PL8 Restaurant

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...

We stopped for an early dinner so service was attentive and very pleasant. The pork egg rolls and steamed pot stickers were excellent. We shared several dishes which were tasty but overly salty. The mei-ji shrimp was a notable disappointment. There were plenty of shrimp but the asparagus was overcooked, dry and stringy and impossible to cut into bite-size pieces. In general, we love PL8 and will continue to patronize the establishment but hope the kitchen can refine their seasoning.

My family came to eat here when it opened on Saturday at 12 pm. The waiter greeted us and gave us a table and menus, but then we had to find him to place our order. We had to find him again to get our check. The place is not very clean. Utensils were not clean and the floor had debris on it. The bathroom did not have a lot of soap either. Possibly this could be because they just opened when we went in, but it's weird because on that day not a lot of people were outside in Barrington. The food lacked flavor. The waiter gave us sauces to use in conjunction with the food. We were disappointed that the chef's expected us to add sauce to the dishes to make it taste good. Prices are high as well which does not help, and some portions were big, but not big for 5 people. Buddha's plate was the most flavorful thing and tasted pretty good. The Shanghai Bok Choi only had 5 pieces in it. As a side note, the whole time my family was at the restaurant no one else came in to eat, which was a little weird. Also, don't be fooled by the aesthetic design of the place, which looks nice.

Pl8 was (was is the key word) our go-to Asian place and a Barrington jewel. We primarily do carry out post pandemic plus it's just more convenient with kids. I usually don't write poor reviews but I have complained a number of times of over the last 12 months for what I'm writing and it's not gotten any better so I feel like they have had a chance to make things better. But I think they are resting on their laurels now and letting their brand carry them vs the quality of the food. The food has turned very inconsistent. We usually order some staples - sesame chicken and potstickers one of them. The sesame chicken sauce is confounding. It is usually a sweet savory flavor but now we are lucky if its even close to the same order to order now. Today was the last straw - it was so salty that No one in family could not eat it! It was like someone took a container of Morton's salt and dumped it in! I don't think they have any quality control happening now given the inconsistencies. Also the chicken has become fattier - gristle pieces. The pot stickers are often burned beyond recognition on the bottom and also the filling has become fattier and gross at times. The vegetables are spotty and look unappetizing. If you order carry out carefully check items. On more than one occasion they have forgotten items from main dishes to sides. There is no quality control on packing or expediting carry out orders. I'm really sad to have to write this review. This place used to be unbeatable; for the price you pay, skip Pl8 and try your luck at different Asian restaurant.

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...

We were taking an old friend out to lunch who is gluten free and she suggested we try this place. Our guest had a gluten free salad , tuna tatami, that she...

We've been going to PL8 since they opened. For many years, we were never disappointed. Last night we met friends - a table for six. We think our waitress was the ONLY one waiting tables in the entire dining room - she tried her best to keep up. Waited over 20 minutes for our first drinks to arrive. The food wasn't remarkable in any way - not like in the past. We dined for over 2 hours - (mostly because it took forever to get our food) - and FIVE tables around us were never cleared & cleaned after the guests left. One of the tables had a child's entire dinner on the floor surrounding the high-chair- and was never cleaned up while we were there. Management must understand that 50% of the luxury of going to a restaurant is the atmosphere & the service. The other 50% is outstanding recipes executed well. Cannot recommend this place any longer. We will not return.

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...

Always great service and food. The bar is my favorite seat!! Easy in and out and friendly.

Very inviting place, with speedy and pleasant service. Small place are great choice if you just want to munch on something. Nice selection of wine and other spirits.