Evanston, IL Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendation

[Tess]

I am fond of Blind Faith Cafe but other people think it's hell.

Along non-restaurant lines, if you visit Foodstuffs (very much recommended for a takeout lunch; smoked fish quesadillas are killer) you will be right across from The Spice House (Evanston branch) which is great fun to browse in.

[gmi3804]

When we visited during its opening week recently, Trattoria D.O.C. (on Main just 1/2 block west of Chicago) was experiencing some service glitches, but the staff couldn't be nicer. The thin-crust pizzas are wonderful (ask them to cook it just slightly more - I like really crispy crusts and think it's better that way) and the calamari salad (we asked for grilled instead of fried) is simple and delicious.

[Alex]

I had a very enjoyable meal a couple of years ago with Lady T at Chef's Station. I think it's a healthy walk from campus, but someone else will need to let you know exactly how far.

[hsm]

Another vote for The Lucky Platter. And their Thai kale!

[sara]

This is all so helpful! Oceanique looks lovely--any specifics on good dishes? Any other opinions on the place.

Which of these places are in walking distance of the Best Western?

[ronnie_suburban]

This is all so helpful! Oceanique looks lovely--any specifics on good dishes? Any other opinions on the place.

Which of these places are in walking distance of the Best Western?

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If I'm not mistaken, Tommy Nevins and Prairie Moon are directly across the street from the Best Western.

Also, I forgot one other place I really like, Lulu's, which is, more or less, a pan-Asian noodle shop, downtown on Davis St. I've heard mixed reports lately but folks whose opinions I trust still hit it on a regular basis.

=R=

[Alex]

This is all so helpful! Oceanique looks lovely--any specifics on good dishes? Any other opinions on the place.

Which of these places are in walking distance of the Best Western?

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The Best Western is two blocks from Chef's Station. BTW, David Richards, chef/owner of eG fave Sweets & Savories, was at Chef's Station before opening S & S.

It's also two blocks from the El and Metra stations, which opens up all sorts of dining possibilities. For example, for Vietnamese restaurants, take the El (Purple Line) to Howard, then change to the Red Line and get out at Argyle. (There's lots of info on eG about that.)

[ronnie_suburban]

Alex is correct in that there's supremely easy access from Evanston, via public transportation, to Rogers Park, Argyle Street and other adjancent areas which offer great food. If you do make it to Rogers Park, be sure to try the Candlelight which has great, thin-crust pizza. Not typical Chicago-style by any means but very delicious.

=R=

[markh]

If you're into wine, check out Dave's Italian Kitchen and Stained Glass. Both are in downtown Evanston...

[ronnie_suburban]

If you're into wine, check out Dave's Italian Kitchen and Stained Glass. Both are in downtown Evanston...

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DOH! Forgot about Dave's.

BTW, welcome to the eGS, markh!

=R=

[ianeccleston]

I'm surprised that no-one has suggested Campagnola. It's a high-end northern Italian bistro-type restaurant. Very tasty, very committed to organic & local products. Nice wine list too.

It's a bit further south than Oceanique, but pretty accessible via the purple line. Just take it a couple stops South from Davis, or walk the 6-7 blocks.

Feh, Dave's Italian. Not a big fan.

Ian

[ianeccleston]

Ah yes, cocktails. Not a great place to get mixed drinks, Evanston. There's Bar Louie, but being a chain it kind of feels like Applebee's. Your best bet for a beer is at Nevins - get a 'Smiddicks;' Prairie Moon has a nice selection on tap too. You might be able to get a cocktail at bar in the newly renovated Hotel Orrington, although I've never tried one there. They sometimes have live music there too.

Ian

[yellow truffle]

Ah yes, cocktails.  Not a great place to get mixed drinks, Evanston.  There's Bar Louie, but being a chain it kind of feels like Applebee's.  Your best bet for a beer is at Nevins - get a 'Smiddicks;' Prairie Moon has a nice selection on tap too.  You might be able to get a cocktail at bar in the newly renovated Hotel Orrington, although I've never tried one there.  They sometimes have live music there too.

Bar Louie is the first bar mentioned. Come on, doesn't Evanston have some more interesting bars than that.

Although not a restaurant or a bar, stop by Bennison's (one block south of Chef's Station) in the morning (they open at 6) and have a plain croissant. IMHO, Chicago's best (coffee is, ehh).

[Midwesterner]

I like Joy Yee's Noodle Shop on Davis (Pan Asian) and the Davis Street Fish Market a few doors down from that. Across from the Fish Market is a branch of a good local pizza chain, Giordano's (I like the stuffed pizza).

[karnesky]

I'm in love with many of the restaraunts on Main--Lupita's, Lucky Platter, and Kuni's.

Stained Glass Wine Bar and Chef's Station are both fine places.

When I first moved out here, I liked Tommy Nevins quite a bit. But since then, I've had VERY poor service & refuse to return.

"Weiner and Still Champion" used to be good for dogs & samosa, but they've changed ownership. D&D is good for your dog/gyro/fast food fix, but expensive.

[maxwellh]

I like Joy Yee's Noodle Shop on Davis (Pan Asian) and the Davis Street Fish Market a few doors down from that.  Across from the Fish Market  is a branch of a good local pizza chain, Giordano's (I like the stuffed pizza).

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i was surprised that no one else mentioned these two earlier. My wife and I lived in downtown Chicago for five years and we would make the drive up to Evanston infrequently just to eat at Davis Street and maybe catch a movie at the theatre. Great selection of oysters and generally high-quality fish for reasonable prices. Joy Yee's puts out great food for cheap prices too--and don't miss the bubble tea!

[Lady T]

One kindly warning: the Wolfgang Puck place, on Church Street across from Border's and next door to the movie theater complex, is waaayyyy overpriced. Not that the food or wine list is bad; it isn't, particularly. It's Puck's 'most saleable hits,' sort of, and the wine list is better than merely tolerable (both the nearby Chef's Station and the Stained Glass run rings around it!) -- but even for the North Shore, the tariff, for the quality delivered, is just flatly outrageous.

Edited July 16, 2006 by Lady T (log)

[tim]

Hi,

There are a number of brand new restaurants in Evanston that have NOT been mentioned.

There is a new very small french restuarant downtown right next door to the carribean lunch place.

There are also some new restaurants on Main St.

Any comments?

Tim

[ianeccleston]

Trattoria D.O.C. is a welcome addition to Evanston. The food can be excellent, well above expectations in some cases. It's possible to order something mediocre, but if you order smartly you should get something you like. The very authentic pizza, while very good, isn't as good as Pizzeria D.O.C. in Chicago, although even the Pizzeria doesn't have the quality of pizza it had when it first opened. The grilled squid is consistently perfect -- a nice char, very tender flesh. The seafood in general is very fresh, well prepared, with interesting selections. A warning -- the service has been clunky every one of the four times we've been there since it opened. At this time you will not have a gracious, relaxed experience, service-wise. And since it's always packed, it can be loud and busy. Try not to get stuck in the back room, if you can. It usually costs a bit more than we expect.

The french restaurant -- La Petite Amelie, I think -- is overpriced, and our service was pretty inexperienced, if friendly, the one time we went. (I'm not usually one to complain about service, by the way. It probably doesn't help that at both of these restaurants we were sat at a table right next to the restrooms). I had the duck confit, which was good, but marred by the unwelcome addition of balsamic vinegar (not listed as an ingredient on the menu). My wife got the steak frites --- the steak was good, but the frites were seasoned with a spice/powder that seemed artificial, and was too salty. Finally, we went to the bar in the restaurant for dessert and a drink after our after-dinner stroll. The profiteroles were pretty good, but the glass of Sauternes I ordered was either old or a poor wine to start with -- for $8 a glass I thought I got gipped. I ended up telling the bartender that it was a terrible glass of wine -- he agreed after tasting it, and poured a little extra as compensation. But more bad wine isn't much better than less bad wine. Granted, I don't know jack about Sauternes, so a more savvy drinker could have steered clear of that particular bottle. But still, it's a wine bar. I'll probably go back at some point, but I was disappointed.

[gp60004]

"Weiner and Still Champion" used to be good for dogs & samosa, but they've changed ownership.

What do u mean? Used to be good?

[nr706]

"Weiner and Still Champion" used to be good for dogs & samosa, but they've changed ownership.

What do u mean? Used to be good?

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I can vouch that the new ownership (new? it's been about a year now) far surpasses the old. Even walking by, you can actually see through the windows - the new owner keeps them clean. They now have hand-cut, double-cooked french fries, the owner seems very particular about his suppliers (e.g. it isn't the standard bun, but instead a hand- formed knot roll, and he invites foodies in to sample dogs and sausages before deciding on a supplier). Most recently, he's gotten some notice for his hand-dipped corn dogs - not frozen, but made to order.

No samosa though. Do you really want to go to a hot dog place for samosa?

Full disclosure - I'm one of those foodies who has sampled various dogs, sausages and other items, but I have no financial relationship, other than the fact that he comps the food in exchange for a frank opinion on the best of several options. And even then I try to put a tip in the jar every time, when he remembers to leave the tip jar out.

[Eastgate]

Would like to bump this stale thread for fresh attention -- especially with reference to Oceanique.

[Lady T]

Haven't hit Oceanique for a year or so -- but it was still in top form when I did.

A few additions to the list:

Happy Platter, on Main just east of the Purple Line tracks, retains its truly odd charm as well as its blessedly cheap prices.

The Stained Glass is still good as far as the wine list goes, and the service is nicely solicitous as of last summer -- but the food is still overpriced.

Chef's Station, directly underneath the Davis Metra stop, is still one of my go-to places when I feel as if the Universe has mistreated me: excellent wine, food, and service. Pricey, but worth it.

Want some more?