Prairie Joes

TL;DR: Funky multiethnic food, most of it delicious, most of it greasy, most of it $9.50. Good coffee. Laid-back.  Bizarre decor. Bring cash.

Full review:
I live under a mile from PJ's, it is my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood, my favorite diner in Evanston, and my default brunch spot. When I saw this place getting slammed in a bunch of the Yelp reviews I was so dismayed that I decided to speak up in PJ's' defense.

Food: I have never made it through the whole menu because I keep ordering the specials, which change from weekend to weekend. The Mexican special is a consistent winner for me, the meat varies from week to week but it is stewed meat with eggs, beans and corn tortillas. Corned beef hash comes up pretty often too, their's is good but not the best. On-menu, I keep coming back to the biscuits and gravy, they are absolutely delicious. I have also had the eggplant/feta sandwich, on both the lunch and dinner menus. Delicious but very greasy. And this ground lamb sandwich, difficult to eat but very good. I would buy the lentil/beet salad by the quart if they offered it.

Drinks: Good shakes. I love their coffee. You won't get sweetener unless you ask for it though. At dinnertime they are BYOB.

Service: Several reviews have complained about poor service here. In my experience they have been laid back but rarely inattentive. The servers have their heads up -- catch their eye and they'll be right over. I can recall just one visit out of a dozen when my party felt at all neglected, and that was a morning when they were overpacked with football fans.

Prices: This was another point of complaint. Most of the meals are $9.50. On one hand that sounds high for a greasy diner. On the other hand, this is an expensive neighborhood. The only places nearby where you're going to pay the same or less than that are Subway and Mustard's Last Stand. I think the prices are perfectly reasonable.

Decor: Manic, campy, and roughshod. I find it endearing, but I concede it's not for everyone. When it's quiet enough to hear the music, it's a mix of electronic, jazz and world music.

Words of caution: Cash only. Also, anything fried or griddled here is going to clog your arteries.

I've lived in this area & hadn't ever found this place!! On the outside, it appeared non descript. The only reason my bf & I found it is because we were having a snafu at some breakfast place in Skokie. My bf yelped restaurants & up came Prarie Joe's.
Personally, I love the funky decor. I'm a fan of Lucky Platter & it reminds me of that place. I find the atmosphere at Joe's homey & laid back. There have been times where it's been crazy busy & I think it's great. I like to see a good restaurant busy.
The food...I love the daily specials. I was delighted to see the Mexican dishes as well as Mediterranean & Greek items. I enjoy anticipating a fun & interesting dish to try. When there aren't any cool specials & I have to revert to the regular menu, I'm not so thrilled. Don't get me wrong! The food's good! They make a mean milk shake. I always have ended up taking most of mine to go.
I find that, when thinking of where to go grab a bite, Prarie Joe's is now at the forefront of my immediate choices.

This is a Diner! Cash only. Everything tastes like you think you would. Great takeout egg, cheese and bacon sandwich. Total hangover helper. Real Coke.