Category Archives: Evanston

SPACE

Posted on by

***** (5 stars)

There’s a reason why SPACE is the artist’s favorite venue. Time and again they say how special it is, with a sounds studio for practice and recording, a lovely green room for before the show, amazing acoustics, and a caring staff. As spectators we derive a benefit from these same things, because the artists are always at the top of their game as a result.

I’ve seen at least a dozen shows here, and the sound has been great for every one. The cocktail table seating can get a bit crowded, but it’s nice to have table service and a place to put your drink.

You can also take a drink and a pizza in with you if you order one at the Union Pizza company out front, and they have a more extensive list of beers. Or have dinner first, and then go back for the show.

Great venue!

SPACE
1245 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 492-8860
http://www.yelp.com/biz/space-evanston-2

Symphony’s Cafe

Posted on by

***** (5 stars)

From the outside Symphony’s looks like it might be a period diner, but in fact the interior is bright, modern, sleek and very appealing. So is the service, which is very friendly.

While a large section of the menu is breakfast, there are some great sandwiches and entrees here as well. I had the Chicken and Vegetables, which were stir fried to caramelized perfection. On a tip from another Yelper I ordered the accompanying salad with garlic dressing. Wow, was that fantastic! Fortunately I got it on the side, and while I used very little on the salad, I saved it and couldn’t resist dipping my chicken in it. Great combination. I’ll definitely be back to explore more of this menu.

Symphony’s Cafe
1945 Central St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 475-1200
http://www.yelp.com/biz/symphonys-cafe-evanston

Dave’s Italian Kitchen

Posted on by

**** (4 stars)

Dave’s may have the best wine list in Evanston. It’s certainly the best priced wine list. The selections are well thought out, good quality, and priced only a bit above retail. Weirdly, the best section of the list is Australian, where there are a number of old gems.

Food-wise, our results were good but not amazing. I really liked the Ceasar salad, and the bread was great. I was less enthusiastic about the house made pasta, which seemed heavy and overcooked. The small calzone was huge and tasty, although next time I’ll make sure to get one with ricotta cheese in it. We didn’t sample the pizza, but it looked very good.

The entrance is weird, with steps leading down to an industrial cubicle and no signs indicating where the restaurant is. But this makes it a delightful surprise to open the door onto a cheerful, bustling, and surprisingly large space.

Service was very friendly and attentive. We’ll definitely return for another crack at that wine list.

Dave’s Italian Kitchen
1635 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 864-6000
http://www.yelp.com/biz/daves-italian-kitchen-evanston

Jilly’s Cafe

Posted on by

IMG_4648

**** (4 stars)

Jilly’s is a casual French cafe with friendly service and a fairly traditional menu. One of the more interesting aspects is that there are almost as many specials each night as there are regular menu items.

The meal begins with excellent crusty French bread, butter, and chicken liver pate.

I had the escargot, which were the traditional preparation, topped with small croquettes and served with a slice of lemon. The escargot and garlic butter were good, especially with the French bread. I’m not sure the croquettes and lemon added a lot.

My second course was my favorite, a poached pair and bleu cheese salad. It had just the right mix of bitter and sweet ingredients.

An intermezzo of pinot noir sorbet cleared the palate.

For my entree I selected their specialty, the skinless duck breast and confit. Both were good, but the breast was swimming in a very sweet sauce, so I stuck with the confit.

Service was extremely friendly at all the tables, and they were reasonably busy on a Tuesday night, with a crowd composed of about half regulars. Wine prices is reasonable, although the website version of the wine list is out of date.

Jilly’s is a good choice if you are in the mood for traditional French food in a friendly atmosphere.

Jilly’s Cafe
2614 Green Bay Rd
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 869-7636
http://www.yelp.com/biz/jillys-cafe-evanston

Bistro Bordeaux

Posted on by

***** (5 stars)

I’ve now been to Bistro Bordeaux many, many times over four years, and it is always superb. Favorites are the chicken for two (better than at Alain Ducasse’s Louis IV in Monaco!), the house salad, the French onion soup, whatever the day’s tart is, whatever the current preparation of the foie gras, the Cognacs, the decaf teas, pretty much everything. Great authentic ambiance, great food.

Bistro Bordeaux
618 Church St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 424-1483
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bistro-bordeaux-evanston

Campagnola

Posted on by

**** (4 stars)

An intimate upscale Italian restaurant with good food and great ambiance.

I tried three three tasty dishes: The diver scallops appetizer was a bit heavy, almost floating in butter, but tasty. Caesar salad was traditional and tasty, but served in “kit” form requiring a lot of cutting up to assemble it. The barramundi special was a tasty piece of fish enhanced by the horseradish creme fraiche, but the beets and kale didn’t add much.

Very reasonable wine prices, and attentive, cordial service. I loved the intimate atmosphere, subdued lighting, and low noise level.

Campagnola
815 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 475-6100
http://www.yelp.com/biz/campagnola-evanston

Las Palmas Restaurant & Bar

Posted on by

**** (4 stars)

I was hesitant to try this place because of the reviews, and I’m a bit of a Tex Mex snob. But I have to say that their premium margarita is killer. Maybe no one tries it because it’s $11 bucks, but it was worth it: top of the line Sauza and Gran Marnier.

I had the veggie fajitas, which were an amazing spread for $7.95.

Service on a quiet Friday afternoon was attentive. I’d go back.

Las Palmas Restaurant & Bar
817 University Pl
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 328-2555
http://www.yelp.com/biz/las-palmas-restaurant-and-bar-evanston

J.T’s Bar & Grill

Posted on by

*** (3 stars)

This place has a pleasant outside eating area. Inside the atmosphere is more sportsbar-ish. The menu is weighted towards burgers, and there didn’t seem to be any salads. The veggie burger I had on a pretzel bun was delicious. The Greek fries were soggy. So, one for two.

Although it’s called a bar and grill, half the menu is breakfast, so I’d return to try that.

Service was friendly.

J.T’s Bar & Grill
1639 Orrington Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 328-6200
http://www.yelp.com/biz/j-ts-bar-and-grill-evanston

Tapas Barcelona

Posted on by

**** (4 stars)

This is very authentic tapas. In fact, except that the plates are larger, it is extremely similar to Tapa Tapa in Barcelona. I tried the ceviche, the asparagus, the grilled squid and the grilled mussels. The ceviche was my favorite. It’s a fully cooked version, and the shrimp and squid were tender, and the diced peppers and onions nicely marinated. The grilled mussels, served like fajitas, were also good.

The wine pours are a bit small for the price, but the dessert coffees at $3.95 make up for it. Try the Matador, which has Spanish vanilla liqueur in it.

Service is a bit uneven, but if you’re not in a hurry that’s okay. The place is very busy; it was packed on the Tuesday night I went, so that could account for it. The outside dining area is very nice on a warm evening.

Tapas Barcelona
1615 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 866-9900
http://www.yelp.com/biz/tapas-barcelona-evanston

Golden Olympic Restaurant

Posted on by

**** (4 stars)

This IS you father’s diner. Or maybe your grandfather’s. In fact, he may still be eating here.

Golden Olympic is like stepping back into the fifties, in terms of ambiance, service and food. True, there are some Greek (and even a few Asian) items on the menu, but basically it’s a diner.

I went with the Greek theme, since there was a photo of Santorini on the wall, and had the Village Sandwich, which consisted of feta cheese, olives, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions with Tzatziki sauce, rolled in a pita.

Good choice. It was refreshing, tasty and yet light like a salad.

It came with a choice of sides, and to offset the healthfulness of the sandwich I chose onion rings.

Bad choice. They were the kind of onion rings you buy in the frozen food department and bake until they’re crunchy, except these hadn’t made it to crunchy.

Service was pleasant in a detached, 50s waitress kind of way.

This is the first restaurant I’ve been in for a decade that had an FM radio station playing. But it was music from the 70s, so I guess they’re going modern.

All in all a fun trip down memory lane, and a good spot for breakfast or a sandwich.

Golden Olympic Restaurant
1608 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 328-1617
http://www.yelp.com/biz/golden-olympic-restaurant-evanston