PL8 Restaurant

It was my birthday, and I had a wonderful evening here with my friends. The dishes were absolutely delicious. As someone from Sichuan, I can say this is the best Sichuan restaurant I’ve had in the Chicago area in the past ten years. The Japanese dishes were also made with the freshest, carefully selected ingredients. They serve great cocktails, and with such a wide variety of flavors, this restaurant is perfect for gatherings—everyone can find something they enjoy. It was definitely worth the 45-minute drive to get here. And by the way, their backdrop makes for really beautiful photos too!

Excellent food, value and service. Beautiful cultural interior decor. We had the lunch specials that came with soup and egg roll. Very large portion for reasonable lunch price. Extra plus that they offer an extensive selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes. We will return! Update: Hot & Sour soup contains egg and is not suitable for vegan. Sesame Balls may also contain egg.

Best Chinese food I’ve had since China! Amazing food, quality, service, and atmosphere. You can easily tell each dish was made with care and had its own delicate flavor profile. The chef’s signature bobo beef was incredible! Highly recommend.

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, we ordered takeout from this restaurant. The Sichuan cuisine was very authentic and came in generous portions. Our whole family was very satisfied. We especially loved the Zhangcha duck — the meat was tender with a rich smoky flavor.

I had dinner with my golf team a couples of times. And I went with different friend group. Chef Bo always provides the best dishes to us. Delicious with plenty of food. The source and ingredients are very authentic. Maggie, the manager, always did the best to serve us. Great place to go to. Ken Che

What an amazing place it is! The atmosphere is peaceful and cozy, service is unobtrusive and the food is sooooo delicious! It's a rare case when ordering meat or seafood you get fresh-cooked, flavorful, quality meal that tastes exactly like it should - you feel the taste of the ingredients and it's not deemed by seasonings and sauces. We ate shrimps with asparagus, scallops with peas and mushrooms, beef with rice and broccoli and two giant rolls with plethora of stuffing. Everything was fresh, tasty, balanced. Now I can say it is one of the best restaurants of asian food I know.

Such a great place to taste Chinese food, well combined with light healthy dishes as well, such as pockets Tofu. My favorite is Tea flavored smoked duck, golden crispy outside, tender juicy inside, hard to find in any other Chinese restaurant. Highly recommend!

This restaurant deserves a five-star review. I have been to birthday parties a couple of times here and the food was amazing, everything was very fresh, and the sashimi used the highest quality fish that simply melts in your mouth. I don't typically drink, but for the celebration, we ordered some drinks the waiter recommend, and they were extremely good and as you can see from the picture, they look pretty too. Have I mentioned the dessert? We ordered 3 types of dessert, and they were all super yummy. I will be back soon!

This restaurant has really gone downhill the last few years. We've dined in for a long time with them and the service was always slow, but the food was always excellent. Recently we tried take out from them and the Orange Peel Chicken lacked flavor and the Seven Flavor Chicken was rubbery and chewy. Chinese Palace in Barrington which is a more traditional take out place, now has better food than PL8. It's sad to see but another Barrington restaurant will fail.

Went here for a nice little Tuesday night out. The service was excellent, our server knew the menu well and helped us make the best decisions. The ginger beer they make onsite and it's delicious! Funky restaurant vibe with a bar to surround the booths. Quiet enough for conversation, but music playing to create the mood.

Food is great, waiters are very knowledgeable and friendly. Location is also convenient to reach.

I've been here several times and always had an enjoyable experience. The last time I tried their Mexican roll, and I highly recommend it. I will be back.

I went here with the wife and her sister after a 5.5 mile hike. I was impressed. The mapo tofu was good and the sushi tasted fresh. I had the dynamite roll, California roll and hotate nigiri. All good.

Amazing quality of fish. If you are looking for an Asian or sushi place to go around here then this would be it. What mostly changed my review is that how nice our server was and sounded like she meant what she was saying to us. She always checked on us. The place looked nice like true Asian restaurant. The food was 10/10 and the service was 10/10! Just go there and have an awesome time eating Asian food. Definitely go there! (Written by my 11 year old)

One of the best Chinese restaurant in the Chicagoland. Everything I've had was super delicious. The host and owner were super friendly, too. Highly recommended!

We come here every year to celebrate three birthdays. Staff is very friendly, attentive and helpful. Very unique and delicious Chinese dishes. Very large sushi menu to order from. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Love this place, this is now our favorite Chinese place the food was Amazing and our server was great

The bobo beef is really good Legit chinese food! Liked the softshell crab and white sauce fish a lot!

Food rocks. Been here four times for lunch and highly recommend. You would never guess from the plain look of the restaurant, but the sushi rocks. We also tried a few traditional dishes and they too were amazing. Don't be shocked when you get the bill, this is a high rent restaurant, but the food is equally high quality and you will enjoy some really amazing sushi.

Food was just alright, nothing to write home about. And the waiter had a real big RBF

Great food but the prices were high. Tables were tight for four people. I will go back but will not sit in booths.

So happy to finally be able to try this place ! Very cute inside and we were seated immediately. The server was lovely and attentive. We tried the crab Rangoon chopsticks as an appetizer, they were pretty good. The star of the show was the lo mein- tons of wok hei and so delicious! One of the best lo meins we have had. Also tried the angel roll and it was huge and delicious! Fresh sushi and well made. Presentation was great for everything. Definitely will be back.

Stay away. This restaurant does not care about food safety or the quality of their food especially around take-out. The manager is rude on top of it and blames takeout issues on delivery services vs their own mistakes.

I have been here a number of times. The garlic chili edamame is sooo craveable, I want to steal the recipe. I love their combination of flavor and a different take on sushi. Perfect for a date night, it's kinda hidden gem in this unassuming plaza in the middle of a very quiet area.

Excellent service, the food was fantastic and the service was better extremely clean restaurant would recommend. Clearly the new management is shining through. AAA +++

Hubby and I came to Pl8 for their grand reopening. We were provided with samples of a few of their appetizers: potsticker, edamame, vegetable spring roll, and crab rangoon chopstick. They were fine except the potsticker was not crisp. However, I felt like it wasn't a good representation of their menu and these were typical Americanized Chinese appetizers that can be found at most Chinese restaurants. We ordered the chong ching noodle soup (sliced whitefish fillets, slowly simmered in broth with cellophane noodles, pickled mustard greens and fresh red chiles). I almost always get this dish if it I spot it on a menu while dining out. The presentation was nice but they didn't provide us with a ladle or small bowls/spoons. This is normally served family style so it was confusing that it was served in this manner. The pickled mustard greens also tasted like they were boiled in the soup for awhile because they lacked flavor. Hubby ordered the tonkotsu ramen. The noodles were overcooked and the soup was bland. The egg was cooked well but the pork was dry. We also shared a rainbow roll (California roll with assorted sashimi layered on top). It was decent but it was pricier than the rolls we typically get from our area and it normally isn't considered a specialty roll. Service was...interesting to say the least. One of the girls cleaned up our table and took away our small plates and my chopsticks but we weren't done eating and we were still waiting on our rainbow roll. I assumed she would come back with a fresh pair of utensils but never did. I also asked her for more water and she acknowledged my request but never came back. When we were done eating I asked for a container for our leftovers but again she never came back. Also, the bathroom had three soap dispensers but not one of them had any soap. Overall, it was a disappointing experience especially since we drove about an hour to get here.

Both food quality and quantity are good, service is excellent. Overall a restaurant with great value those days - Lily

We've been eating here for years. Today we had a sushi dish and Pad Thai. The sushi was excellent but the Pad Thai was mediocre. It had no flavor ( no peanuts either!) which is a surprise after all the times we've ordered it here. Otherwise the service was fine.

This place is a true hidden gem. I stumbled across them looking for a new place to try and boy am i glad I did. We had a truly amazing experience. Food was top notch. Sat on their patio and enjoyed beautiful weather. Excellent staff who were on top of everything. My new favorite restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious. Very flavorful. My fiancé had the spicy chili beef and I had the black pepper garlic beef. Their beef was quality. Not chewy at all. Beyond excellent tuna roll as well. Super fresh. Their pork potstickers were also delicious. The decor inside was very nice and boy was the place super clean. A definite must try. This place is a true hidden gem. I stumbled across them looking for a new place to try and boy am i glad I did. We had a truly amazing experience. Food was top notch. Sat on their patio and enjoyed beautiful weather. Excellent staff who were on top of everything. My new favorite restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious. Very flavorful. My fiancé had the spicy chili beef and I had the black pepper garlic beef. Their beef was quality. Not chewy at all. Beyond excellent tuna roll as well. Super fresh. Their pork potstickers were also delicious. The decor inside was very nice and boy was the place super clean. A definite must try.

Food is great. The Bo bo beef is delicious and very tender. We love the wide rice noodles too. The menu looks different, so not sure if our favorite sishi rolls are still listed. Will have to come back soon to check that out. Service was great.

We just went back after a long absence and were very pleasantly surprised. The sushi was excellent, the menu varied and excellent. If you want to explore options in Asian dining, this is your place. We'll be back soon.

Delish food, great service, polite servers and super helpful, great for families, even with small children

I went here for my birthday dinner because they have a gluten free menu and I was excited to try a new place. The vibe I got from PL8 was that it was once upon a time great, but the life has been sucked out of this place. I give our server 5/5 stars, very attentive and friendly. The food on the other hand was just mediocre and didn't meet the expectations set forth by their fancy menus. The spring rolls were small and overpriced. Tasted good though. Spicy green beans were okay, overcooked and had chunky seasoning on them that didn't add to the flavor. Avocado with tuna roll is as not great. I've had better sushi at the grocery store. The GF sesame chicken was overly salty, but also lacked flavor. It was great that they could make items gluten free, but I've had better frozen food Chinese food than the salty meal they served. Overall, food wasn't terrible, but it seems like this place is on the decline. There were very few people dining on a Sunday at 5pm which I'd think is prime time. I would try some items to go if I'm the area, but would not go out of my way to go back.

horrible service. waited 45+ minutes just to ORDER our food. had to ask the waitress to come and take our order and she still didn't for another 15 minutes after this. not coming back.

Great authentic Chinese food and extremely fresh sushi in the same menu. Great experience and excellent service! The decor was very modern and the ambiance was wonderful!

Wow... I don't believe I have not left a review... been here SO many times... good thing the checkins have been logged (thanks Yelp) and I have a ton of pics to populate this late late post. Love the food here... I'm drooling now just thinking about some items I just spotted and need to try stat. Items I've only seen and loved at ONE other place in Roselle. Spicy whitefish stew...oh man. Sucks scrolling Yelp while doing intermittent fasting. Yeah masochist tendencies. AHH. You don't use this place? Who hurt you?

Pl8 is a hidden gem in Barrington. For a starter, you have to try the crab Rangoon chopsticks as well as the edamame. For a main dish, the rainbow roll and the fire dragon roll are very food. We've enjoyed the service every time we've come here. The servers are always very attentive and friendly.

The food is amazing! I love the poke bowl and tempura veggies. They also have fantastic cocktails! The outdoor patio is beautiful! Highly recommend!

The online menu has different wording than the in-person menu, and it is confusing. I looked at the menu online before going there and knew what I wanted, but when I went to the restaurant, the wording was different. I ordered what I thought was what I found online, but it wasn't the same thing. What I ordered was a fish soup that was actually something for the whole table, but the in-person menu didn't say that. I normally love the food at PL8, but this soup that is supposed to be one of their specials is kind of sour and vinegary. It was edible, and the fish in it was good, but will not order it again. I really like this place, but I was kind of disappointed in it this time.

I must say pl8 has improved greatly since my last review. My complaint on the egg rolls was as it turns out, was not accurate as what we were given were not in fact eggs rolls but something different. The egg rolls are delicious!! Food has been very good lately. We only do carry out so I am not certain any effort has been made to clean the place up or if service has improved.

I've been to PL8 numerous times throughout the years. They never disappoint. The service is always very good and the ambience is very nice. The seven flavored chicken (ask for no spice if you don't like spicy food) is very good, the miso soup, same with the wide noodles (with beef shrimp and chicken), orange chicken or shrimp tempura dinner are all excellent too. I always get the Barringtontini (which is a lemon martini) or the blood orange martini is excellent as well. The banana chocolate wonton dessert is very good as well. I will definitely be back!

I've been meaning to give this place a review for a while now. Pro: Food is absolutely delicious and full of flavor, I am slowly working my way thru the menu and have't come across anything that wasn't amazing. The service is phenominal, always greeted by a friendly waitress who is happy to help or recommend something for me to try. Ambiance is also great, nice ambiance and not too loud so you can hear yourself talk. Con: Not really any, if I had to choose one it would be price. tad on the expensive side as far as Asian places go, but still within reason, and absolutely worth it for the flavor. Would recommend and will be coming back.

After multiple family members recommended Pl8, my fiancé and I finally ordered food from here over the weekend! Overall, we loved EVERYTHING. However, there are a few things to make note of. First, the crab rangoon chop sticks were absolutely delicious. The outside was light, flaky, and crispy. They seemed a little healthier than your average crab rangoon. The sauce had a great flavor. Super unique concept and we enjoyed them. We also ordered sashimi and a couple of makis. Here is why Pl8 lost a star from us. The sushi was definitely some of the best we've ever had, BUT. The sashimi slices were very small and thin, and the makis were some of the smallest we've ever had. We expect small makis when it comes to the basics, but the signature makis? Those should be a bit bigger. These were extremely tiny. Sashimi: O toro, Japanese snapper, Salmon, Tuna, and White tuna: Honestly, sashimi has been hit or miss for me lately. But from Pl8? FANTASTIC flavor and consistency. Makis: Spicy tuna - Not spicy at all. Veggie lovers - Very refreshing, definitely has some crunch to it! Crabby I Yam - Tasty! But again, not spicy. Would have been better warm, but since we ordered delivery, that's on us. Godzilla - Delicious with great flavor. 4/5 stars due to the small size of sashimi and makis. We'll definitely be ordering from here again to try their "pl8s." Delicious food and fast delivery!

On a Friday night the restaurant was empty. They told us they were not accepting walk ins. Went to car and made a reservation for 5 minutes later. They were turning so many people away because they didn't have reservations. In these times silly not to take walk ins.

Not sure what is going on at PL8 these days, but what was once a go to restaurant is slowing turning into a no go. Don't get me wrong, the food is still fresh and very good. The problem is that the last few times we've ordered carry out they've messed up the order. In one instance forgetting an entire entree. My wife and I recently stopped for a round of our favorite signature cocktails and ordered dinner to go. The drinks were a shell of their former selves... maybe it was the new bartender, but they were almost hard to finish. When the food was ready, I made sure to double check that the items were in the bag before I left. Not going to repeat the previous incident. When I got home, I was disappointed to find that my wife's entree was more like a kids portion and my meal that I asked them to skip the tofu on had more tofu than chicken. I hate to say it but it would also seem like they are cutting back on the amount of veggies and proteins in their entrees. Lots of noodles and rice, but not much of anything else. When I mentioned that observation to my wife she agreed that there was a noticeable difference. We'll keep coming, but with less anticipation and enthusiasm, until they hopefully get things sorted out.

Take out order. Cheesecake tasted old like it had freezer burn. Had to throw it out after one bite. I had not ordered from this restaurant in years and now I remember why.

Good spot that has good variety but it's expensive compared to other spots nearby. I've only gone for Saturday lunches so perhaps I'm missing some ambiance.

Had dinner at PL8 tonight. Food was average - had Kung Pao chicken, really not that flavorful. Service was average, seems there was only one server who did her best, considering. That being said, what restaurant charges $19 for a glass of "house" chardonnay. Absolutely ridiculous. Will not be back!

This has been on my list for a while, and after finally dining here I would equate this to a PF Chang's. Very similar in the menu offerings and atmosphere. Our service was pretty awful - we had to keep finding our waitress who was not very enthusiastic about us for no particular reason, but our food selections were great. We ordered the kamikaze boats and 7 spice chicken. Both were delicious and filling for two people. I also got a house salad with my meal, and the dressing was a delicious creamy ginger sauce. The chicken was tasty and like a lighter, crispier, spicier panda express orange chicken. This seemed like a perfect spot for a family outing in the suburbs to get some good ole Americanized - but quality - Chinese food. Will be back with my family next time!

This hidden gem in Barrington never disappoints. The food is amazing. Portions are HUGE, and it is served piping hot. They have some eclectic martinis namely the Blood Orange, and the Lychee. Both are fantastic. If you are a Chicken Pad Thai fan, then this is your place. Although we live around 17 miles away, we go here for take out too! The interior is very interesting which also adds to the experience. Would definitely recommend.

We've been eating at PL8 for years now and have been ordering delivery several times a month. We have never had a bad meal and are always happy with the food. When we do dine in at PL8 the service is always top notch and love the entire experience. Do yourself a favor and grab a meal there!

First impression, it's a clean establishment and staff was friendly. Able to sit us right away with no reservation. Unfortunately the food just didn't hit the mark for me. We ordered Pad Thai and General Tao's menu items but weren't really impressed. I felt like the Pad Thai was lacking a little flavor and the chicken was alright just felt like something was missing. The white rice was great though.

Let me start by saying I previously loved this place. I live out of town and visit every time I come. Very. Single. Time. This last visit I realized they raised all their prices but have not updated their menu online to reflect this. (I encourage you to read other recent reviews as well as there seems to be a common trend). Their portions are also SIGNIFICANTLY smaller. They used to also say their plates were large enough to share. Now their portions are barely enough for one person. I always get the same items so I'm very familiar with the size. I would encourage you to look elsewhere for your food. Also.. spicy tuna roll pictured was $8 for 6 pieces!! When we called to ask how many pieces it came with they said 8.. when we said we only received 6 he back tracked and said he was mistaken and it was definitely 6.

Had a great girls night at Pl8 recently! Located in the Foundry shopping center, Pl8 has a fun vibe! Its Asian fusion dishes are super tasty and the ambiance works for low key outings or date nights! I ordered their Teriyaki chicken, because I'm boring like that, but it was very good! We also ordered a plate of their 7 Flavor Chicken. It was a bit spicy for my taste, but overall still tasted very good. You get A LOT of food at Pl8, so expect to share or, better yet, have leftovers. I'd like to try some of their soups next time I go there. I saw one pass us that looked delicious! (It was, again, A LOT of soup!) Trying to be adventurous, I tried a bit of Crab Rangoon for the first time and loved it! The drinks were also really good. I had their house ginger ale and my friend had a mixed drink. I don't remember the name of it, but she enjoyed it! I also enjoyed the ginger ale. It was very refreshing. The dining area was clean. A bit dark. Because it's a smaller location, I think it could also get very loud when busy. The booths were comfortable, so I'd recommend choosing a booth over a table. Our waitstaff was great! We asked many questions about what to order, how things taste, etc and they were very helpful in helping us pick out just the right dishes! Overall, I look forward to going back to Pl8! I liked the vibe and the food was great!

The food is always great! We love thai basil shrimp, 7 spice tuna, and orange chicken

Casual and good selection. BUT check your bill carefully. We were charged for dishes we didn't order. One drink charge was more than the menu price. Also our table had menus with different prices.

Get the bobo beef!!! Other than that, all the other dishes we got were mediocre and taste pretty similar to your typical Chinese fast food chains (we got sesame chicken and Buddha's delight). Service was nice and fast, lots of seating. Next time I would probably just do take out for the bobo beef.