What a great lunch! My wife and I stopped by on Saturday, we came in early and were seated by a really nice man. The food had so much taste, Â I had the beef stew lunch special & my wife hade the chicken sandwich. The portions were good and the service was excellent. We will make it regular stop on on list if favorite resturant's
Review Source:This place was terrible. I won't even talk about the bare wine shelves and outdated decor. The food was very poor as well. FIrst, I asked a few questions about the menu (I'm diabetic and had a couple questions about things) and the waiter was huffy about my questions. Â The soup of the day was chicken noodle and there were no noodles. My husband and I both had the roast beef panini that was supposed to have fresh sliced roast beef, horseradish and sauteed onions. The roast beef was clearly from a package (and probably bought at the grocery store), the onions were raw, and there was no horseradish. The side salad was good! The potato chips were from a bag. Needless to say, we will never go back. Disappointing.
Review Source:Nice addition to the Central St restaurant options. My wife and I ate here with another couple over the summer. I had an eggplant dish that was similar to a lasagna, which was excellent. She had a pork chop that she wasn't crazy about, but I tried it and thought it had a good flavor - I think it was just too thick for her taste. The wines we tried were all solid, though I believe the prices on the menu were higher than what I saw online. Still, definitely not outrageous for the quality. I will say that the service was a bit below par, but I believe the server was a trainee. I wouldn't expect our experience to be their standard.
My wife has since been back for lunch and had a steak sandwich that she raves about.
Man, what a surprise! Â The location and the exterior definitely makes you second guess you decision, and the pseudo-grocery store inside the entrance doesn't help much, but once you are served all questions go out the window. Â This place is legit. Â Luh-jit.
We've brought family and friends here and everyone has the same response: "I didn't see this coming". Â This is definite the type of place you like to have in your neighborhood!
This place is great! The atmosphere was definitely a little different of an experience than the places I've been to. While it's got a small grocery section in it (which I believe is full of food they make themselves), and slightly haphazard decor, it's charming in it's own way. It does not have a modern, hip or edgy feel to it, but a comfortable and relaxed vibe. The tables were spaced perfectly in order to have an intimate conversation with someone without having to worry about people listening to your every word, or getting distracted by other people's conversations. The food was spectacular, and it was obvious that it had some heart and soul put into it. The owner came by the table and chatted with us for a minute during the meal (which always gets points because it means that the owner really cares about the people who come in and is putting in an effort to make relationships with customers). The owner has done a great job, and I think the place will grow into a fantastic place once it gains some momentum. I think the only reason I give this a 4 out of 5 is because it is slightly pricey considering it's decor and overall atmosphere -- however, some might find it appropriately priced and charming, so it just depends on the occasion and the type of place you're looking for.
Review Source:We eat here a few times a month and have never been disappointed! Loved the pork tenderloin with Israeli couscous, salmon on a bed of bacon flavored lentils and the grilled shrimp on cheesy orzo. Recently had the veal special.Outstanding! On several occasions were given a complementary glass of wine while we waited. Truely a hidden gem in Evanston.
Review Source:My wife and I real enjoy this neighborhood place. Â We have only done take out (3 kids). Â The rigatoni and sausage is excellent, as is the pork tenderloins. Â Other menu items are very good.
The wine selection is very good - if you live in the neighborhood, go for an evening walk and pick up a bottle of wine as a reward!
The owner is a very nice man. Â He has great wine and desert advice.
I highly recommend the place and am looking forward to the outdoor seating and full bar.
We have eaten here a few times and decided to try it again since it is a neighborhood restaurant.  Sadly, the food was as amateurish as on previous visits, the service barely adequate. The owner wanders around not recognizing he should spend his time in the kitchen where the food is prepared so that it would have some character or interest.  Our friends, who had been there with us before, said that this is a place  unlikely to ever rise about the mediocre. Evanston has restaurants that have a high standard.  Sadly this is not one of them.
Review Source:Went for a Saturday lunch. The food was excellent. The wine choices were great. Wait staff was very attentive and the owner stopped by a number times to ensure everything was ok. Now it was lunch and not very crowded so the staff had time but we will try dinner and I am sure we will get the same device
Review Source:We attended a private party there on 12/18 and the food was delicious. Â The hosts of the party had stopped in one time for dinner and had like it so well they booked the restaurant for their party. Â I'm sure your popularity will spread when word from the 60 guests gets around. Â Now we are bringing another couple with us tomorrow evening and they too will help spread the word.
Keep up the good work and much luck and success to you.
Mickey Davis
Lincolnwood IL
We drove by early one evening and saw the place was very busy. Â Taking this as a clue we went for dinner last week. Â The service was excellent, the wines were tasty and reasonably priced, food was beautiful, flavorful and nice portions. Â We arrived at 5:30 without a reservation, but they were able to accomodate us even though they were fully booked later. Â We had to leave by 6:45 and the check was ready at 6:40.
Outstanding place for a neighborhood restaurant. Â I hope they don't get written up in Chicago Guide and get overrun by city folk looking to escape the bull.... of most Near North restaurants.
We have already made reservations to go back next week. Â Reservations for dinner are highly recommended.
I'm saving my 5th star for the "over the top" restaurant. Â Don't take it as a sign that I'm in any way displeased.
Three of us stopped in for a late lunch about 1:30pm on a Friday. Â I'll start with the one negative. Â There were only 4-5 other small parties in the restaurant enjoying a leisurely lunch, yet it did take about 25 minutes for our lunch arrive to arrive. Â The total order was a sandwich, a salad, and a bowl of soup so we were mildly annoyed by the wait.
However, everything else about this place was great. Â The staff was very friendly, the food was very high in quality and proved to be a good value as well. Â The beer and wine list were very nice and reasonably priced. Â I would absolutely go back, but as previous reviewers have said there is room for improvement with respect to prompt service.
My husband and I live really close to this place. One night we came in to order some take out. We stood at the front for 10 minutes and no one acknowledged that we were there. We walked out and thought that since they just opened they must still be getting the kinks worked out. We went there this weekend to dine in and again waited... There was a gentleman getting take out and the ONE host was busy chatting him up. This is 6:00 on a Friday night mind you. When the host was finished he asked us to wait a few minutes while they set up a table. From what we could see, there were 4 tables open! I understand there may be some reservations but learn how to time your tables. And he said a few minutes... how long is a few minutes? I've been here 10 minutes already! At least set an expectation. We promptly walked out again and we won't be coming in again even if the food is good and the location is convenient. I can't stand poor service; it can ruin any good meal.
Review Source:This is a great, quaint, neighborhood restaurant, and I really had a positive experience when I went. Â Upon walking in, we were greeted with a cool little market with a lot of neat foods to peruse while we wait (very briefly) for our table. Â Along one whole wall is a wonderful wine and beer selection that caught my eye, and got me excited for what I was in store for.
The place is separated in to two sections, the market, and the restaurant. Â It's pretty obvious, for a variety of reasons, that the place is new, but they have done a great job so far setting up a warm atmosphere. Â The restaurant portion was a bit tight and crowded, but if anything, this added to the warm atmosphere.
The service is the ONLY reason I didn't give the place 5-stars. Â As stated, it's clear that this place is still in it's infancy. Â You can see this in what is still a slightly disorganized workflow, and a marginal degradation in the quality of service. Â Really, it's nothing to complain too much about, because I had a blast, but it does knock this restaurant down from 5-star status.
The sommelier was very knowledgable, very passionate, and gave us table-side service, which I thought was a BIG plus for this place. Â Three of the four people in our party was VERY pleased with their dish, and the forth still seemed happy with it.
All in all, great dining experience, especially if you have time to patiently wait out a few of their growing pains.
EDIT: I forgot to mention one of the best parts about this place. Â It was VERY reasonably priced. Â All of the entrees we ordered were under $15, and they came out great.
I feel really really bad for these folks...I don't want to write a mean review, however maybe it could help them improve. Â Made a reservation, waited an hour. Â Friends were irate and verrry hungry. Â By the time it got there, some of them still couldn't eat the food--the steak had been pre-cut, which made it look like it was meant to be put on a salad, not eaten as is. Â I had ordered a chicken sandwich with brie--but the chicken to brie ratio was like loaf to communion wafer. Â The chicken was cold and super dry, and the bread was just nothing special (and in Evanston, whole grain bread is kind of expected, not white)-i get better bread with a 4 dollar italian beef sub. Â The wine and fancy beer selection are good...but I really would not recommend eating here. Â They could try a lot of different things to improve--smaller menu, work at finding things the chef does well--and please, god willing, do something about the mustard-charred exposed brick--someone please paint that. Â Its current state is impeding easy digestion. Â Everyone deserves second chances, and hopefully they'll improve, but everyone also deserves a fair warning, and here is mine--I was really embarrassed that I'd brought friends here.
Review Source:Went on a Saturday night owner told us that there would be a 15min wait. It turned out to be an hour and fifteen minutes. We were offered some wine while we waited and thought that was a nice touch. At this time we thought about who we would bring there if we enjoyed our meal. I gave the wait five more minutes and a family that came in after us with no reservations us was seated first. owner was rude. We then made our exit and will not be returning.
Disappointed.
My husband and I enjoyed a nice, quiet lunch here on a Saturday afternoon. The service is superb; they clearly care about creating a good experience. We ordered the eggplant parmigiana sandwich and the roast beef sandwich. Both were healthier versions of what you would typically find. I would only suggest providing a small dish of hot tomato sauce alongside the eggplant sandwich.
Must go back to try their desserts, although you get a lovely creamy Italian chocolate with your check. The grocery area is perfect for picking up some nice picnic items at reasonable prices.
We decided to try this new restaurant in Evanston, only 3 weeks old, when we dropped by. Â Since it is a small place, we did have to wait for a table, but Mitch, the owner, led us over to this little area, to sit and enjoy a glass of wine, while we waited. Â The wines were lovely and very reasonably priced. Â Everything we ordered was delicious and very fresh. Â It is my prediction that this will be a very successful Evanston establishment!
Review Source:We had our first meal here tonight. Â I have only good things to say about this place! Â We brought in two little kids with us and all the waitstaff were very attentive. Â They tried very hard to please in all regards, and the kids' menu is VERY reasonably priced and good. Â All four of us adults loved our entrees and the desserts. Â Good selection of beer and wine by glass or bottle. Â You might want to come early as the place has been very busy since it opened. Â Clearly it's filling a big void in the neighborhood and I'm thrilled it's here..we love that we can walk here....and hope it stays for a long time to come.
Review Source:It is always nice when a owner of a business remembers who you are after returning from just one visit!
I was guided through the menu by Mitch who really made the night special.  It wasn't just a here is the menu, now pick out a entrée experience.  MItch asked the questions that brought me to a vegetarian pasta dish with fresh tomatoes and grated cheese.  I have never felt so at home in a restaurant before!  My wife enjoyed a delicious steak that was $16.  There is no place else around Chicago that is such a value for a perfectly cooked meal.
The wine selection is also amazing. Â We had a bottle of Black Stallion Cabernet. Â I never had this wine from Napa before and it was outstanding!
If you are wasting your time reading this review, you are missing out on a great meal, get going!!!
My wife and I have been here on two occasions...both times were great. Â We first tried the cafe for dinner when the restaurant had only been open 4 days. Â We were welcomed by Mitch, the owner, and he quickly explained how we could pick out our own bottle of wine, individual beers or wine by the glass. Â
I ordered the shrimp with orzo and my wife had the pork loin with israeli couscous.  The shrimp were wonderfully cooked and delicious. The bed of orzo they sat on was super as well and had a rich, creamy texture.  I literally cleaned my plate and reluctantly asked my wife if she wanted some.  The pork tenderloin was really good as well.  Very flavorful and the couscous was a great complement.  It also included a side of sautéed kale....whoa.  Best kale I've ever had....who thought kale could be that good!?
For dessert we decided to order the fruit tart, which was a perfect size to share. Â It had fresh fruit, a creamy filling and a nice crust. Â We paired a nice bottle of red wine with dinner that Mitch helped us pick out. Â Nicely priced at $12 and a corkage fee....the giant wine goblets were a fun touch.
I agree with the earlier review about facing the grocery area with the bright lights, but the staff turned them down during dinner and my wife thought the lights in the dinning area could be dimmed a bit as well. Â The wait staff did a good job overall, but were still learning the ropes. Â
We enjoyed this new neighborhood addition so much we visited again for a bottle of wine and dessert one weekend night. Â They had worked some of the kinks out of the service, the staff was super friendly again and Mitch gives the place a nice comfortable vibe.
Stopped in for a leisurely Labor Day lunch. I was ravenous and so happy that they were open! This space is half retail (selling wine, beer, meats, cheeses, etc) and half cafe/restaurant.
J and I shared soups (tomato bisque + Italian wedding) and sandwiches (meatball + grilled cheese w/ smoked gouda, oven-roasted tomato, and bacon). All very delicious and reasonably priced (at about $8 per sandwich, served with potato chips or mesclun salad). There are also wines available by the glass (~$5). Service was friendly.
Of course, since it has only been a week since they've opened, there are some areas for improvement:
- There was no list of wines by the glass.
- If you sit in the dining room, don't face the store section. The view is a little sterile (lots of fluorescent light and pegboard shelves stocked with beers). Not a huge issue if you sit by the windows, but we were right on the edge bordering the store.
This is a much needed store in the neighborhood. There were many people in here picking out wine, ordering to-go sandwiches, and buying beer on Labor Day. There is a lot of promise and I will soon return to try out dinner. I spied a crispy chicken thighs with smashed potatoes and sauteed Swiss chard dish on their menu for $13! Yum!
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