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Name: Big Shot Piano Lounge & Restaurant
Address: 2 S Vail Ave, Arlington Heights, IL, 60005
Telephone: (847) 670-6890
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.11

Big Shot Piano Lounge & Restaurant

2 S Vail Ave, Arlington Heights, IL, 60005

(847) 670-6890
Store is closed

Big Shot Piano Lounge & Restaurant Menu

Appetizers

Sizzling Shrimp Martini

Trio Crab Cakes

Spicy Chicken Skewers

Monterey Quesadillas

Monterey Quesadillas

Monterey Quesadillas - Steak

Seared Sesame Scallops

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Cheese Trilogy

Sizzling Shrimp Martini

Trio Crab Cakes

Spicy Chicken Skewers

Monterey Quesadillas

Monterey Quesadillas

Monterey Quesadillas - Steak

Seared Sesame Scallops

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Cheese Trilogy
Soup & Salads

Chicken Caesar

Greek Chicken

Raspberry Scallop

Blue Cheese Shrimp

Soup Du Jour

Chicken Caesar

Greek Chicken

Raspberry Scallop

Blue Cheese Shrimp

Soup Du Jour
Entrees

Salmon

Big Shot Tilapia

Sauteed Scallops

Shrimp Dejohne Dinner

Salmon

Big Shot Tilapia

Sauteed Scallops

Shrimp Dejohne Dinner
More Entrees

Peppered Beef Skewers

Ribeye Steak

Pork Chop

Swiss Crusted Chicken

Lemon Chicken

Chicken Margherita

Basil Pesto Pasta - Chicken

Basil Pesto Pasta - Shrimp

Peppered Beef Skewers

Ribeye Steak

Pork Chop

Swiss Crusted Chicken

Lemon Chicken

Chicken Margherita

Basil Pesto Pasta - Chicken

Basil Pesto Pasta - Shrimp
Flatbread Pizza

Avocado Shrimp

Meat Lovers

BBQ Chicken

Margherita

Avocado Shrimp

Meat Lovers

BBQ Chicken

Margherita
Burger & Sandwiches

Steak Sandwich

Tuscan Chicken Panini

Big Shot Signature Cheese Burger

Steak Sandwich

Tuscan Chicken Panini

Big Shot Signature Cheese Burger

Healthy Meal suggestions for Big Shot Piano Lounge & Restaurant

Appetizers

Sizzling Shrimp Martini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Trio Crab Cakes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Chicken Skewers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monterey Quesadillas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monterey Quesadillas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monterey Quesadillas - Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seared Sesame Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spinach Artichoke Dip [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Trilogy [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sizzling Shrimp Martini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Trio Crab Cakes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Chicken Skewers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monterey Quesadillas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monterey Quesadillas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monterey Quesadillas - Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seared Sesame Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spinach Artichoke Dip [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Trilogy [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Soup & Salads

Chicken Caesar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Greek Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Raspberry Scallop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blue Cheese Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soup Du Jour [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Caesar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Greek Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Raspberry Scallop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blue Cheese Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soup Du Jour [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entrees

Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Big Shot Tilapia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sauteed Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Dejohne Dinner [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Big Shot Tilapia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sauteed Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Dejohne Dinner [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
More Entrees

Peppered Beef Skewers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ribeye Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Chop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Swiss Crusted Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lemon Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Margherita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Basil Pesto Pasta - Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Basil Pesto Pasta - Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Peppered Beef Skewers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ribeye Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Chop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Swiss Crusted Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lemon Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Margherita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Basil Pesto Pasta - Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Basil Pesto Pasta - Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Flatbread Pizza

Avocado Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meat Lovers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Margherita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Avocado Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Meat Lovers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Margherita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Burger & Sandwiches

Steak Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuscan Chicken Panini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Big Shot Signature Cheese Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steak Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuscan Chicken Panini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Big Shot Signature Cheese Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Arlington Heights for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s ( 640 E Rand Rd )

Visit below restaurant in Arlington Heights for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s ( 640 E Rand Rd )

Write An Anonymous Review

Christina C.

Outstanding entertainment and ambiance for dates and group outings! Extraordinary vocals from some of the pianists here. Food is very good. Tried the crab cakes loaded with crabmeat, quesadillas fully layered with cheese and meats, and salad portions adequate so you won't go hungry! Pesto pasta was rich in flavor, scallop dish was PERFECTLY cooked (which is difficult to execute). Also, of course, service was awesome.
(5)
Kym B.

Management is horrendous. Bitchy server who wasn't helpful in trying to utilize my restaurant.com certificate via a phone app. When I spoke to the manager, explaining that I had spent the first ten minutes of my time here trying to get this info and needed help (hadn't even taken my coat off yet), she was equally as bitchy. Told me to sit back down and she'd get to me "in a minute," even though she was chatting at the bar with my rude server. So we left. I'm exchanging my certificate for a place where they don't treat you like yesterday's trash.
(1)
Mel L.

Have been here a handful of times since we've moved here but I do have mixed feelings. It can be really fun and something different to try. Last time we were there, we ordered a French martini. Usually this is a somewhat blood orange color and the one we had served to us was a dark purple color. I thought it was weird but gave it a shot, I couldn't really pinpoint if it was the correct drink or not seeing as it didn't taste like ones I've had in the past. I asked our waitress what drink it is (maybe she misheard my order since it can be so loud) and she quickly grabbed it without asking questions. I didn't even ask her to remake it, just wanted to double check what drink it was and became very short with me. My previous experiences haven't been very impressive with their staff either. The other thing is the seating issue here. If you have a booth you are fine but a regular table .. Not so much. There's barely any wiggle room and not to mention if someone accidentally knocks the table. Last time, people keep running into it and almost knocking our drinks over. I know that isn't the bars fault but maybe they should reconsider their seating or not let so many people in at one time.
(3)
Kiesha O.

First time at Big Shots and we enjoyed it. Nice crowd and a great area. Drinks were good and had great service.
(4)
Kristen N.

First time here. Came on a Wednesday night to celebrate anniversaries with another couple. Fun to walk down into the place. Wayne Richards, the pianist and singer, was excellent! He could play and sing almost anything. The food was very good (a tad expensive) and our server was very good as well. My only complaint is that the music volume was set for a Friday night when it is probably really busy and when we were there, there were only a few tables full, so the music was really too loud for talking and we were at the furthest back booth. We will definitely come back again, though.
(4)
Laura N.

One lovely evening, three friends, my husband, and myself gathered in this candlelit basement of a restaurant for an evening of drinks and piano sing-a-longs. We laughed. We cried. We bonded. All in this little circular booth in the corner near the piano. The piano player wowed us and the crowd was a perfect mix of people in the small, dim space. It was such a splendid night, that when the time came, I suggested coming here for my bachelorette party. The bachelorette party wasn't as fun. The piano player was OK, the crowd was thin, our group just sat there awkwardly with small side conversations, and nothing on the drink/food menu appealed to us. We were kind of bored and didn't stay long. I'm not sure if it was the group of people I was with, the night we went to the bar, the piano player, or the high expectations we had, but this experience has stuck in my memory more than my fun experience. Boo. I guess a night here really depends on a variety of factors. Big Shot CAN be fun, and I know it has been for me, but sometimes it can just be OK.
(3)
Ryne G.

John Jones is one of the worst singers I have ever encountered. I would rather go to amateur night at a dive than listen to him sing one more verse from Royals, or his original repertoire. No one has ever requested that at a piano bar. He didn't even play the piano during these songs, instead relying on terrible back up instruments and repulsive gyrations against the piano. I come to a piano bar to hear a voice and a piano, not something that was created using Garage Band. Overall the bar is fine, with a good wait staff and nice atmosphere, but avoid visiting nights when John Jones is playing - most likely you will be put off if you hear his voice over the loud speaker right outside the bar.
(1)
Dylan M.

Defiantly a fun spot to stop in for drinks and music. Upon checking in and asking for a table the hostess seemed uninterested and said she couldn't tell us if or when she could get us a table. Might want to work on that. Anyway I have no shame and bellied up to the bar and got my drank on. Not many bar stools and crowded to get a drink might have to fend for yourself for a good spot. Anyway the music is really fun and makes for a nice evening. I do have to say the performer we saw was not really a pianist but more a singer with a programed keyboard he played hiding behind an actual piano. So I am hoping other nites they have actual pianist rather then what we saw which after a few songs seemed to turn into a 1 man karaoke ensemble. But with all that said a piano bar is not easy to find anymore and it's great to have one in the suburbs. Oh and they have a little area to dance and get your groove on if you are in the mood.
(4)
Sherry K.

This place is fantastic. Its classy. The regulars aren't creepy broke people you find at dive bars. They're respectable and very friendly. The martinis are to DIE FOR. They have such a vast and wide variety of flavors from Banana split to Watermelon! The opening pianist seems to have classic piano training with plenty of jazz. He's excellent and has a nice clear voice. Its easy listening but not like that stereotypical easy listening your parents play in the car when you're in 5th grade and snap thwir fingers and shoulder dance while you cringe. The pianist who plays after the first guy (I will update this review once I learn the real names), is excellent. He has a lot pf young hip energy and has a lot of sass in a good way. He even composes his own songs you can find on iTunes! !! PS Do NOT request "Piano Man". Rookie mistake.
(5)
Robyn C.

Great place to hang out with you friends. I recommend calling to make a reservation for a table because the place was packed on Saturday. The piano bar singer was great and from what another reviewer said about repeating songs, that wasn't done in the 3 hours that I was there. Drinks were awesome, service was attentive. I would definitely come back for a good time (and if I wanted to lose my voice from singing) :)
(5)
Sara L.

I walked past here 3 times and didn't even notice it was a piano bar. Lo and behold you gotta walk downstairs to enter the bar. The place has a lot of potential and a great location to attract customers by being near a metra. The scene here can vary on the weekends. However, for the most part it is typically the cougar crowd and late 30 and early 40 somethings. This is fine by me since I don't have the patience for bars that play Miley Cyrus or have a crowd that uses YOLO in a sentence. What makes this place even better is the 6 dollar martinis on Tuesday!! They also have martini flights, which I highly recommend since you get three mini martinis. Small in size but big in liquor...think of it as three shots for 8 bucks. Of course they always have a singer playing the piano and taking requests. Just a FYI, the older gentleman playing until 10pm won't play certain songs. Perhaps they're just not in his song catalog?? However, the guy who takes over after 10p pretty much will play anything. Good drinks, reasonable prices, piano player/singer, and a decent drink list....what is not to like?
(4)
Alison G.

Ok so there was a guy singing and playing piano when we got there. This was the reason we went there. I am always hesitate to visit any piano bar / any places with live music because it could be a disaster. You could hate their singing or they are way too loud or they pick terrible songs etc etc. This guy was OK. We pretty enjoyed it and you know it's free live music (except we did left him tips). +1 Food, unexpectedly, was great. We had flat bread (that was in a very large size, like a pizza). Then a broiled salmon with rice. Surprisingly all tasted pretty good, so +2 Martinis. Plenty of choices. Enough alcohol in every glass so since I am not good at drinking they got me high. Yummy martini!!! +1 I wanted to visit them again to see if I should give them 5stars ;)
(4)
Kelly K.

This place is AWESOME! My company holiday party will be held here again this year and they sure make you feel very warm and welcome. In the winter this is the perfect cozy place to hang out grab a drink and sing along to piano songs with your best friends/loved ones. The food here is good too.... It does get a bit crowded on weekend nights but I like that "Chicago nightlife" feel, all other bars in the area are dead and this one is booming...that says something. Check it out! you wont be disappointed.
(5)
Laura H.

Update #2: I spoke to the manager and the owner, both very nice and apologetic about our experience. They made me want to give this place another chance, but definitely when a different musician is performing. Update: the piano player has now contacted me directly twice, in an aggressive and derogatory fashion, and even suggested if I returned to the bar, he would have me removed, all because of my unfavorable review. He closed his second email by saying he's insulted, hopes I am as well, and good riddance. I have reached out to management, and will be forwarding all exchanges to them.
(1)
Star L.

First visit on last night - 7/15/14. I tried this place on a GroupOn. There was no one here besides the waitresses under the age of 45...ok fine! 85% of the guests were very nicely dressed drag queens.... Ok fine (although I felt like we were intruding on a private gathering/meeting). Food was fine, no complaints there. Piano player... was ok! (I tipped him...so fine). The billing process!! Disgraceful! While the meal was payed for with the GroupOn, my bill should have been $19 for my two drinks and the steak up-sell. Instead, my bill was $40 Plus tip. I asked the server how it was possible, she could not give an explanation- however she did explain that several GroupOn customers were displeased to say the least. The manager explained that if they did not up-charage, they would not make any money from GroupOns. We paid the ridiculous bill, seeing no need to perform and continuously contest/question the extra charges. We tipped the server, and left - never to return or recommend this place. Note to manager: Not every customer is going to remain calm and courteous while knowingly being overcharged with absolutely no explanation! If you are not willing to HONESTLY honor GroupOn - do not enter a contractual agreement for such.
(1)
Kirsten W.

Nice environment for drinks, music is ok, but it's the SAME entertainer everytime we are there. It would be nice if they mixed up musicians once in a while. Servers/bartenders are very friendly, hostess, not so much.
(4)
Dan D.

I have to say Big Shot Piano Lounge & Resturant proceeds it's reputation for being an outstanding Classy Bar! The drinks were phenomenal! Jen did an absolute fantastic job with handling all are complex orders and even laughed at our corny jokes ;) , The staff was equally as good. They greeted us with a warm smile right as we enter the place. The best part of our experience was that when things got super busy the GM Eric was quick to step in and lend a hand! For that I will be forever a customer!! Thanks Jen!! I hope she gets the raise she deserves
(5)
Garfer B.

Been coming here since we moved to AH in 2008. Love it!!! Great atmosphere. Really good menu and the food awesome! Aga is the best and has been here off and on since then also. Wayne is fun and I don't know the later performers, but so far all are really good. I would highly recommend.
(5)
Diana K.

This place is usually really fun. It can get pretty crowded on the weekends but the music after 10pm is good. The hostess is extremely rude though.
(3)
Mark S.

Absolutely love this place! Tons of fun with great service and great entertainment. If you like a good martini this is the place to go as they have so many different flavors to choose from.. Me and my wife always have a blast when we go....
(5)
Julie C.

Entertainment is a laugh, doesn't even know American Pie - REALLY! What an insult to the customers who are looking for good entertainment! Second guy came on pretty good but he would only play your songs if you tipped him well, and he would let you know if you didn't tip him well.
(1)
Lindsay B.

We went to the Big Shot Piano Lounge for a bachelorette party celebration- so this review is really for experience and service only. We reserved a table in the lounge in advance as we had a large party, and it was still waiting for us even though we arrived 15 minutes late from our dinner to get our table- yeah! When we arrived the first pianist of the night was performing- he was quite talented, but didn't really play our style of music (though he did give numerous shout outs to the special events in the place like our party, birthdays, and anniversaries which was great). We ordered drinks (my table enjoyed theirs, I stuck to Diet Coke), and our waiter and table attendant were very good and speedy. A young gentlemen (not our server) brought all of us water, and mini pitchers to keep refilling. He returned frequently throughout our several hours there to make sure we had enough water and to clear away finished drinks. One of the members of my group ordered chocolate cake for dessert- and the slice was huge! The second performer of the night was hilarious and excellent- I feel like his name was John, but I'm not positive- he did a great mix of new music and classics, and was super into his gig. I could have stayed and listened to him play all night- I especially loved his Justin Timberlake renditions. My only negative experience with this place was the temperature. We were near a vent so it was freezing all night :( Other than that, it was an A+ experience and I would love to come back. The parking garage downtown Arlington Heights is right by this place and was the perfect place to park- free too!
(4)
Kris V.

This place is awesome. Friendly bartenders and very good drinks. Great local hangout. Ask for "Eric's honey butter" and you will get a free drink/shot. We have been coming here for 6 years and have never had a bad experience.
(5)
Linda B.

Beware if going to this restaurant and using Groupon! This is not the fault of Groupon but the unethical management of the restaurant. The restaurant owner stated that they charge extra if the price of the appetizer salad and two entrÃ©es goes over the face value of the Groupon. They will not honor the spirit of the purchase of the groupon. They are losing money. Luckily I read the Yelp review that states a groupon customer was overcharged. When I called they stated you must pay the difference.
(1)
Jessica M.

I have been here a few times and each time the service was terrible. When I finally received my food, it was enjoyable I must add. I went here tonight and literally there were 4 tables with people at them and it still took forever to get the food out and my table must have asked several times for drinks with no luck. Very unsatisfied with this place! If I do return, it won't be for a long time!
(2)
Crolin L.

Service here is just terrible. Bartender stopped making my drink halfway through and talked to another server for ten minutes.
(1)
Michelle Z.

After being contacted personally by the performer from 9/20/2014 at this bar- basically yelling at me for my review, I stand by review and even more so stress the unprofessional-ism of this performer- who by the way has clearly created fake postings for himself trying to boost his performance quality while continuing to further insult to guests at the bar that night. He had many family members there that evening, so any positive reviews I assume has come from them and based on the way they were written, it matches the writing style the performer who wrote myself and other reviewers back. I believe the purpose of this site is to be able to review experiences and establishments without fear of harassment. To the bar's credit- upon speaking to management they do seem embarrassed by his behavior and have apologized. I will say that our server did a fantastic job as well.
(1)
Christy O.

We went here last friday night, though we'd been here before. This time we had a Groupon and while we enjoyed ourselves, I have to say that it would have been much more enjoyable if there hadn't been such a large party of girls there obviously celebrating something as they were quite loud. Other than that, it is a good place to go hang out or go on a date.
(3)
Jackie M.

I have been here multiple times over the years, but after my experience on Saturday, I will definitely never return. The piano player was rude, and begging for tips all night. He seemed to have a very small repertoire and a chip on his shoulder. Reason enough to never go back.
(1)
Jessica B.

Came with my friends recently for maybe my third time. Two previous times I went, had a great time. This last time though it took the waitress a very long time to finally come over and even acknowledge us. Then when she did, she didn't come back for quite some time. We wanted to order a second round and couldn't find the waitress! As I said, I have come a couple of other times and had a great time. So I didn't want to rate it worse than I did, but you have been warned.
(3)
Julie B.

My stars are mostly for the piano player on Saturday night, I'm pretty sure he said his name was Andrew. It was full when we arrived so we stood near the bar (six in our group) until I spotted a couple open tables in the back corner. I went to the hostess stand (that I didn't see when we walked in) and asked if we were free to take them. She said sure and sat us. Andrew played EVERYTHING that was thrown his way, including our table's request of "Dick in a Box". The guys got a kick out of his unique twist on the favorite ballad. Service was slow, but that didn't stop us from having a great time.
(4)
Melissa B.

The one positive- It felt like I was in someone's (very cool) basement. Should have turned around the moment I entered and saw that everyone was average age 50 and older (we are mid 30's). But I wanted to give it a try. I ordered the lemon drop martini. First they get you to pay the sky high rate of $9.50 per martini by not putting prices on the menu. The martini was pure sugar, maybe .01 ounce alcohol. Nasty. So I decide to try the sangria martini, figuring the wine content would assure me a buzz. Nope. It tasted like bitter Hawaiian punch. The martinis were TERRIBLE and this place prides itself on its martinis. Then the music starts. The guy did 4 Elton John songs in 1 hour. My ears were bleeding. This was hubby's birthday and I felt so bad I took him here. The guy sang in a show-tuney style. SO not for me. I saw other customers with paper that was given to them, writing down songs to be requested. No one gave us paper or told us how to request songs. I would have actually requested something besides Billy Joel or Elton John. Most all the songs were slow and sleepy too, suicidal songs. I wanted something upbeat, it was Saturday night! The waiter was so inattentive and with zero personality. I couldn't even manage a buzz after 2 martinis. A martini is supposed to be STRONG. I didn't ask for a kiddie cocktail. We left in a hurry.
(1)
Carla R.

The food was excellent and reasonably priced. Due to unexpected circumstances our entrÃ©es were delayed. Our servicer was very apologetic and attentive. Because of his quality service I had no intention of complaining about the wait. However Sam (aka Super Server) explained the situation to the manager and after apologizing for our wait she discounted our meal. The piano playing was a little loud and kind of cheesey but the quality of the food the excellent service make it worth the trip!
(4)
Joe P.

I've been here before and this time was just as great. I would advise getting there early if you have a lot of people because this place is kind of small. The live piano music will put a smile on your face when they play the song you requested.
(4)
Joe J.

Really awesome place to kick it and get boozed up. Piano player rocks the house with cover songs. Definitely in a higher price range as every drink hovers around $9. Not sure about beer prices, however. It's an older crowd, so don't expect to meet your next 22 year old wife here. Really great time. If it wasn't a little pricey I would give it 5 stars.
(4)
Jason H.

Great time. Live Piano guy was out standing! It would be a romantic place to go have dinner and drinks!
(4)
Jenny V.

decent service i love the atmosphere but i'm pretty positive my friends and i were the youngest people there. extensive (expensive) wine/martini list - WASHINGTON HILL RIESLING- sweet but not overly sweet. its so flavorful. i like that they have flutes of wine or martinis. you get three small glasses of three different wines or martinis. We got crisp whites which was $9 and a glass of wine was around $7. bathrooms are nice but it was dirty. piano guy was okay, i could barely understand what he was saying, maybe its the acoustics or something. I'd dig this place more if i wasnt a broke college student and if we weren't the youngest people in the place.
(3)
Matt M.

This place has a lot of potential. Who doesn't love a good piano bar? The entertainers are top of the line piano bar players. I saw two of them and both were top notch acts. Where the problem lies is with the seating/hostess situation. The tables turn over slowly enough on Saturday night but the hostess does not turn them around very quickly. Our table was open nearly half an hour before we were taken from our temporary (uncomfortable spot) at the bar. The wait service was fine, the food was fine, the prices were high. But, its a not a bad little spot to say the least.
(3)
Phill C.

Came here while bar hopping in Arlington Heights downtown with some co-workers. This was the last stop to our night and we had a good time. Dark candlelit atmosphere in the basement of a restaurant with a guy singing & playing anything you want on the piano. He even did bohemian rhapsody with us and everyone was singing along. Well overall it's pretty noisy with everyone trying to talk with the loud piano playing. My first time to a piano bar, so I guess it was okay.
(3)
B V.

I would say go for the drinks and the piano bar but not the food. I ordered a shrimp dish that came with a side of pasta. What turned up was shrimp and bread crumbs soaked in a butter lemon sauce. It hurt my throat to eat it....disgusting!!! On top of that the side of pasta was just linguine boiled and thrown on a place with no sauce or flavor. I wasn't thrilled with the service or my dish.
(3)
Jason K.

Love this place! We went for my husbands 40th birthday celebration and not only did they accommodate a reservation for 19, the server was super nice and sweet! Loved the piano man! He played songs from my husband's birth year and ended our night with The Happy Birthday Song! Great night! Strong, delish martinis, yummy apps! 5 stars for sure from us!!!
(5)
Jason L.

You wouldn't expect the food to be this good at a piano bar, would you? Service is good, and the atmosphere is great.
(5)
Ryan H.

The food and drinks here are delicious, and the atmosphere is like no other in the area. Live piano music while you eat and socialize. However the socializing is hard to do because the acoustics are pretty lousy in this place so to accommodate they have the speakers turned up super loud. Very hard to hear and carry on a conversation. The quickness of the wait staff is hit and miss.. We have had some really good servers who check on us frequently, and we have had some really poor servers who we don't see once from the time our food comes til the check is paid. This place is a bit pricey because you have to add the costs of the atmosphere into the menu.. but the food is worth it and they have some very interesting martini's that you probably cannot make at home nor have you had them anywhere else. I would recommend this as a fun date night place or a special get together, but not your every friday night hang-out or you will be broke by the end of the month
(3)
Erik H.

Big Shot is really a pretty good time, especially considering the relative lack of interesting watering holes in the northwest suburbs. The place does get very packed and very loud, so much so that I didn't even see the piano player and sometimes couldn't here his songs. People were really into it though, and while he didn't play anything off the beaten path, everything was a crowd pleaser and he took requests. The cocktail menu was also pretty good, with an especially long list of martinis. I had a classic and had no complaints. If you want to have an intimate conversation with your friends I probably wouldn't recommend this place. But for a fun time on a Saturday night you could do much worse.
(4)
Kim S.

Went here with some girlfriends on a Thursday night last December. Had a fabulous time with my friends, but that really didn't have much to do with the restaurant. Was surprised to see that the actual restaurant was in the basement of the building. I was torn between thinking that was kind of cool, giving off a vibe of mystique and dark ambiance versus kind of dirty because who wants to hang out in a basement when paying for a sit-down meal? For our girls-night, we had reservations, but didn't need them. The restaurant/bar was basically empty except for a staggered few. We were immediately seated, ordered drinks, appetizers, and dinner. The menu prices were high, but so were my hopes were some good food. The drinks and Spinach Artichoke appetizer were fine, but the dinner, not so much. I ordered a Chicken Margherita (which was chicken over angel hair) and it was just bad. It was cold and the chicken was tough. Such a disappointment, because when I order chicken, I typically feel it's a "safe" option. The service itself was fine. Nothing above or below expectations, really. The Piano Bar portion of the evening was fine, as well, although, for my preference, I would have wanted to go somewhere that wasn't as loud. I was with a group of ladies from High School, and we do not get the opportunity to catch up very often, so as one might imagine, there was a strong desire amongst all of us to gab and gab a lot. This was not the place to be able to do so, because the piano playing was very loud. Even so, this could be a great Friday/Saturday night bar place, when you are not looking to really "talk" but just hang out, have fun, and sing along with the piano player. This is not the place to catch up with good friends, nor would I recommend eating dinner here (appetizers and drinks are fine). Above all, for the money, I would consider another option for a dinner out with the girls. I enjoy quieter places in general, where conversation can be easily enjoyed. Unfortunately, this wasn't an option at Big Shot Piano.
(2)
mathilda b.

This place is straight up awful. It's the epitome of some pathetic little suburban place that thinks it's "classy." The food is basically Olive Garden quality with no thought or imagination whatsoever. I guess there's a lot of it ....if that's your thing. The atmosphere is terrible, kind of dirty. There are cover music piano players slaving away for hours for tips over a YMCA rec room quality sound system. (the "piano" is a cheap digital shoved in the shell of a real piano.) The staff seems nice, ,they are a little confused if you order any kind of cocktail, but attentive and nice they get the one star. But the manager type guys there come off as egotistical grease ball guys who have watched too many gangster movies, I guess they are the "Big Shots." It seems like there are some nicer places around. If you find yourself in Arlington Heights for some reason, steer clear.
(1)
Nicole E.

Very loud because people were loud. But what do you expect from a place like this. It was fun watching people having fun, good music and good drinks. I only had scallop as an appetizer. It was OK. Not sure if I would go back there again.
(3)
Kale B.

This place is awful. All things considered (service, decor, price, food), this is the single worst dining experience I have had in years. And all of that averages in the fact that I LOVED the guy on the piano. To be fair though, anyone who can play 'Werewolves of London' for a goddamn dollar is a friend for life. Let this review serve as a warning to aspiring restaurateurs : 1. If you charge a mandatory 20% tip on EVERY bill, not matter how small or large-- the service WILL suffer. (Gasp!) Tipping 20% is the accepted 'social norm' for GREAT service, not a financial birthright of lazy, over-indulged suburban brats on summer break from their first year at UIC. In a competitive urban market, this place wouldn't last a summer...but hey, where the hell else are you gonna go? You're in Arlington Heights and they got a goddamn piano here! 2. When you hire no one over the age of 20, and expect them to provide the service and expertise that a $30-50/person restaurant demands, your restaurant will suffer. No one knows what the hell is going on at this place, it's a mess,-- as though their job titles are only 'suggestions,' not to be taken literally. You need a few chiefs around when your indians can't legally drink, and this place had no such leadership or discipline. It's like walking into an unfunny episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia....except a Jameson is $8, no one bangs the waitress and you never get to see Danny Devito. 3. When you fail to delineate positions between bartenders and waitstaff, the restaurant will suffer. This would be less of an issue if the waitstaff wasn't indoctrinated into the mindset that there is a DIRECT, 100% relationship between tab and tip, but that is the alter-reality of the BSPL. I ended up complaining, in a conversational tone, to a nearby busboy as to the whereabouts of our waiter, who had ran behind the bar to mix up $12 martinis in lieu of servicing any of his tables. I saw this when I went up to the bar to get MY OWN drink. Five minutes later, he returned to ask if we wanted anymore drinks. We told him that we would take our chances at the bar. At most places, a statement like that would have yielded much more attentive service for the remainder of the night. Sometimes being a bit of a dick is necessary. However, when your tip is locked in at twenty percent, irregardless of the service, you have every reason to keep on sucking at life. Running up the tab is the ONLY consideration at this place. This place operates about as ethically and efficiently as a health insurance provider. I'm almost surprised that they didn't just deny us our food based on a discrepancy with the ticket, charge us anyway and kick us out on the street after an hour. The service (or lack thereof) was literally the best conversation starter I've come across in some time. It was gold. If there were actually any un-married women under thirty that weren't working at this shit hole, I would have been using the 'Man, how about the service at this shit hole' line with impunity. Everyone wanted to talk shit about the place when given a chance. We were in town for a million dollar horse race, but all conversations were dominated by complaints about how they could legally let a bunch of high school kids run a restaurant. Since my main order of complaints are all out of the way, I will summarize the remainder of our dining experience in more of a bullet pointed fashion. - Place was average in terms of the size of the crowd for a Friday night, but the hostess exuded all the poise and confidence of someone asked to draw up D-Day plans on a cocktail napkin. She was about 18, too. It was probably her first day....like everyone else, apparently. - Decor is great, lots of cool lighting, drapery and quality masonry. It really does have a good vibe to it. - Food was $10 quality at a $25 price tag. This, however, isa a mere afterthought to the abomination that is the management/service of this place. Anything shy of cube steak and dandruff seasoning would have been a great step up. -I got carded three times (I'm 23) , by two different people. It seemed like training day for the employees never got past the lecture the cops give about local alcohol ordinances. These kids really knew how to check IDs with the best of 'em. -Alcohol prices were ridiculous, but apparently everything outside of Wisconsin is ridiculous to me. I was never happier to be home. OVERALL: Pros: Piano, guy playing the piano, 'urban' decor Cons: See above.
(1)
Erik H.

Big Shot is really a pretty good time, especially considering the relative lack of interesting watering holes in the northwest suburbs. The place does get very packed and very loud, so much so that I didn't even see the piano player and sometimes couldn't here his songs. People were really into it though, and while he didn't play anything off the beaten path, everything was a crowd pleaser and he took requests. The cocktail menu was also pretty good, with an especially long list of martinis. I had a classic and had no complaints. If you want to have an intimate conversation with your friends I probably wouldn't recommend this place. But for a fun time on a Saturday night you could do much worse.
(4)
Mark S.

Absolutely love this place! Tons of fun with great service and great entertainment. If you like a good martini this is the place to go as they have so many different flavors to choose from.. Me and my wife always have a blast when we go....
(5)
Jason K.

Love this place! We went for my husbands 40th birthday celebration and not only did they accommodate a reservation for 19, the server was super nice and sweet! Loved the piano man! He played songs from my husband's birth year and ended our night with The Happy Birthday Song! Great night! Strong, delish martinis, yummy apps! 5 stars for sure from us!!!
(5)
Jason L.

You wouldn't expect the food to be this good at a piano bar, would you? Service is good, and the atmosphere is great.
(5)
Toni B.

I only gave this place two stars because the first couple times I came here we had a great time. I have to admit, the atmposhere of this place is cool, the drinks are great and the music is good...but, I would not suggest you come here with a large group. Big Shots does not know how to accommodate large groups! I came here on my 25th birthday and the entire night was a disaster and they were definately not understanding nor acommodating. I have not been here since then and I definately do not recommond people to come here!
(2)
Michael K.

Wide selection of wines and martinis. Beer options aren't the best. Sat at a table in the middle of the room and it was hard to hear and understand the pianist- request a booth next to the wall!
(3)
Robin H.

Oh Brother... Went here with the girls for a dirty 30 celebration! $400 tab and handful of dollars missing later, this place is not for us. Desperado was played 4 times in the 4 hours we were there. The gratuity is 20% on all parties (we saw our waitress 4 times) and we were heckled by the piano player for being too young. Kiss it.
(1)
Chris T.

Came into this bar a few months ago with my (at the time) to-be best man and his fiancÃ©e (or fiancÃ©, I don't know the correct term). We sat at the bar and had an amazing time with this funny and very good bartender. We had many drinks and left after paying a $300+ tab. One week later, I came back with a different friend expecting a good time and some good service, especially considering I had just spent over $300 the week before. I see we have the same same bartender so we pull up the only two available seats (at the bar). The bartender looks at us and tells us to move because two people are sitting there but they went outside to smoke. Keep in mind there are no coats, or purses, or hats, or most importantly, drinks. So we take an available high top and just watch. The smokers came back after 20 minutes and each drank 2 domestic lights over the next hour (4 total). We had the one waitress in the whole place and she was downright terrible. Only served us three times in an hour. Bottom line, they love you when you're sitting there knocking 'em back, but won't remember you. The ambiance is nice, but at what cost? The bartender's hot, but she can't remember a $80 tip for 7 days? C'mon. Zero customer service here. Move it along. P.S.- The pianist knows all of 100 songs and he will repeat himself. . . a lot.
(1)
Linda K.

Have frequented Big Shot several times...mostly late night for drinks and maybe an appetizer. We really enjoy hearing Andrew Blenderman on the piano as he gets the crowd going with requests. He plays from 10pm until closing. Recently we stopped in earlier, for dinner. Had the salmon and the tilapia which was actually pretty good. Wasn't quite sure how the dinner entrees would be. Wayne Richards does the early shift on piano and it's enjoyable but mostly background music. Andrew was not playing on this particular night but a guy named John Jacks (I think) was. We only stayed for a couple of tunes, but he seemed very energetic and fun. Hope to get back to hear more from him. The place always seems busy...especially in the summer months. It's sometimes difficult to get a table or place at the bar if you get there late, but It's a good spot in the downtown Arlington Hts. area to go when you're bar hopping, or a place to spend the whole evening.
(4)
John B.

I am torn about this place. We were surprised to find a fun place like this in Arlington Heights. The atmosphere was fun (very noisy too) and the piano player very engaging. BUT, we were thoroughly disappointed with the drinks. I asked the bartender if she could make a Brandy Alexander. She said she could and a few minutes later handed me a glass filled with clear, yellowish liquid. I tasted it and nearly spat it out. I told her that this wasn't a Brandy Alexander . . . that a BA is made with ice cream. She said that they don't have ice cream. ! Why in the world she did she try to pass that off as a Brandy Alexander? Then there was the situation with the White Russian that D ordered. I tasted it, out of curiosity, an almost spat that out too. Horrible. It didn't taste anything like a White Russian. I would never go back and order anything they mixed. I would give this place one star, but I give them 2 stars for the entertainment.
(2)
Kamila T.

First time visiting Big Shot - we decided to go there with another couple to grab a drink on a Saturday night. The place was packed! We had to wait a while to get a table to seat the 4 of us. Once seated we did get our drinks pretty quickly, we ordered the pizza which wasn't bad for bar quality and the guy on the piano wasn't bad either. This bar seemed like a place for 30 somethings to go hang out although there was a group of older drunk ladies crowding the piano. Overall its not a bad place but I don't see why it would be so packed?! I didn't see anything special about it.
(3)
Gus E.

We went there a couple of weeks after it opened. After waiting a long time for a table to open up in an overcrowded bar, we were finally seated. They had run out of glasses so they served my girlfriends wine in a plastic cup. While waiting for our overpriced meal, we listened to the Piano Man at least 5 times (over 1.5 hrs). We even decided to give this place a second chance a couple of months ago and were greeted with a rude hostess and an overcrowded bar.
(1)
Tara F.

Big shots is a great place to go for some small bites and cocktails. They have a great menu, exciting variety and good specials. The prices are reasonable, especially for their extensive martini list. Big Shots appears busier every time we go, which is a great thing in today's economy! The service might be the only gripe, the hostess is rude and it always takes quite bit of time to get a drink order in. The servers are always well informed of the menu and are attentive. The menu and entertainment make up for it though! The entrees are good, but I prefer the appetizers. I only wish their salads were bigger, they need more of an entree salad.(yes, I will admit I am one of those women who always gets a big yummy salad)
(4)
Elizabeth S.

Recently went for a birthday celebration with 15 friends. Piano guy was great, cheeseburger was good, but too loud for socializing. Recommend it, but don't expect to carry on much of a conversation. Would go back for drinks and entertainment.
(3)
Liz B.

Came here this past Saturday night with some friends. I've only been here once when it was the creepy Boiler Room, so it was nice to see the place with the lights on there. There was a wait for a table, so we sat outside and waited. It's nice that you can hear the music playing inside over an outside speaker system. If I could have had a drink outside rather than sit inside to get it, I would have. The place was packed and loud-not from the music, from the people. We could barely hear each other at our table! On the plus side, our waitress was very nice and kept our drinks coming. The French martini and the mango martini were excellent. Unfortunately, the bathrooms were nasty, we went to the Metropolis next door to do our business. The piano players were good, but after we heard "Tiny Dancer" for the second time, we figured it was time to skedaddle. I don't think I'll be returning, unless I want to go deaf.
(3)
Michael S.

Big Shot offers a classy and unique experience. Hearing a great pianist not only play but also sing the pieces was wonderful. The atmosphere has a Chicago downtown feeling and creates a sense you are in old school film about the mob. I wore a pinstripe fedora just to really get into the mood. The service was great and you could tell that the other guests were really enjoying their time picking out the songs.
(4)
Megan O.

Don't be scared to go down the stairs! There's good stuff waiting for you at the bottom! The food was awesome at this small basement restaurant! Everything was cooked perfectly! We had the Peirogi Trio and Crab Cakes for an appetizer and the Tilapia and Peppered Beef Skewers for our entrees. Yumm! The staff was great: they had no problem making substitutions on the food, and they were very friendly. We ate there between 4-6pm so our entire bill was half-price! The piano player was very good too; he creatively played our asinine song requests! I'll totally come back here.
(5)
Jennifer G.

I came to this place on a Sunday night when they were hosting a monthly show of pianists and singers. The show was amazing. The talents of the pianists and vocalists were unbelievable and since it was a few weeks before x-mas, they threw in a few x-mas songs, too. I will definitely be back for another one of those shows.
(3)
Lisa B.

This place is so much fun! Great drink menu and food choices .They have a variety of wines beers and other cocktails.I only had an appetizer this time not a full meal but the spinach artichoke dip is really yummy. Now to the real reason to go here. The man at the piano Andrew Blenderman is so amazing! He has books on the table for you to make requests and these books are HUGE! He knows a little bit of everything and it's rare that someone turns in a song that he doesn't know. He also encourages you to sing along. Truly engages the audience and there's never a dull moment. This place attracts people of all ages so you've got the college students at the table next to the baby boomers and they're all having a great time! Stop by!
(5)
Darla M.

I was scared to go down the stairs especially since there was an awful smell in the air. They had the doors open to air out the lounge and I had the pleasure of waving flies away from my food and drinks. The hostess was rude. The server was kind and was well informed of the menu and specials. The food and drinks were good. The piano player was good. Atmosphere was okay. The problems with the bathroom: 1. two stalls but one was out of order (okay, it happens), 2. there was a puddle of water in the stall that was working. (the toilet appeared to be leaking), 3. oh the smell in the bathroom, like sewer! I didn't expect much from an establishment that is in a basement to begin with and I was right.
(1)
howard g.

Great place for drinks, music and fun. It is loud but its a music venue, if your looking for a quite place to have conversation with your guest go to a restaurant not a bar. As previous post mentioned, don't go there with large groups the place is small and service is bad, our server was a train wreck. We came in to have drinks and .. After waiting way to long for waters than drinks our server never came back to check on us. It was 8:30 and the the place was not crowded We were going to order more drinks and dinner but got frustrated after waiting 20 minutes for a second round, which we never got to order. We finally got discouraged and figured if the server would take our dinner order we would never see it. Our server wouldn't even give us eye contact. We flagged the server down and got our check which he produced in seconds? We got up and went next store and spent our $200.00 somewhere else. This is a great little lounge , club , not a dinner destination. If they get the service fixed its a winner. They need to decide if they are club lounge or a restaurant, right now their pissing off there food customers and the drinkers. The piano player was excellent and we would've had a good time but we didn't want to wait another 20 minutes for a drink and have to flag the server down every time we needed something. Management needs to train the staff to do the basic table check back and have enough servers on staff. The hostesses looked great but have no idea whats going on right in front of them. I rather have great service than great cleavage
(4)
Scott F.

When I want to go out in the burbs I go to the Big Shot! The atmosphere gives you that underground lounge feel that is so inviting. The entertainment is always great and the food is just wonderful. I recommend the perogis they are unbeleavable! Their extensive martini list makes this place truly stand out from the rest!
(5)
Michael K.

Wide selection of wines and martinis. Beer options aren't the best. Sat at a table in the middle of the room and it was hard to hear and understand the pianist- request a booth next to the wall!
(3)
Robin H.

Oh Brother... Went here with the girls for a dirty 30 celebration! $400 tab and handful of dollars missing later, this place is not for us. Desperado was played 4 times in the 4 hours we were there. The gratuity is 20% on all parties (we saw our waitress 4 times) and we were heckled by the piano player for being too young. Kiss it.
(1)
Toni B.

I only gave this place two stars because the first couple times I came here we had a great time. I have to admit, the atmposhere of this place is cool, the drinks are great and the music is good...but, I would not suggest you come here with a large group. Big Shots does not know how to accommodate large groups! I came here on my 25th birthday and the entire night was a disaster and they were definately not understanding nor acommodating. I have not been here since then and I definately do not recommond people to come here!
(2)
Chris T.

Came into this bar a few months ago with my (at the time) to-be best man and his fiancÃ©e (or fiancÃ©, I don't know the correct term). We sat at the bar and had an amazing time with this funny and very good bartender. We had many drinks and left after paying a $300+ tab. One week later, I came back with a different friend expecting a good time and some good service, especially considering I had just spent over $300 the week before. I see we have the same same bartender so we pull up the only two available seats (at the bar). The bartender looks at us and tells us to move because two people are sitting there but they went outside to smoke. Keep in mind there are no coats, or purses, or hats, or most importantly, drinks. So we take an available high top and just watch. The smokers came back after 20 minutes and each drank 2 domestic lights over the next hour (4 total). We had the one waitress in the whole place and she was downright terrible. Only served us three times in an hour. Bottom line, they love you when you're sitting there knocking 'em back, but won't remember you. The ambiance is nice, but at what cost? The bartender's hot, but she can't remember a $80 tip for 7 days? C'mon. Zero customer service here. Move it along. P.S.- The pianist knows all of 100 songs and he will repeat himself. . . a lot.
(1)
Linda K.

Have frequented Big Shot several times...mostly late night for drinks and maybe an appetizer. We really enjoy hearing Andrew Blenderman on the piano as he gets the crowd going with requests. He plays from 10pm until closing. Recently we stopped in earlier, for dinner. Had the salmon and the tilapia which was actually pretty good. Wasn't quite sure how the dinner entrees would be. Wayne Richards does the early shift on piano and it's enjoyable but mostly background music. Andrew was not playing on this particular night but a guy named John Jacks (I think) was. We only stayed for a couple of tunes, but he seemed very energetic and fun. Hope to get back to hear more from him. The place always seems busy...especially in the summer months. It's sometimes difficult to get a table or place at the bar if you get there late, but It's a good spot in the downtown Arlington Hts. area to go when you're bar hopping, or a place to spend the whole evening.
(4)
Kim S.

Went here with some girlfriends on a Thursday night last December. Had a fabulous time with my friends, but that really didn't have much to do with the restaurant. Was surprised to see that the actual restaurant was in the basement of the building. I was torn between thinking that was kind of cool, giving off a vibe of mystique and dark ambiance versus kind of dirty because who wants to hang out in a basement when paying for a sit-down meal? For our girls-night, we had reservations, but didn't need them. The restaurant/bar was basically empty except for a staggered few. We were immediately seated, ordered drinks, appetizers, and dinner. The menu prices were high, but so were my hopes were some good food. The drinks and Spinach Artichoke appetizer were fine, but the dinner, not so much. I ordered a Chicken Margherita (which was chicken over angel hair) and it was just bad. It was cold and the chicken was tough. Such a disappointment, because when I order chicken, I typically feel it's a "safe" option. The service itself was fine. Nothing above or below expectations, really. The Piano Bar portion of the evening was fine, as well, although, for my preference, I would have wanted to go somewhere that wasn't as loud. I was with a group of ladies from High School, and we do not get the opportunity to catch up very often, so as one might imagine, there was a strong desire amongst all of us to gab and gab a lot. This was not the place to be able to do so, because the piano playing was very loud. Even so, this could be a great Friday/Saturday night bar place, when you are not looking to really "talk" but just hang out, have fun, and sing along with the piano player. This is not the place to catch up with good friends, nor would I recommend eating dinner here (appetizers and drinks are fine). Above all, for the money, I would consider another option for a dinner out with the girls. I enjoy quieter places in general, where conversation can be easily enjoyed. Unfortunately, this wasn't an option at Big Shot Piano.
(2)
mathilda b.

This place is straight up awful. It's the epitome of some pathetic little suburban place that thinks it's "classy." The food is basically Olive Garden quality with no thought or imagination whatsoever. I guess there's a lot of it ....if that's your thing. The atmosphere is terrible, kind of dirty. There are cover music piano players slaving away for hours for tips over a YMCA rec room quality sound system. (the "piano" is a cheap digital shoved in the shell of a real piano.) The staff seems nice, ,they are a little confused if you order any kind of cocktail, but attentive and nice they get the one star. But the manager type guys there come off as egotistical grease ball guys who have watched too many gangster movies, I guess they are the "Big Shots." It seems like there are some nicer places around. If you find yourself in Arlington Heights for some reason, steer clear.
(1)
Nicole E.

Very loud because people were loud. But what do you expect from a place like this. It was fun watching people having fun, good music and good drinks. I only had scallop as an appetizer. It was OK. Not sure if I would go back there again.
(3)
Kale B.

This place is awful. All things considered (service, decor, price, food), this is the single worst dining experience I have had in years. And all of that averages in the fact that I LOVED the guy on the piano. To be fair though, anyone who can play 'Werewolves of London' for a goddamn dollar is a friend for life. Let this review serve as a warning to aspiring restaurateurs : 1. If you charge a mandatory 20% tip on EVERY bill, not matter how small or large-- the service WILL suffer. (Gasp!) Tipping 20% is the accepted 'social norm' for GREAT service, not a financial birthright of lazy, over-indulged suburban brats on summer break from their first year at UIC. In a competitive urban market, this place wouldn't last a summer...but hey, where the hell else are you gonna go? You're in Arlington Heights and they got a goddamn piano here! 2. When you hire no one over the age of 20, and expect them to provide the service and expertise that a $30-50/person restaurant demands, your restaurant will suffer. No one knows what the hell is going on at this place, it's a mess,-- as though their job titles are only 'suggestions,' not to be taken literally. You need a few chiefs around when your indians can't legally drink, and this place had no such leadership or discipline. It's like walking into an unfunny episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia....except a Jameson is $8, no one bangs the waitress and you never get to see Danny Devito. 3. When you fail to delineate positions between bartenders and waitstaff, the restaurant will suffer. This would be less of an issue if the waitstaff wasn't indoctrinated into the mindset that there is a DIRECT, 100% relationship between tab and tip, but that is the alter-reality of the BSPL. I ended up complaining, in a conversational tone, to a nearby busboy as to the whereabouts of our waiter, who had ran behind the bar to mix up $12 martinis in lieu of servicing any of his tables. I saw this when I went up to the bar to get MY OWN drink. Five minutes later, he returned to ask if we wanted anymore drinks. We told him that we would take our chances at the bar. At most places, a statement like that would have yielded much more attentive service for the remainder of the night. Sometimes being a bit of a dick is necessary. However, when your tip is locked in at twenty percent, irregardless of the service, you have every reason to keep on sucking at life. Running up the tab is the ONLY consideration at this place. This place operates about as ethically and efficiently as a health insurance provider. I'm almost surprised that they didn't just deny us our food based on a discrepancy with the ticket, charge us anyway and kick us out on the street after an hour. The service (or lack thereof) was literally the best conversation starter I've come across in some time. It was gold. If there were actually any un-married women under thirty that weren't working at this shit hole, I would have been using the 'Man, how about the service at this shit hole' line with impunity. Everyone wanted to talk shit about the place when given a chance. We were in town for a million dollar horse race, but all conversations were dominated by complaints about how they could legally let a bunch of high school kids run a restaurant. Since my main order of complaints are all out of the way, I will summarize the remainder of our dining experience in more of a bullet pointed fashion. - Place was average in terms of the size of the crowd for a Friday night, but the hostess exuded all the poise and confidence of someone asked to draw up D-Day plans on a cocktail napkin. She was about 18, too. It was probably her first day....like everyone else, apparently. - Decor is great, lots of cool lighting, drapery and quality masonry. It really does have a good vibe to it. - Food was $10 quality at a $25 price tag. This, however, isa a mere afterthought to the abomination that is the management/service of this place. Anything shy of cube steak and dandruff seasoning would have been a great step up. -I got carded three times (I'm 23) , by two different people. It seemed like training day for the employees never got past the lecture the cops give about local alcohol ordinances. These kids really knew how to check IDs with the best of 'em. -Alcohol prices were ridiculous, but apparently everything outside of Wisconsin is ridiculous to me. I was never happier to be home. OVERALL: Pros: Piano, guy playing the piano, 'urban' decor Cons: See above.
(1)
John B.

I am torn about this place. We were surprised to find a fun place like this in Arlington Heights. The atmosphere was fun (very noisy too) and the piano player very engaging. BUT, we were thoroughly disappointed with the drinks. I asked the bartender if she could make a Brandy Alexander. She said she could and a few minutes later handed me a glass filled with clear, yellowish liquid. I tasted it and nearly spat it out. I told her that this wasn't a Brandy Alexander . . . that a BA is made with ice cream. She said that they don't have ice cream. ! Why in the world she did she try to pass that off as a Brandy Alexander? Then there was the situation with the White Russian that D ordered. I tasted it, out of curiosity, an almost spat that out too. Horrible. It didn't taste anything like a White Russian. I would never go back and order anything they mixed. I would give this place one star, but I give them 2 stars for the entertainment.
(2)
Kamila T.

First time visiting Big Shot - we decided to go there with another couple to grab a drink on a Saturday night. The place was packed! We had to wait a while to get a table to seat the 4 of us. Once seated we did get our drinks pretty quickly, we ordered the pizza which wasn't bad for bar quality and the guy on the piano wasn't bad either. This bar seemed like a place for 30 somethings to go hang out although there was a group of older drunk ladies crowding the piano. Overall its not a bad place but I don't see why it would be so packed?! I didn't see anything special about it.
(3)
Gus E.

We went there a couple of weeks after it opened. After waiting a long time for a table to open up in an overcrowded bar, we were finally seated. They had run out of glasses so they served my girlfriends wine in a plastic cup. While waiting for our overpriced meal, we listened to the Piano Man at least 5 times (over 1.5 hrs). We even decided to give this place a second chance a couple of months ago and were greeted with a rude hostess and an overcrowded bar.
(1)
Tara F.

Big shots is a great place to go for some small bites and cocktails. They have a great menu, exciting variety and good specials. The prices are reasonable, especially for their extensive martini list. Big Shots appears busier every time we go, which is a great thing in today's economy! The service might be the only gripe, the hostess is rude and it always takes quite bit of time to get a drink order in. The servers are always well informed of the menu and are attentive. The menu and entertainment make up for it though! The entrees are good, but I prefer the appetizers. I only wish their salads were bigger, they need more of an entree salad.(yes, I will admit I am one of those women who always gets a big yummy salad)
(4)
Elizabeth S.

Recently went for a birthday celebration with 15 friends. Piano guy was great, cheeseburger was good, but too loud for socializing. Recommend it, but don't expect to carry on much of a conversation. Would go back for drinks and entertainment.
(3)
Liz B.

Came here this past Saturday night with some friends. I've only been here once when it was the creepy Boiler Room, so it was nice to see the place with the lights on there. There was a wait for a table, so we sat outside and waited. It's nice that you can hear the music playing inside over an outside speaker system. If I could have had a drink outside rather than sit inside to get it, I would have. The place was packed and loud-not from the music, from the people. We could barely hear each other at our table! On the plus side, our waitress was very nice and kept our drinks coming. The French martini and the mango martini were excellent. Unfortunately, the bathrooms were nasty, we went to the Metropolis next door to do our business. The piano players were good, but after we heard "Tiny Dancer" for the second time, we figured it was time to skedaddle. I don't think I'll be returning, unless I want to go deaf.
(3)
Michael S.

Big Shot offers a classy and unique experience. Hearing a great pianist not only play but also sing the pieces was wonderful. The atmosphere has a Chicago downtown feeling and creates a sense you are in old school film about the mob. I wore a pinstripe fedora just to really get into the mood. The service was great and you could tell that the other guests were really enjoying their time picking out the songs.
(4)
Megan O.

Don't be scared to go down the stairs! There's good stuff waiting for you at the bottom! The food was awesome at this small basement restaurant! Everything was cooked perfectly! We had the Peirogi Trio and Crab Cakes for an appetizer and the Tilapia and Peppered Beef Skewers for our entrees. Yumm! The staff was great: they had no problem making substitutions on the food, and they were very friendly. We ate there between 4-6pm so our entire bill was half-price! The piano player was very good too; he creatively played our asinine song requests! I'll totally come back here.
(5)
Jennifer G.

I came to this place on a Sunday night when they were hosting a monthly show of pianists and singers. The show was amazing. The talents of the pianists and vocalists were unbelievable and since it was a few weeks before x-mas, they threw in a few x-mas songs, too. I will definitely be back for another one of those shows.
(3)
Lisa B.

This place is so much fun! Great drink menu and food choices .They have a variety of wines beers and other cocktails.I only had an appetizer this time not a full meal but the spinach artichoke dip is really yummy. Now to the real reason to go here. The man at the piano Andrew Blenderman is so amazing! He has books on the table for you to make requests and these books are HUGE! He knows a little bit of everything and it's rare that someone turns in a song that he doesn't know. He also encourages you to sing along. Truly engages the audience and there's never a dull moment. This place attracts people of all ages so you've got the college students at the table next to the baby boomers and they're all having a great time! Stop by!
(5)
Darla M.

I was scared to go down the stairs especially since there was an awful smell in the air. They had the doors open to air out the lounge and I had the pleasure of waving flies away from my food and drinks. The hostess was rude. The server was kind and was well informed of the menu and specials. The food and drinks were good. The piano player was good. Atmosphere was okay. The problems with the bathroom: 1. two stalls but one was out of order (okay, it happens), 2. there was a puddle of water in the stall that was working. (the toilet appeared to be leaking), 3. oh the smell in the bathroom, like sewer! I didn't expect much from an establishment that is in a basement to begin with and I was right.
(1)
howard g.

Great place for drinks, music and fun. It is loud but its a music venue, if your looking for a quite place to have conversation with your guest go to a restaurant not a bar. As previous post mentioned, don't go there with large groups the place is small and service is bad, our server was a train wreck. We came in to have drinks and .. After waiting way to long for waters than drinks our server never came back to check on us. It was 8:30 and the the place was not crowded We were going to order more drinks and dinner but got frustrated after waiting 20 minutes for a second round, which we never got to order. We finally got discouraged and figured if the server would take our dinner order we would never see it. Our server wouldn't even give us eye contact. We flagged the server down and got our check which he produced in seconds? We got up and went next store and spent our $200.00 somewhere else. This is a great little lounge , club , not a dinner destination. If they get the service fixed its a winner. They need to decide if they are club lounge or a restaurant, right now their pissing off there food customers and the drinkers. The piano player was excellent and we would've had a good time but we didn't want to wait another 20 minutes for a drink and have to flag the server down every time we needed something. Management needs to train the staff to do the basic table check back and have enough servers on staff. The hostesses looked great but have no idea whats going on right in front of them. I rather have great service than great cleavage
(4)
Scott F.

When I want to go out in the burbs I go to the Big Shot! The atmosphere gives you that underground lounge feel that is so inviting. The entertainment is always great and the food is just wonderful. I recommend the perogis they are unbeleavable! Their extensive martini list makes this place truly stand out from the rest!
(5)
Jessica M.

I have been here a few times and each time the service was terrible. When I finally received my food, it was enjoyable I must add. I went here tonight and literally there were 4 tables with people at them and it still took forever to get the food out and my table must have asked several times for drinks with no luck. Very unsatisfied with this place! If I do return, it won't be for a long time!
(2)
Crolin L.

Service here is just terrible. Bartender stopped making my drink halfway through and talked to another server for ten minutes.
(1)
Kristen N.

First time here. Came on a Wednesday night to celebrate anniversaries with another couple. Fun to walk down into the place. Wayne Richards, the pianist and singer, was excellent! He could play and sing almost anything. The food was very good (a tad expensive) and our server was very good as well. My only complaint is that the music volume was set for a Friday night when it is probably really busy and when we were there, there were only a few tables full, so the music was really too loud for talking and we were at the furthest back booth. We will definitely come back again, though.
(4)
Kym B.

Management is horrendous. Bitchy server who wasn't helpful in trying to utilize my restaurant.com certificate via a phone app. When I spoke to the manager, explaining that I had spent the first ten minutes of my time here trying to get this info and needed help (hadn't even taken my coat off yet), she was equally as bitchy. Told me to sit back down and she'd get to me "in a minute," even though she was chatting at the bar with my rude server. So we left. I'm exchanging my certificate for a place where they don't treat you like yesterday's trash.
(1)
Julie B.

My stars are mostly for the piano player on Saturday night, I'm pretty sure he said his name was Andrew. It was full when we arrived so we stood near the bar (six in our group) until I spotted a couple open tables in the back corner. I went to the hostess stand (that I didn't see when we walked in) and asked if we were free to take them. She said sure and sat us. Andrew played EVERYTHING that was thrown his way, including our table's request of "Dick in a Box". The guys got a kick out of his unique twist on the favorite ballad. Service was slow, but that didn't stop us from having a great time.
(4)
Christina C.

Outstanding entertainment and ambiance for dates and group outings! Extraordinary vocals from some of the pianists here. Food is very good. Tried the crab cakes loaded with crabmeat, quesadillas fully layered with cheese and meats, and salad portions adequate so you won't go hungry! Pesto pasta was rich in flavor, scallop dish was PERFECTLY cooked (which is difficult to execute). Also, of course, service was awesome.
(5)
Mel L.

Have been here a handful of times since we've moved here but I do have mixed feelings. It can be really fun and something different to try. Last time we were there, we ordered a French martini. Usually this is a somewhat blood orange color and the one we had served to us was a dark purple color. I thought it was weird but gave it a shot, I couldn't really pinpoint if it was the correct drink or not seeing as it didn't taste like ones I've had in the past. I asked our waitress what drink it is (maybe she misheard my order since it can be so loud) and she quickly grabbed it without asking questions. I didn't even ask her to remake it, just wanted to double check what drink it was and became very short with me. My previous experiences haven't been very impressive with their staff either. The other thing is the seating issue here. If you have a booth you are fine but a regular table .. Not so much. There's barely any wiggle room and not to mention if someone accidentally knocks the table. Last time, people keep running into it and almost knocking our drinks over. I know that isn't the bars fault but maybe they should reconsider their seating or not let so many people in at one time.
(3)
Kiesha O.

First time at Big Shots and we enjoyed it. Nice crowd and a great area. Drinks were good and had great service.
(4)
Laura N.

One lovely evening, three friends, my husband, and myself gathered in this candlelit basement of a restaurant for an evening of drinks and piano sing-a-longs. We laughed. We cried. We bonded. All in this little circular booth in the corner near the piano. The piano player wowed us and the crowd was a perfect mix of people in the small, dim space. It was such a splendid night, that when the time came, I suggested coming here for my bachelorette party. The bachelorette party wasn't as fun. The piano player was OK, the crowd was thin, our group just sat there awkwardly with small side conversations, and nothing on the drink/food menu appealed to us. We were kind of bored and didn't stay long. I'm not sure if it was the group of people I was with, the night we went to the bar, the piano player, or the high expectations we had, but this experience has stuck in my memory more than my fun experience. Boo. I guess a night here really depends on a variety of factors. Big Shot CAN be fun, and I know it has been for me, but sometimes it can just be OK.
(3)
Ryne G.

John Jones is one of the worst singers I have ever encountered. I would rather go to amateur night at a dive than listen to him sing one more verse from Royals, or his original repertoire. No one has ever requested that at a piano bar. He didn't even play the piano during these songs, instead relying on terrible back up instruments and repulsive gyrations against the piano. I come to a piano bar to hear a voice and a piano, not something that was created using Garage Band. Overall the bar is fine, with a good wait staff and nice atmosphere, but avoid visiting nights when John Jones is playing - most likely you will be put off if you hear his voice over the loud speaker right outside the bar.
(1)
Dylan M.

Defiantly a fun spot to stop in for drinks and music. Upon checking in and asking for a table the hostess seemed uninterested and said she couldn't tell us if or when she could get us a table. Might want to work on that. Anyway I have no shame and bellied up to the bar and got my drank on. Not many bar stools and crowded to get a drink might have to fend for yourself for a good spot. Anyway the music is really fun and makes for a nice evening. I do have to say the performer we saw was not really a pianist but more a singer with a programed keyboard he played hiding behind an actual piano. So I am hoping other nites they have actual pianist rather then what we saw which after a few songs seemed to turn into a 1 man karaoke ensemble. But with all that said a piano bar is not easy to find anymore and it's great to have one in the suburbs. Oh and they have a little area to dance and get your groove on if you are in the mood.
(4)
Laura H.

Update #2: I spoke to the manager and the owner, both very nice and apologetic about our experience. They made me want to give this place another chance, but definitely when a different musician is performing. Update: the piano player has now contacted me directly twice, in an aggressive and derogatory fashion, and even suggested if I returned to the bar, he would have me removed, all because of my unfavorable review. He closed his second email by saying he's insulted, hopes I am as well, and good riddance. I have reached out to management, and will be forwarding all exchanges to them.
(1)
Sherry K.

This place is fantastic. Its classy. The regulars aren't creepy broke people you find at dive bars. They're respectable and very friendly. The martinis are to DIE FOR. They have such a vast and wide variety of flavors from Banana split to Watermelon! The opening pianist seems to have classic piano training with plenty of jazz. He's excellent and has a nice clear voice. Its easy listening but not like that stereotypical easy listening your parents play in the car when you're in 5th grade and snap thwir fingers and shoulder dance while you cringe. The pianist who plays after the first guy (I will update this review once I learn the real names), is excellent. He has a lot pf young hip energy and has a lot of sass in a good way. He even composes his own songs you can find on iTunes! !! PS Do NOT request "Piano Man". Rookie mistake.
(5)
Sara L.

I walked past here 3 times and didn't even notice it was a piano bar. Lo and behold you gotta walk downstairs to enter the bar. The place has a lot of potential and a great location to attract customers by being near a metra. The scene here can vary on the weekends. However, for the most part it is typically the cougar crowd and late 30 and early 40 somethings. This is fine by me since I don't have the patience for bars that play Miley Cyrus or have a crowd that uses YOLO in a sentence. What makes this place even better is the 6 dollar martinis on Tuesday!! They also have martini flights, which I highly recommend since you get three mini martinis. Small in size but big in liquor...think of it as three shots for 8 bucks. Of course they always have a singer playing the piano and taking requests. Just a FYI, the older gentleman playing until 10pm won't play certain songs. Perhaps they're just not in his song catalog?? However, the guy who takes over after 10p pretty much will play anything. Good drinks, reasonable prices, piano player/singer, and a decent drink list....what is not to like?
(4)
Alison G.

Ok so there was a guy singing and playing piano when we got there. This was the reason we went there. I am always hesitate to visit any piano bar / any places with live music because it could be a disaster. You could hate their singing or they are way too loud or they pick terrible songs etc etc. This guy was OK. We pretty enjoyed it and you know it's free live music (except we did left him tips). +1 Food, unexpectedly, was great. We had flat bread (that was in a very large size, like a pizza). Then a broiled salmon with rice. Surprisingly all tasted pretty good, so +2 Martinis. Plenty of choices. Enough alcohol in every glass so since I am not good at drinking they got me high. Yummy martini!!! +1 I wanted to visit them again to see if I should give them 5stars ;)
(4)
Kelly K.

This place is AWESOME! My company holiday party will be held here again this year and they sure make you feel very warm and welcome. In the winter this is the perfect cozy place to hang out grab a drink and sing along to piano songs with your best friends/loved ones. The food here is good too.... It does get a bit crowded on weekend nights but I like that "Chicago nightlife" feel, all other bars in the area are dead and this one is booming...that says something. Check it out! you wont be disappointed.
(5)
Star L.

First visit on last night - 7/15/14. I tried this place on a GroupOn. There was no one here besides the waitresses under the age of 45...ok fine! 85% of the guests were very nicely dressed drag queens.... Ok fine (although I felt like we were intruding on a private gathering/meeting). Food was fine, no complaints there. Piano player... was ok! (I tipped him...so fine). The billing process!! Disgraceful! While the meal was payed for with the GroupOn, my bill should have been $19 for my two drinks and the steak up-sell. Instead, my bill was $40 Plus tip. I asked the server how it was possible, she could not give an explanation- however she did explain that several GroupOn customers were displeased to say the least. The manager explained that if they did not up-charage, they would not make any money from GroupOns. We paid the ridiculous bill, seeing no need to perform and continuously contest/question the extra charges. We tipped the server, and left - never to return or recommend this place. Note to manager: Not every customer is going to remain calm and courteous while knowingly being overcharged with absolutely no explanation! If you are not willing to HONESTLY honor GroupOn - do not enter a contractual agreement for such.
(1)
Kirsten W.

Nice environment for drinks, music is ok, but it's the SAME entertainer everytime we are there. It would be nice if they mixed up musicians once in a while. Servers/bartenders are very friendly, hostess, not so much.
(4)
Dan D.

I have to say Big Shot Piano Lounge & Resturant proceeds it's reputation for being an outstanding Classy Bar! The drinks were phenomenal! Jen did an absolute fantastic job with handling all are complex orders and even laughed at our corny jokes ;) , The staff was equally as good. They greeted us with a warm smile right as we enter the place. The best part of our experience was that when things got super busy the GM Eric was quick to step in and lend a hand! For that I will be forever a customer!! Thanks Jen!! I hope she gets the raise she deserves
(5)
Garfer B.

Been coming here since we moved to AH in 2008. Love it!!! Great atmosphere. Really good menu and the food awesome! Aga is the best and has been here off and on since then also. Wayne is fun and I don't know the later performers, but so far all are really good. I would highly recommend.
(5)
Diana K.

This place is usually really fun. It can get pretty crowded on the weekends but the music after 10pm is good. The hostess is extremely rude though.
(3)
Julie C.

Entertainment is a laugh, doesn't even know American Pie - REALLY! What an insult to the customers who are looking for good entertainment! Second guy came on pretty good but he would only play your songs if you tipped him well, and he would let you know if you didn't tip him well.
(1)
Lindsay B.

We went to the Big Shot Piano Lounge for a bachelorette party celebration- so this review is really for experience and service only. We reserved a table in the lounge in advance as we had a large party, and it was still waiting for us even though we arrived 15 minutes late from our dinner to get our table- yeah! When we arrived the first pianist of the night was performing- he was quite talented, but didn't really play our style of music (though he did give numerous shout outs to the special events in the place like our party, birthdays, and anniversaries which was great). We ordered drinks (my table enjoyed theirs, I stuck to Diet Coke), and our waiter and table attendant were very good and speedy. A young gentlemen (not our server) brought all of us water, and mini pitchers to keep refilling. He returned frequently throughout our several hours there to make sure we had enough water and to clear away finished drinks. One of the members of my group ordered chocolate cake for dessert- and the slice was huge! The second performer of the night was hilarious and excellent- I feel like his name was John, but I'm not positive- he did a great mix of new music and classics, and was super into his gig. I could have stayed and listened to him play all night- I especially loved his Justin Timberlake renditions. My only negative experience with this place was the temperature. We were near a vent so it was freezing all night :( Other than that, it was an A+ experience and I would love to come back. The parking garage downtown Arlington Heights is right by this place and was the perfect place to park- free too!
(4)
Kris V.

This place is awesome. Friendly bartenders and very good drinks. Great local hangout. Ask for "Eric's honey butter" and you will get a free drink/shot. We have been coming here for 6 years and have never had a bad experience.
(5)
Linda B.

Beware if going to this restaurant and using Groupon! This is not the fault of Groupon but the unethical management of the restaurant. The restaurant owner stated that they charge extra if the price of the appetizer salad and two entrÃ©es goes over the face value of the Groupon. They will not honor the spirit of the purchase of the groupon. They are losing money. Luckily I read the Yelp review that states a groupon customer was overcharged. When I called they stated you must pay the difference.
(1)
Michelle Z.

After being contacted personally by the performer from 9/20/2014 at this bar- basically yelling at me for my review, I stand by review and even more so stress the unprofessional-ism of this performer- who by the way has clearly created fake postings for himself trying to boost his performance quality while continuing to further insult to guests at the bar that night. He had many family members there that evening, so any positive reviews I assume has come from them and based on the way they were written, it matches the writing style the performer who wrote myself and other reviewers back. I believe the purpose of this site is to be able to review experiences and establishments without fear of harassment. To the bar's credit- upon speaking to management they do seem embarrassed by his behavior and have apologized. I will say that our server did a fantastic job as well.
(1)
Christy O.

We went here last friday night, though we'd been here before. This time we had a Groupon and while we enjoyed ourselves, I have to say that it would have been much more enjoyable if there hadn't been such a large party of girls there obviously celebrating something as they were quite loud. Other than that, it is a good place to go hang out or go on a date.
(3)
Jackie M.

I have been here multiple times over the years, but after my experience on Saturday, I will definitely never return. The piano player was rude, and begging for tips all night. He seemed to have a very small repertoire and a chip on his shoulder. Reason enough to never go back.
(1)
Jessica B.

Came with my friends recently for maybe my third time. Two previous times I went, had a great time. This last time though it took the waitress a very long time to finally come over and even acknowledge us. Then when she did, she didn't come back for quite some time. We wanted to order a second round and couldn't find the waitress! As I said, I have come a couple of other times and had a great time. So I didn't want to rate it worse than I did, but you have been warned.
(3)
Robyn C.

Great place to hang out with you friends. I recommend calling to make a reservation for a table because the place was packed on Saturday. The piano bar singer was great and from what another reviewer said about repeating songs, that wasn't done in the 3 hours that I was there. Drinks were awesome, service was attentive. I would definitely come back for a good time (and if I wanted to lose my voice from singing) :)
(5)
Melissa B.

The one positive- It felt like I was in someone's (very cool) basement. Should have turned around the moment I entered and saw that everyone was average age 50 and older (we are mid 30's). But I wanted to give it a try. I ordered the lemon drop martini. First they get you to pay the sky high rate of $9.50 per martini by not putting prices on the menu. The martini was pure sugar, maybe .01 ounce alcohol. Nasty. So I decide to try the sangria martini, figuring the wine content would assure me a buzz. Nope. It tasted like bitter Hawaiian punch. The martinis were TERRIBLE and this place prides itself on its martinis. Then the music starts. The guy did 4 Elton John songs in 1 hour. My ears were bleeding. This was hubby's birthday and I felt so bad I took him here. The guy sang in a show-tuney style. SO not for me. I saw other customers with paper that was given to them, writing down songs to be requested. No one gave us paper or told us how to request songs. I would have actually requested something besides Billy Joel or Elton John. Most all the songs were slow and sleepy too, suicidal songs. I wanted something upbeat, it was Saturday night! The waiter was so inattentive and with zero personality. I couldn't even manage a buzz after 2 martinis. A martini is supposed to be STRONG. I didn't ask for a kiddie cocktail. We left in a hurry.
(1)
Carla R.

The food was excellent and reasonably priced. Due to unexpected circumstances our entrÃ©es were delayed. Our servicer was very apologetic and attentive. Because of his quality service I had no intention of complaining about the wait. However Sam (aka Super Server) explained the situation to the manager and after apologizing for our wait she discounted our meal. The piano playing was a little loud and kind of cheesey but the quality of the food the excellent service make it worth the trip!
(4)
Joe P.

I've been here before and this time was just as great. I would advise getting there early if you have a lot of people because this place is kind of small. The live piano music will put a smile on your face when they play the song you requested.
(4)
Joe J.

Really awesome place to kick it and get boozed up. Piano player rocks the house with cover songs. Definitely in a higher price range as every drink hovers around $9. Not sure about beer prices, however. It's an older crowd, so don't expect to meet your next 22 year old wife here. Really great time. If it wasn't a little pricey I would give it 5 stars.
(4)
Jason H.

Great time. Live Piano guy was out standing! It would be a romantic place to go have dinner and drinks!
(4)
B V.

I would say go for the drinks and the piano bar but not the food. I ordered a shrimp dish that came with a side of pasta. What turned up was shrimp and bread crumbs soaked in a butter lemon sauce. It hurt my throat to eat it....disgusting!!! On top of that the side of pasta was just linguine boiled and thrown on a place with no sauce or flavor. I wasn't thrilled with the service or my dish.
(3)
Jenny V.

decent service i love the atmosphere but i'm pretty positive my friends and i were the youngest people there. extensive (expensive) wine/martini list - WASHINGTON HILL RIESLING- sweet but not overly sweet. its so flavorful. i like that they have flutes of wine or martinis. you get three small glasses of three different wines or martinis. We got crisp whites which was $9 and a glass of wine was around $7. bathrooms are nice but it was dirty. piano guy was okay, i could barely understand what he was saying, maybe its the acoustics or something. I'd dig this place more if i wasnt a broke college student and if we weren't the youngest people in the place.
(3)
Matt M.

This place has a lot of potential. Who doesn't love a good piano bar? The entertainers are top of the line piano bar players. I saw two of them and both were top notch acts. Where the problem lies is with the seating/hostess situation. The tables turn over slowly enough on Saturday night but the hostess does not turn them around very quickly. Our table was open nearly half an hour before we were taken from our temporary (uncomfortable spot) at the bar. The wait service was fine, the food was fine, the prices were high. But, its a not a bad little spot to say the least.
(3)
Phill C.

Came here while bar hopping in Arlington Heights downtown with some co-workers. This was the last stop to our night and we had a good time. Dark candlelit atmosphere in the basement of a restaurant with a guy singing & playing anything you want on the piano. He even did bohemian rhapsody with us and everyone was singing along. Well overall it's pretty noisy with everyone trying to talk with the loud piano playing. My first time to a piano bar, so I guess it was okay.
(3)
Ryan H.

The food and drinks here are delicious, and the atmosphere is like no other in the area. Live piano music while you eat and socialize. However the socializing is hard to do because the acoustics are pretty lousy in this place so to accommodate they have the speakers turned up super loud. Very hard to hear and carry on a conversation. The quickness of the wait staff is hit and miss.. We have had some really good servers who check on us frequently, and we have had some really poor servers who we don't see once from the time our food comes til the check is paid. This place is a bit pricey because you have to add the costs of the atmosphere into the menu.. but the food is worth it and they have some very interesting martini's that you probably cannot make at home nor have you had them anywhere else. I would recommend this as a fun date night place or a special get together, but not your every friday night hang-out or you will be broke by the end of the month
(3)

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Address : 2 S Vail Ave
Arlington Heights, IL, 60005
Phone (847) 670-6890
Website https://www.bigshotpianolounge.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :Closed
Mon : Closed
Tue

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Late Night
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual, Romantic
Noise Level : Very Loud
Music : Live
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Pizza

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Big Shot Piano Lounge & Restaurant

2 S Vail Ave, Arlington Heights, IL, 60005

Big Shot Piano Lounge & Restaurant Menu

Appetizers

Soup & Salads

Entrees

More Entrees

Flatbread Pizza

Burger & Sandwiches

Healthy Meal suggestions for Big Shot Piano Lounge & Restaurant

Appetizers

Soup & Salads

Entrees

More Entrees

Flatbread Pizza

Burger & Sandwiches

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