Dragon Star!

If you've been following this thread for very long then you probably know that I've often posted about the lack of good really Chinese restaurants in Lake County and that I especially dislike the few that are in and around Gurnee.

Last week, I took a drive though Mundelein to go to lunch, and got caught by a really long freight train on Hawley St.. While sitting in the traffic back up I looked around, and noticed that right across the street from Franks for the Memories (which is only the best Buffalo Style wings in all of Chicagoland) there was a new little Chinese restaurant called the Dragon Star. Realizing that my lunch time was now limited (thanks to the train) I figured what the heck, and pulled out from the traffic and went in.

It's a little hole in the wall place, designed to be carry out, but they have a couple of tables to sit if your so inclined. The place has the typical open kitchen and 8X11 framed pictures of Chinese food dishes hanging over the counter and on one of the walls. A big stack of menu's sit on the counter and extremely friendly counter help that turns out to be the wife & husband team that own the place greet you as you walk in.

All the food is really great except for the egg rolls, which weren't so good, but out here, I'm willing to make a few concessions!

The owners tell me they've been open about a year now, and that they are from the East coast - NJ area, and it makes total sense, since this place really reminds of some of the carry out places out east that I've visited with the same tastes & textures.

Since that first visit, I've now been back three times and it's been delicious every time. So far I've experience the Kung Pao chicken which is nice and spicy with lots of POW! The Mongolian beef, and tasty Lo Meins both beef & pork. The pork fried rice is the one of best I've had anywhere in a long time.

So if your dying for some good city style carry out Chinese, or if your a displaced East coaster looking for a Chinese restaurant that will remind you of home, then this is the place for you:

Dragon Star
666 East Hawley St
Mundelein, IL 60060
(847)837-8868 or (847)837-8866
Sun-Thr: 11 am - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat: 11 am - 10:30 pm