a seal trying to walk in combat boots. Caramelized onions, fresh basil, and plum-tomato-herb sauce simmer beneath the lamb arrabiata’s tender-cut shank. A sweet-toned walnut-pomegranate sauce glazes veggie, chicken, or salmon fesenjan. Outside, green tendrils from potted plants reach through the patio's lattice fence, creating a garden-like vibe and sneaking tastes of hummus from unguarded plates.