5% Cash Back at Tina G's

Longtime Mundelein locals Tina and Phil Gilardi found the ideal spot on the northeast corner of Route 45 and Park Street to open their inviting neighborhood bar and restaurant. Tina G's is a cafe with a style all its own, a bistro-like setting where patrons gather daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The bar is loaded with wine, spirits, and beers, all ideal for a toast or to accompany your favorite dish. The lounge itself has room for about 30 people to kick back and unwind, plus there's a private area cozy enough for a party of 10 to dine in style. You can even test your luck on the video lottery machines inside. The menu features many outside-of-the-box bites, taking the usual cafe fare and making it more upscale. While an omelet with bacon, cream cheese, and onions is good, the one with lobster, gouda, and scallions can make your morning sing -- add a Bellini or Bloody Mary to make it perfect. The same goes for the lobster and ahi Benedicts, steak and eggs, bananas Foster French toast, blueberry pancakes, and the timeless buttermilk biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. Lunchtime brings tomatoes stuffed with tuna salad, gnocchi caprese you can order with shrimp, classic Reubens, double burgers, and several dozen other options. Stop by for dinner and begin your meal with an appetizer, such as the seared tuna, Parmesan zucchini, or the smoked salmon bruschetta. After getting your palate revved up, it's on to everything from boneless pork chops and 10-ounce rib eyes to chicken cacciatore and the seafood diablo, a spicy concoction of seafood goodness.