Alberto's - Carol Stream

Surprise, surprise. Improvements all around for my second go at Alberto's. I was in the restaurant for a meeting, and so I picked up a Farmhouse Burger while we... read more Surprise, surprise. Improvements all around for my second go at Alberto's. I was in the restaurant for a meeting, and so I picked up a Farmhouse Burger while we chatted. The burger is eggs (your way), bacon and beef on a bun, along with fries or whatever other side you want. And it was good! The ground beef was well seasoned, moist and cooked right (or close enough to medium that I didn't notice any significant deviations). I liked the egg, and I really liked the paper-thin and crisp bacon that came on top of the burger. Now I'm interested in coming back. The fries were merely OK, but at least they were seasoned. For starters, I don't think they were fried... they seemed baked and didn't have any sort of crispy texture. Service was questionable, at times. I didn't have a problem, but my dining partner did. Pro tip: Repeat the order back to the customer before taking it to the kitchen. At about $10 person for lunch all said and done, this was good food at a good price.

Hotel restaurants. They can be mediocre, but more and more I find they are trying to rise above. Alberto 's does pretty well. We needed to eat, fairly late on a... read more Hotel restaurants. They can be mediocre, but more and more I find they are trying to rise above. Alberto 's does pretty well. We needed to eat, fairly late on a Friday. They were open, and we put in an order to go. They put together a nice tray, with plasticware but also real cups for our drinks. Service was very friendly. Sweetie got the Monterey chicken- a big breast, with bacon, cheese, etc. She said it was good, and the side of broccoli was perfectly steamed. I got the firecracker shrimp. Large, crispy, a bit of zing in the seasoning. Small portion for the price, though. We both got side salads, which were amazing: large, with a mix of greens instead of bland iceberg. They have breakfast but we didn 't have a chance to try it. A fairly standard menu with burgers, pizza, chicken, and a few surprises. Daily and monthly specials, which sounded pretty good. All in all, handy and decent, if overpriced.

Alberto's has officially closed its doors. The Holiday Inn has renovated the space and renamed it Burger Theory. Although the front desk indicated that they wou... read more Alberto's has officially closed its doors. The Holiday Inn has renovated the space and renamed it Burger Theory. Although the front desk indicated that they would honor the Groupons and Local Flavor coupons I had bought, Burger Theory has announced that they will not be accepting them.

The buffet area was smaller than I anticipated. The selections included a salad bar, shrimp cocktail (with small shrimp), and various breakfast items like Frenc... read more The buffet area was smaller than I anticipated. The selections included a salad bar, shrimp cocktail (with small shrimp), and various breakfast items like French toast, pancakes, tater tots, pigs in a blanket, bacon, Canadian bacon, and toast. For the hot pasta options, there was macaroni and cheese and bowtie pasta with tomato sauce. The prime rib was a standout dish, excellent when paired with horseradish sauce. There was also an omelet station and four types of refreshing cold pasta salads. For dessert, they offered a couple of mini pastries (brownies and apple tarts) and fresh fruit. The prime rib was definitely the highlight of the meal, cooked perfectly. However, it was served lukewarm in a container instead of under a heat lamp, which was a bit disappointing. The breakfast items, on the other hand, were quite underwhelming. One main issue was that the dishes were heated in covered buffet containers, resulting in some soggy food. Unfortunately, the pastas were overcooked and lacked flavor. On the positive side, the tater tots, pigs in a blanket, and desserts were delightful. **Pros**: Excellent prime rib and attentive service from the waitstaff, who frequently refilled our water and checked on us. **Cons**: The rest of the menu was disappointing, the $14.95 price tag felt steep, and there were very few Italian food options. **Hidden Tip**: Restaurant.com offers gift certificates that could save you money on your meal, though I'm not sure if they can be used for brunch. United dining miles are also available.

I've been to this restaurant for both breakfast and dinner. The breakfast was inexpensive but the quality of the food itself was on-par with some of the better... read more I've been to this restaurant for both breakfast and dinner. The breakfast was inexpensive but the quality of the food itself was on-par with some of the better breakfast restaurants in the area, very impressive. As for the dinner, they always have some kind of specials going on $0.50 wings, $5 wraps, etc) all of which are delicious but none are comparable to the Prime rib sandwich which is absolutely delicious. Overall I've had great service here, the food is of great quality and it won't completely empty your wallet either! Oh and by the way, their breakfast buffets on Saturdays and Sunday's are awesome, prime rib, omelette station, fresh fruit, juices and many other options as well.