Evanston Grill

I would go just on the chance that will likely have an oddly memorable experience. Wish I would have had the be beem bop (I think that is the name) but what I got was just fair. Now the only day I have been- the waitress- she either needs to get on some mental meds or she needs stop taking her mental meds. Most unusual experience I have ever had at a new diner- most would call it bad service, but that is not fair. It was bizarre. The service was strange- yes -and the technical was just okay diner service. I wouldn't go unless you are prepared for expecting such an outing. Place seemed slightly ramshackle, relatively clean and oddly old fashioned. I love how different it is than any other place I went to that weekend in Chicago. And I went to a lot of great spots and this is the only one I am going to write about. I should really describe the experience more technically.

Greasy, dirty, run down, ick.  Under extreme circumstances only.

A classic American grill-diner meets Korean home cooking.  Yes, they have the traditional diner staples, like griddled hamburgers, $5 breakfast plates and coffee.  But I've never gone beyond the bi bim bop (really good!) or the spicy chicken platter: a huge plate of boneless chicken stir fried with onions, tomatoes, green & red bell peppers in a slightly sweet hot chili pepper sauce, with a large serving of well made white steamed rice.  The chicken platter plus a 90 cent can of Coke came to $9 and change, and made a really nice, healthy, tasty, fairly cheap lunch.

The place looks iconic.  I have no idea how old it is, but the diner has the well worn patina of decades.  This is no chi-chi "nouvelle" diner, it's the real deal.  The older couple who own/run this place seem very nice:  I overheard a fellow diner address the man as "Mr. Lee" as they talked about golf.  Mr. Lee and his wife sat briefly together in the first booth when the place quieted down, while a younger fellow (grandson?) did the waitstaff chores and a very tall fellow popped out of the kitchen from time to time.  This is the kind of neighborhood joint where everybody knows your name and business.

And it's a really nice place to drop in from time to time.