Restaurants in Mount Prospect

Chefs at La Roca Tapas are unafraid of flavor, which they infuse into each sharable dish with classic Spanish ingredients such as salty chorizo, tender grilled shrimp, or sauces based in vinegar, olive oil, and cayenne pepper. The Chicago Sun Times calls the resulting spread full of “tempting options,” which include hot or cold tapas such as the baked goat cheese with tomato sauce, or classic Spanish dishes such as paella. Everything on the menu is made from scratch, including the ink it's printed with, though most likely at an ink factory.

Smashburger isn't just the name—it's the way chefs grill every burger. First, they form never-frozen, 100% Angus beef into a giant meatball. Then they season it, place it on a butter-glazed grill, and smash it into a patty. The process caramelizes the beef, locking in flavor while keeping the meat juicy and tender. The chefs then sandwich each slab in an artisan bun and turn it into one of an array of standard burgers or locally inspired specialties unique to each market. This handcrafting approach typifies everything else the chefs do, from blending handspun Häagen-Dazs shakes to hand painting Smashburger's logo onto every beverage cup. Letting its food stand for itself and relying mostly on word of mouth for advertising, the Smashburger franchise expanded to 160 restaurants in five years, with its swift growth from zero to 100 stores making it one of the nation's fastest-growing restaurant companies. This rapid development even caught the attention of Forbes and Inc. along the way.

Beneath the glow of 12 high-definition plasma televisions, riotous sports fans toast to their teams by clinking glasses and smushing burgers together at First Place Sports Bar & Grill. Between sips of cold beer and bites of handheld eats including sandwiches, nachos, and ribs, bar-goers throw wild shots at three dart boards and play 52-ball pickup around the pool table. Numerous video games, such as 2010 Golden Tee Live, Silver Strike, and Big Buck Hunter, jingle in anticipation of a feeding of quarters, while a jukebox offers a custom soundtrack to sporting revelry.

Jaded Thai’s chefs personalize every order that leaves the kitchen. The pan-fried noodles, six types of curry, and stir-fried entrees can emerge with the diner's choice of tofu, meat, or seafood, as well as spice level ranging from mild to intensely hot. The heat stems from the fiery Thai chilies, which add piquant flavors to the menu items' aromatic doses of ginger, basil, or housemade peanut sauce.

Nozumi’s culinary team of world travelers turns to seasonally available ingredients and their own global palates to create innovative Japanese cuisine. While seated at a high-top table beneath a hushed lighting fixture or nestled in a cushy booth, diners can choose shareable plates from five tapas-style menus or entrust their selections to the chef, who employs a fresh selection of seafood to furl signature sushi rolls such as Rinjin Dragon, packed with shrimp tempura, fresh-water eel, and veggies drizzled in spicy mayo. Non-sushi entrees include grilled tiger shrimp and seared day-boat scallops swimming in creamy basil sauce and fettuccine noodles, and a tuna sandwich anchored by seasoned yellow-fin steak and coleslaw. Guests can also set up shop at the sushi bar or reserve the private Tatami room, designed to accommodate 8–10 people or one very large secret.

From an ever-sizzling grill, Kooker's dispenses hearty American diner fare from morning until night. Daybreak eats perk up sleepy palates with selections such as omelet sandwiches piled with eggs pan-fried in real butter. On outdoor picnic-style seating, burgers, italian beef, and hot dogs nestle next to thatched piles of fries, while thick shakes and ice-cream flurries packed with crushed candy bars, fresh fruits, and snowman's tears stand by to sweeten hardhearted tongues.