707 Church St., 847-570-0100, flattopgrill.com

Just about every Friday night for the past three years I’ve been at Northwestern, I’ve gone to dinner with a large group of friends. We like variety and aren’t very decisive, so each week it’s a struggle to find a place willing to host anywhere up to 25 people on such short notice.

On nights when we can’t decide where to go, I take my group of friends to Flat Top. Although busy on Friday nights, on multiple occasions I’ve been able to call an hour in advance and get a group table with absolutely no problem. On one occasion 20 of us were able to get in without a reservation with — get this — only a five-minute wait.

Flat Top also proves to be a crowd-pleaser. Like other make-your-own stir fry restaurants, Flat Top’s flexibility allows everyone to be satisfied, including your weird vegetarian friend who only eats dairy after 6 p.m. Your friends can take as much time as needed to build their perfect bowl.

Dealing with the bill is also a pretty simple affair, considering everyone will likely order the  same thing: one round of make-your-own stir fry. Flat Top’s WildCARD discount also mitigates any extra gratuity fees, making your meal a reasonable $10.

— Tanner Maxwell