Fresh Starts

My absolute favorite restaurant in the area.
I was home from college this past week, and per usual, I requested that my parents take me to Freshstarts! Once again, we had a delicious meal from start (brussel sprouts!) to finish (gelato!) I don’t think I have ever had a bad meal here. I highly recommend the shrimps and grits or any seafood. The decorations for the holidays further added the experience. I would rate it higher, if possible!

We just got home after being virtually invisible this evening. This was not the kind of experience we’ve had in the past, however. I suspect there was some kind of a personnel issue for dinner service and a server did not show up. The problems: It took a while for our server to approach us, we ordered, and eventually got our food, which was not piping hot. I had to ask for lemon for my red snapper and the stems in the spinach were like chewing twine. My wife’s asparagus stuffed chicken, however, was wonderful, she said. The bus person brought out check and after waiting for our server to appear — about ten minutes — we finally took it to the cash register so we could leave. Neither the manager nor our server, who rang us up, made eye contact. We’ll give Fresh Starts a second chance, but only one more.

Sometimes we eat to feed our bodies, sometimes we eat to feed our psyche. This little restaurant does both. The first thing you will notice is the attention to detail. The proprietor has made this a warm, welcoming place with a variety of table sizes to accommodate couples and groups. They even have a private room at the back if you want more privacy for your group. The furnishings are selected to make you feel at home and fit in perfectly with the ambiance of Flossmoor.
I joined a friend for lunch (Fresh Starts is also open for dinner), our main goal to spend time together. But we both appreciate good food and service. We were not disappointed. The restaurant was busy but our waitress took the time to check on us often The menu has so many wonderful dishes that it was difficult to make a selection. In addition to the regular menu they have a full page of seasonal luncheon specials. Although this is not fast food, our food arrived quickly. A small house salad accompanied the shrimp and grits. I ordered the salmon salad, it was huge with salmon that was juicy and tasty. Both dishes were accompanied by a lovely roll — one of the few things they do not make on site. The highlight is the ingredients. Each fresh ingredient highlighted, with purpose, rather than being hidden in the dish.
Occasionally a glass of wine is a nice complement to lunch. Another feature of this café is the full bar. They have a nice little wine selection that has a wide variety of reasonably priced wines.
We were not rushed, giving us time to quietly chat and enjoy our meal — feeding our bodies and our psyche.
If you have trouble finding a parking spot on the street in front, go around back where there is a large public lot.

Probably the worst dining experience ive had… ever.
We had the misfortune of sitting near the owners (?) and their party. in order to serve them (as though they were royalty, far more important than anyone else in the place) we were ignored for 20 minutes, without menu or water, bumped into more than a few times (tables are far too close together, especially for a suburban wannabe trendy restaurant) for more important people to get served over and over again. once we finally did get our order hurriedly & rudely taken, the food sucked.
sucked.
under and unbelievably over cooked, i wanted badly to send it back — but more so just wanted to get out of the place. of course they were too busy to give us the check (why i wanted so badly to pay for this «meal» is beyond me) and probably wouldn’t even have noticed if we had just walked out. we had to track down 3 different people who would pay us any attention to beg for the bill.
theres too many options in the area to ever go back here again.

Meh. The menu has changed so much, I don’t even recognize it anymore. Everything is so heavy now– bacon, cream sauces… not my thing at all. They used to have way more healthy, vegetarian and seafood options. I don’t know what’s happened but I wouldn’t be surprised if they have lost all of their customers to The Cottage on Dixie. I would much rather spend my money there. Way to alienate your formerly loyal customers, Fresh Starts! It all started when you got rid of your outstanding carrot cake…

It’s a Saturday afternoon and my wife and I decide let’s go out for a Valentine’s Day After lunch. We want a new place to try, which is always fun. We decide on Fresh Starts that we both remembered seeing recently on Check Please. We hope this place is as good as the show and Unilocal reviewers tell us it is.
I was in the mood to try the Pizza Du Jour, daily special on ultra thin flat bread. This appetizer sounds really good. But it ended up being a veggie style pizza today that I wasn’t really in the mood for. So instead I order two, count them, yes two different sandwiches and my wife orders a third sandwich. Maria starts with the Panini sandwich for $ 9 dollars that came with bow tie pasta, which she loved but not the red peppers that were diced up on the pasta. The Panini was a beef tenderloin and it was really delicious. I of course got to sample a bite of her sandwich and really enjoyed it. I ended up ordering, the Ultimate Grill Cheese Sandwich for $ 9 dollars that also came with bow tie pasta. The Grill Cheese came with two cheeses, provolone and cheddar, bacon and tomato. It was a very hearty and filling grill cheese sandwich on this cooler Saturday afternoon. For my other sandwich I ordered the Chicago 250 Black Angus Cheeseburger, which I asked if they could add bacon to because it did not come with it and was told of course yes. Now my cheeseburger did come with cheddar cheese, my choice over the Blue or Provolone options, lettuce, tomato and pickles all on a pretzel roll. Also with the side of the bow tie pasta for $ 10 dollars. The burger was really thick, well cooked, not over cooked and quite delicious. The pretzel roll was a little bit on the burnt side but that was okay.
Both my wife and I were way too full to order any dessert. So we just ask for our check to go. Our total bill came to roughly $ 33 dollars with drinks and everything. The service was very friendly and the place is truly cute. It was a bit on the cooler side in the restaurant, I think the heat could be turned up a tad to make it warmer inside. But overall Maria and I enjoyed our Day After Valentines Day date. And we both highly recommend you give Fresh Starts a try in downtown Flossmoor.

We went here a few months ago and were pleasantly surprised. The food was local and delicious! I was pleased that the menu changes fairly often as well. Décor was simple but lovely, and we were able to get in after making reservations earlier that day. The staff was pleasant and accommodating. They have a large wine menu, although only a small beer list. I ordered the spicy shrimp over polenta, my husband ordered a spicy sausage pasta dish and my mom did a ravioli dish. Additionally, we had a calamari app, and the tomato bisque. Everything was very good! It is a bit more upscale, and the prices reflect that, although they were not unreasonable. We still talk about our meal there and will definitely be back.

My wife and I have eaten here a couple times. The first time, we went with our daughter who was about 8 at the time. She ate escargot and muscles like they were going out of style, but she is not a picky eater. I wouldn’t suggest bringing kids to this restaurant though, as it’s a bit tight and there is no children’s menu.
If you’re looking for a beer, go across the street to the brewery, but if you like wine or a nice glass of sangria, you’re in the right place. The food is very good, but the menu is a bit on the trendy/​upscale side. You won’t find cheeseburgers and fries here.
We don’t get out on our own very often without the child, but when we do, this is a nice place to go for date night.

One of the great things about this restaurant is the comfortable vibe and friendly staff. We don’t come here that often but when we do, it is always a great meal. They always seem to have something different on the menu that I really enjoy.
Last week we came here with a living social deal which added even more value to an enjoyable meal. I always start my meal with soup here because no matter what, it is always good. This time was split pea and I slurped it up. For my entrée I had the pasta special and as I am a pasta guy, I completed pigged out on it. Was this enough to eat, no way, I also had the lemon cake for dessert. Fabulous end to a wonderful meal.
The only thing wrong with this restaurant is that sometimes parking is hard to find. But even if you have to park around the block, it is more than worth the aggravation.
Delicious meal in a comfortable place, I recommend it. Just leave me the parking place in front.

So haven’t been here in about 15 years since moving and decided to use Amazon local coupon to try again. Remember it as being a decent place. Went on a Saturday night. Our waitress was not particularly attentive. Would place a drink order and only remember it after walking by to deliver someone else’s order. Crab cakes and scallop appetizers were great. Main entrée — meh. My petite filet was not the «like butter» filet and didn’t really have any taste — demi glaze I guess took care of that. Vegetables could have been cooked longer. My husband’s pasta was not tasteful either, nor el dente. Just okay — wouldn’t make the trip to go back. Actually found the brewery across the street better.

I love the napa cabbage salad here, and have made it myself, sans the panko breaded chicken, which is excellent as well. I always enjoyed coming here when I worked in the area. It is especially nice to sit outside in the sidewalk area. The only qualm I have is that I often felt like I would get a strange response when I came here by myself– rather than immediately seating me, I almost always would be asked, «How can we help you?» I think it is worth noting that people can dine by themselves just fine. ;-) Definitely recommend Fresh Starts otherwise.

The food was very good, but I was disappointed in the end. I got a pot pie-​type entrée, and it was made with very heavy cream or something fatty, because I got sick and spent the rest of the night in the bathroom. So much for a romantic evening! :(

I like Fresh Starts. The name is deceiving. Sounds like some kind of breakfast place doesn’t it? It is far from it. Great lunch and dinner! Their steak and seafoods are always fresh and tasty. It’s also a wine bar, with a good selection of wine. I don’t think they consider themselves «fine dining» but based on the prices, that is what I would consider them. I loved the atmosphere. The place is small, nicely decorated, and nestled in downtown Flossmoor. The service left a little to be desired. It was pretty slow and I thought our waitress could’ve been more friendly. She didn’t seem that knowledgeable of the menu either. She did keep our water glasses filled which I loved because I can put away at least 3 or 4 glasses of water in a sitting. The food made up for whatever else was lacking.

I visited this restaurant on a Living Social deal and was less than impressed. Our server was cold to start, but certainly did not warm up when she discovered my husband and I were using our voucher. What made it worse, when she returned the bill for me to sign she added an 18% gratuity! Too bad for her because I was going to tip her 20%. The only reason I gave this restaurant 2 stars is because our food was no bad. Service can make or break a business. I will not be back.

My friend and I came here to catch up on girl talk and enjoy a wine tasting with appetizers.
Service was okay; our waitress was great, however the head waitress/​hostess was being a little pushy and making my friend and I feel «rushed’ on making our selections.
The Crab cake and Thai Coconut shrimp were amazing. Cheese sampler and the white wine flight was okay.
All in all, and okay experience, but not one of my favorites.

Great local gem in Flossmoor. Not so hidden anymore, but that’s a good thing for business. Right in the heart of the downtown area, a quaint and stylish little restaurant, especially perfect for a date. The newer small plates options are a welcome addition to the menu, offering smaller bites but big flavor. Definitely recommend the cheese plate. The staff change it monthly and I’ve had it a few times now and am never disappointed. A trio of delicious goodness with accompanying sauces or spreads and endless baskets of bread to fill you up nice and good. Also on the must-​try list is their mesclun salad, perfectly doused in a raspberry vinaigrette and with two honkin’ sized fried goat cheese patties on top. Seriously, it’s a lot of food for a salad.
Always great specials, and the wine guy (Robert) is so very helpful. He’s also a generous pour, especially if you visit the bar area after dining.

Was looking for lighter food than the otherwise-​delicious pubgrub across the street I normally get when I’m in the area.
Ordered the lunch special — Good chicken panini and a fresh chilled pinapple bisque. Panini was grilled just right, ingredients were fresh and tasty. I’ll be back.

Perhaps the best restaurant in Flossmoor. (We only have a couple, but still, it’s something.)
Intimate, delicious. Lovely atmosphere.

I started eating at Fresh Starts in another lifetime, literally. It used to be a bakery/​espresso kind of place with the restaurant; now it’s a wine bar with the restaurant. Life changes, I can deal!
After about a decade long absence, I decided I wanted to revisit some of my old favorites. My husband and I tried Fresh Starts a couple of times over the winter — they have some great Prix Fixe deals if you sign up for their emails. Yesterday, we came for lunch.
I still really like it; what a relief that an old favorite is still a great place. I had sinfully silky cream of mushroom soup to start. My husband had the turkey soup and we were both smugly happy with our choices. I followed that with a twist on a club — Turkey, bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato and a flavorful sauce all on a deliciously tangy sour dough bread. My husband had the crab cake sandwich and part of mine and thoroughly enjoyed both. We split the lemon cake which was divine.
Then the waitress helped us pick out an amusing Chilean red wine to serve our guests at game night. We are not wine drinkers so it was super to have good advice that stuck to our budget.
Overall a very relaxing meal — now this restaurant can be a favorite in my past and my present life. Wait, I am some sort of Ebeneezer Scrooge, the restaurant version?

I came here on a business lunch and I found street parking right outside. I’s located in a cute area of Flossmoor right by the train station. The place is small but cute with a couple of different levels and a big bar as you walk in.
The food was fresh and delicious. I had the avocado salad with fresh tomatoes, black beans and tortilla chips. It wasn’t really anything unique or different but it was still really good. The person I was with got the shrimp and grits pasta. It look really good. The portions and prices are reasonable for lunch.
The service was a little slow but it seemed like she had a lot of tables. It was pretty busy for lunchtime.
I would definitely come back for dinner or lunch again if I’m in the area.