Restaurants in Wheeling

In the hungry face of hunger, it is widely agreed that sushi is an acceptable cure for growling digestive tracts. With today's Groupon, you can satisfy the most demanding of cravings for sliced, rod-shaped foods at Kamehachi. Twenty dollars gets you $50 worth of sushi, sake, noodles, and more.

Lovell's of Lake Forest is co-owned by James Lovell, the NASA astronaut best remembered as the commander of the Apollo 13 space flight, and second-best remembered for playing Tom Hanks in the 1995 film, Apollo 13. Lovell's son, Jay Lovell, as co-owner and executive chef, oversees Lovell's of Lake Forest's dinner menu of steaks, seafood, sandwiches, and more. Commence consumption sequences with the fried calamari ($14) or its briny brethren, scallops ($15), before sinking fork and fang into Lovell's of Lake Forest's slate of steaks and chops. The 8-oz. filet mignon ($31) can come bacon-wrapped with cognac-veal reduction ($33), rock-crab-accompanied with asparagus and hollandaise ($37), or in other variations, while the 14-oz. Australian rack of lamb ($36), with its goat-cheese-and-Dijon crust, finds a use for sheep outside of pulling dogsleds. Other entrees include fish and chips ($18) and seared ahi tuna ($25), with desserts such as tiramisu ($9) providing a fine finale to feasting. The restaurant also serves lunch and breakfast.

After dining at Restaurant Michael, Chicago Reader writer David Hammond described a savory spread of pate and gherkin pickles as “surpassingly pleasing,” and noted that his dessert (a warm blueberry-almond financier pastry with a ginger-almond ice-cream sandwich) was still haunting his dreams. At his eponymous Winnetka restaurant, chef Michael Lachowicz crafts traditional French cuisine inspired by his training at the Culinary Institute of America and years spent sharing spatulas with world-renowned chefs. Like Tchaikovsky's musical interpretations of the calendar year, Michael's menus change with the season to showcase the freshest ingredients and flavors. Whole-roasted squab or sautéed fillets of flounder drizzled in champagne sauce showcase his creative ambition as well as his classical training. Desserts include indulgences such as housemade gelato or artisanal cheese served from a cart. Restaurant Michael's elegant dining room is wrapped in warm earth tones and awash in the glow of hanging lamps and domesticated moonbeams. White cloths mark intimate tables that support glass stemware and the occasional roving wine decanters.

Inside Omega Restaurant, ovens blaze as they lightly brown cheesecakes in spring-form pans, trays of tiramisu, and large baking sheets of fruit-filled danishes. These sweet wares, available for takeout, also accompany the restaurant’s hearty plates of American-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrees, prepared 24 hours a day. Servers supply tables with warm dishes such as fluffy three-egg omelets, grilled ham and swiss paninis, and hearty slices of housemade meatloaf.

In the main dining area, dark-wood tables complement cocoa-hued walls and framed abstract artwork to create a contemporary atmosphere. The adjacent coffee bar with glass bakery cases features complimentary WiFi access to pair with freshly brewed gourmet coffees, accommodating both customers on the go and laptops in need of a caffeine boost.

The Bagel Bin vends 28 bagel varieties to Deerfield residents and early morning, Milwaukee Ave. commuters. Since its founding in 1993, the business has opened daily at 6:00 a.m. to accommodate early risers. Bakers churn out their carbs entirely from scratch to populate café-style breakfast and lunch menus. The Bagel Bin also spreads its breads far and wide, disseminating its bagels wholesale to cafeterias and doughnut counterfeiting operations.

Players Pub and Grill caters to its sports-minded clientele with a menu of American pub fare, foamy brews, and walls bedecked with the trappings of beloved local teams. Beneath the glow of big-screen plasma televisions or the stone fireplace, patrons bite into burgers, pizzas, and pasta dishes. Glasses and bottles clink in the hands of fans joyously celebrating their team's victories and admiring the wall-mounted collection of memorabilia, such as signs from Soldier Field and the record 1,000th hurled beer bottle from Comiskey Park. Between sips and snacks, patrons can settle their personal scores through challenges at the dartboards and in video games.