Visitors to Little Tails Sports Bar & Grill in Lake Forest can rest assured they will not miss the big game, or any game for that matter. There are 14 TVs generously positioned around the dining room. Little Tails, which opened in October 2018, fills a void on Lake Forest’s west side, states owner Chandra Parshetty. There is not a bar for more than a mile to the north and south of the restaurant. What Chief’s is to Lake Forest’s east side of town, so Parshetty wants Little Tails to be for the west side community.
About the owner: Parshetty is a native of India and works in IT. But his travels that took him to various countries gave him a passion for food and the desire to open his own restaurant. “The customers are great and the neighborhood is excellent,” he says. “They are very patient with me as I learn day by day what they like and don’t like.”
Philosophy: “A friendly and casual place to have a drink and a good time with friends and family,” Parshetty states. To further engage with the community, he has booked live music on weekends, drawing on area musicians and local music students to perform.
On the menu: Among the appetizers are fried mushrooms, quesadillas, cheese curds and crispy wings. Sandwiches include Waygu beef burgers, Italian beef, chicken club and a meatball hero. In addition to salads and wraps, there are pasta dishes (chicken pesto tortellini and short rib mac and cheese) and grill entrees, including stuffed chicken breast, fajitas and an eight-ounce fillet. Children eat free on Mondays. Eleven daily lunch specials — served in 11 minutes or less — include half sandwiches and a cup of soup, caprese salad, a cranberry wrap, mac and cheese with bacon and a luncheon portion of the fettuccine alfredo.
Decor: Little Tails is located in the space formerly occupied by Teriyaki Box and has been completely remodeled. The formerly open kitchen has been walled off. The dining room seats 100 and an outdoor patio 30. Exposed Edison bulbs hang over the bar, which seats about 15. The ceilings are high and ample windows allow for views of the passing trains — the Metra station is located up a small rise behind the restaurant.
Pricing: Appetizers start at $8 (four chicken tenders) and top off at $14 (fried shrimp). Pasta dishes range from $16 (fettuccine Alfredo) to $25 (shrimp de jonghe). Grille items range from $16 (chicken fajitas) to $24 (teriyaki salmon or grilled skirt steak). Salads starts at $12. The Little Tails burger is $15. Sandwiches are $12. The daily lunch specials are $11. A $13 fried calamari, a $14 Friday fish fry, $18 crab cakes and$23 barbecue ribs are among the weekend specials. Martinis are $5 and the house wine is $7 on Tuesday’s designated ladies night.
Logistics: Little Tails Sports Bar & Grill is located at 840 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. Restaurant hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 10 a.m.- 11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays. The bar is open until 11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and until 11 p.m. on Sundays. Sunday brunch is served 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Call 847-235-2908 or go to littletailsbarandgrill.com.