Mystery Diner: Beefaroo corrals newest outpost in West Dundee

Sometimes, you don’t have time to really stop for a meal. Sometimes, you’re just really craving a milkshake.

Those are the moments the new Beefaroo location in West Dundee are made for.

A Rockford-based chain, the West Dundee location is the company’s eighth, a nice alternative to the familiar fast-food behemoths.

The restaurant, 820 W. Main St., sits just west of the intersection of Main and Eighth streets, a little south of the Spring Hill Mall.

We ventured to Beefaroo on the suggestion of a coworker of my fellow diner. She’s a Rockford native, and according to her, the go-to items on the menu are the shakes and the cheese fries.

I was impressed with the variety of milkshake options ($2.49 for kids, $3.69 for medium, and $5.39 for large). Beyond just chocolate, vanilla and strawberry were salted caramel, coffee, birthday cake, cherry, blue raspberry, mint, chocolate mint, root beer, pineapple, banana and coconut. Some summer specials include piña colada, pistachio and cotton candy.

We ordered strawberry and chocolate, which I admit weren’t the most adventurous, but are our go-to flavors. The shakes were thick and delicious, a highlight of the meal.

For lunch, my fellow diner got the classic big beef ($5.69), a larger version of the roast beef ($4.09 for plain, and $4.49 with cheese).

I got the Wild West version of the sandwich ($5.29), which came with barbecue sauce, bacon and cheese, along with sweet potato fries ($3.29), a very pleasant surprise when most fast-food places stick mainly to traditional fries.

Beyond the beef, the menu offers a variety of wraps (each $5.69); grilled items like a classic cheeseburger ($4.19), mushroom Swiss burger ($4.89), olive burger ($3.89) and grilled mahi ($5.19); chicken options like buffalo chicken ($4.59) and chicken strips ($4.29 for three strips, and $6.59 for five); and salads like summer berry ($8.79) with chicken, seasonal berries, pecans and feta, and chopped ($8.79) with chicken, bacon, tortellini, tomatoes and bleu cheese.

The menu isn’t done there, offering sides like the coworker-famous cheddar fries ($2.89 for the smaller size, and $3.39 for the large), and steamed broccoli ($2.19 for plain, and $2.95 with cheddar), as well as a selection of baked potatoes ($3.39 with sour cream and butter, $3.79 with bacon and cheddar, $4.29 for loaded, and $4.29 with broccoli and cheddar).

Our littlest diner got a grilled cheese sandwich ($2.29) and fruit cup ($1.19) off the children’s menu. I loved that the fruit was clearly chopped in house – no fruit cup full of that syrupy liquid. We chose the berries, and it came with strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.

Beefaroo also offers a kids version of the beef ($2.29), cheeseburger ($2.29) and chicken strips ($2.89 for two pieces).

At the end of the day, Beefaroo is ideal if you’d like to dine in a dash, and is definitely a step above the alternatives, elevated by its range of options.

• The Mystery Diner is an employee at the Northwest Herald. The diner’s identity is not revealed to the restaurant staff before or during the meal. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a story.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Beefaroo

WHERE: 820 W. Main St., West Dundee

PHONE: 224-802-8933

INFORMATION: beefaroo.com