Kem’s Restaurant

Stood there for ten
United and no one greeted me, obviously they did not want my money

Ate here twice during a business trip.
Atmosphere: it’s a inside the Holiday Inn and is a somewhat better hotel restaurant bar than I’ve seen at others. There is a large bar dominating the middle of the restaurant with plenty of seating through either of the two entrances. There are plenty of screens throughout the restaurant displaying mostly sports programming. Along one wall, there appear to be gambling machines, but I really look too hard as that is not an interest of mine. Overall it’s a comfortable restaurant for the business traveler. The one thing that I didn’t like is that the host/​hostess stand was at the back of the restaurant and not near any door (or even visible from one) and there are no signs directing one to it (or not).
Staff: the staff was polite, professional, and very attentive. Within moments of sitting down, I had my drink order in and the menu in my hands. I have to definitely give them kudos, because the first night I visited, he totally messed my order up, but promptly corrected it when I pointed out the mistake. My glass was never empty and was correctly refilled.
Food: the first night I had a steak salad that was extraordinary! The steak was cooked to perfection and the salad was so perfectly mixed/​seasoned that I didn’t need dressing for it. The portion was almost too much to finish, but I was famished and was able to eat it all. The second night I went for a full blown steak because the one on the salad was such a teaser. I was not disappointed in the least. Cooked exactly as I asked and large. The mashed potatoes were good and there were two heaping piles of them. The mixed vegetables were not mushy at all, which was great! Needless to say, I couldn’t finish the entire plate.
Obviously, with two visits, this is a restaurant worth visiting again.

The restaurant is nothing to write home about, nothing extravagent, nothing bland. It has a small bar, booths and tables encircling it, and a salad bar I’m guessing for buffets?
They do have daily specials, but their menu has quite a few options on it as well. My first time there, I chose the sirloin steak salad, and it was a generous portion, the 2 rolls I got on the side were fresh and warm, but the salad was good, just average.
The bartender did provide the two remotes to change channels for my pleasure, and I gave up after about 30 seconds. the satellite TV boxes are behind the TV’s, so it has to be at the right angle.
Given the location of the hotel in Itasca, there aren’t many dining options nearby, about 2 – 3 blocks to the west there are, about a 5 – 8 minute walk. But it will do for what you are hungry for