A New STAR arrives in the Nortwest “burbs’

Tonight I had a “star” experience attending a movie ( yes, a movie over “live” theater) at a new concept movie theater located in Arlington Heights. It is called Star Cinema Grill, and although I have been in “other” so called dinner/theater experiences in the area, this one was very special from start to finish. The theater building is located in a strip type center on Evergreen Avenue ( 53 South) in downtown Arlington Heights. While there is plenty of activity in the area, the theater is a little harder to find as there is no marquee facing the main street- but I will tell you, it is worth the trip for this one.

The Star Cinema Grill is a Texas corporation that is now looking to expand even wider than just Texas and now Illinois, and based on the way they operate their system, that should be an easy task. The “Experience” began this evening when we parked the car ( plenty of FREE Parking, both on street level and in an underground garage). We then entered the theater lobby/bar area where our tickets were ready and we were escorted to our theater to see our film “In Flight”, a thriller that just opened. But it was the theater itself that caught our attention. Five levels of widely spaced, luxurious seats , executive stadium spacing with plenty of leg room awaited our selection. There are also regular seats in front of these for the late comers and non-diners to select from.

The tables are designed for two and have a slot for the menus as well as order sheets and on the top, a button/light so that the wait staff knows when you are in need of something. It is best to arrive 20-30 minutes before your movie ( as we were advised) as all o f the food is prepared on order. Yes, that is correct, you are not being served food that was prepared hours ago and has been sitting in a warming tray in hopes that someone will order it. Our waitress, Amanda was a delight to work with. She went over our questions, the specials and explained the best way to make sure that our experience was “a night to remember”!  AND IT WAS!

We were not aware of the large and varied menu that Star Cinema Grill has to offer- take a quick look at www.starcinemagrill.net and see for yourself. You will also see the movies that are currently running, their hours and rates ( which are as consumer friendly as any other theater company in town. We partook of the mini-burgers/slider and when the assortment came, it included two tasty cheeseburgers and two delightful, well seasoned pulled Pork sandwiches with french  fries that  exceeded my expectations. I love a crisp well done fry- they were even better than I expected with a special seasoning that was just right.

We also had a regular burger, but added some different cheeses. There are so many choices, one could attend a different movie each night of the week, and order a different entrée or appetizer and never have to duplicate. They also have some goodies like cup-cakes that are scrumptiosly delicious. The popcorn arrived as the movie began, warm, salted just right and I could tell that this was not popcorn that had been tossed from a plastic bag into a warmer, but popcorn that had been kernels minutes before Amanda brought the box to my seat. I also want to mention the glass of Riesling that I enjoyed before and during my dinner- This was a delightful way to see a movie about flight- First Class, all the way.

Although the movie was tense and had some scary moments, the evening was pleasurable from start to finish and I would suggest that you experience this theater for yourself. The cost of an evening out dinner and a move for a typical suburban couple probably is close to $50 with a drink ( not counting babysitters) and believe it or not, the experience at Star Cinema Grill located at 53 S. Evergreen in Arlington Heights was just about the same.

They also have family specials anda G Rated menu for the kids. The entire concept is not new, but this particular company has taken the concept to a new ( and might I say, HIGHER) level, making the entire experience just that an entertainment experience. They offer company and group outings, private celebrations and a cheerful and very friendly atmosphere. When we returned to the lobby, we found that there were many people enjoying a late night drink and friendly chat with others before heading home. It isn’t often that going to a movie can be a lasting memory where you think about when you can return, not so much for the movie, but for the experience itself. The phone number for the theater is 847-259-7827 and again, the website www.starcinemagrill.net 

ENJOY! We did!!!!