I am a disappointed former Prairie Moon fan.  We took friends from distant suburbs there for brunch this morning to celebrate an important event.  The service was terrible.  After quite a long wait, our waiter showed up ready to take our order.We had to ask for coffee/tea, then  had to ask three times for sweetener for our coffee.  As the only tea drinker at the table, I was never once offered a refill, after having to ask twice for my tea to begin with.  Our reservation was for 12:30 .  We received our food around 1:40 pm.  The clincher was when I received two heels, turned upside down (perhaps thinking I wouldn't  notice?) for my toast!  I used to love Prairie Moon.  This is the second time in a row I have received such mediocre service there, and will probably be the last time I dine there,  I'm sad about this, but for the price point of their food, I expect better.
Review Source:I think I've been here twice now, maybe more. I like it...to a point. This is arguably a bar slash restaurant. Not just bar, not just restaurant. Which means:
a: the food selection is nice (you have some good vegetarian options in that native food thing)
and b: the place is NOISY indoors. I am talking "I'd remove a star" noisy. It may be a bar, and that's fine, but it was so loud that it was almost painful at plenty of times.
I do like their beer selection and the food selection was good/of good quality, but I don't think I could tolerate such noise unless I was already drunk enough to not care. So I'm sorry, but I'm not coming back here, unless it's in the summer, outdoors, away from the biggest crowds.
Went the other night and was not presented with a cocktail list. The wine list was really lacking, particularly for white wines by the glass. I couldn't remember what I'd had the last time but ordered the crab cake salad (which it turns out I loved in 2010). This time it tasted really weird and fishy- I didn't like it at all. And it came with this very heavy, thick and creamy dressing which I didn't want to touch. I will say that the broccoli soup was outstanding and the sourdough bread was also so good that we asked for second basket. I still love the ambiance- especially the bar area- and the service is very friendly and efficient. I want to love this place but I hope for a better entree experience overall.
Review Source:What an interesting place. As you walk in you see a room split down the middle. To the right is a bar bumping loud music, and on the left is a quaint restaurant. It was definitely not what I was expecting.
The server led us to a back room that was considered the restaurant. The place needs a little remodeling and a decorator. Â The room is pretty bland looking. Â We order a new beer. It was pretty good. Â Their beer list was lengthy giving you some good options.
I ordered fish tacos because I like to make comparisons. I love fish tacos of all kinds. I've really only had one bad fish taco in my life. But not here. The fish tacos were yummy! They serve the tilapia by itself so you can cut it up and create your own taco. Â I could put as much fish, chipotle, and toppings on it as I wanted. Â My dates meal was just ok. Â But he ordered a salad...
The service is ok. Nothing special. Non conversational. Didn't smile. So, just ok. Â I guess I wasn't expecting much from this place. I wasn't displeased but I wasn't blown away. Â It's a good place to catch a quick lunch or dinner, but don't take your first date there. They won't be impressed.
I really like this restaurant/bar. Â One of the better places to go in Evanston for a dinner & drinks. Â They have a huge menu where anyone you are with will enjoy it. Â I've been many times and every time one of the people I am with gets the burger and absolutely loves it. Â I have had a few different shrimp small plates and their fish chowder... all very yummy! Â Oh! Â And their french fries are amazing!
Great beer selection and the bartenders and servers are very knowledgeable. Â
They have a few different areas you can eat in to suit your mood. Â The front area with high tops, the middle dining are that is brighter, the patio (when its warm), the back bar where they hold small groups and gets crowded during happy hours, and then the very back dining area which feels a little more upscale. Â Lets not forget the darts! Â It is so popular there they need to get more! Â
Oh... and they pour your wine glass quite full :-)
All in all I really like this place! Â Some people may think its a bit over priced but the portions are great and we've always left happy!
Him "You want drinks or food? When do you want to do this?"
Me "I always want food. Â I have plans Thursday then I'm free for...ever"
Him "Oh man you're lame. Â Now I have to take you out for food"
Yes, I'm quite lame. Â Prairie Moon isn't though. Â Met an old friend for dinner, we had about 18 years of catching up to do, and needed some good food and beer while we did so.
I had a burger with bacon and horseradish sauce (it should've had horseradish cheese too but I'm trying to be good). Â It was really good, the fries were really good too. Â I'm not a huge fan of beer, it's not that I dislike it, but like so many things too many choices and I get confused and wander off. Â Prairie Moon has a big craft beer list and I, as always, got confused and wandered off. Â The waiter was kind enough to pick something for me, then I switched to cider. Â (I do love cider).
The service was good, the server was attentive but not annoying. Â A fine line to walk. The dining room was nice, pretty big, but not too loud. Â
I'd go back to Prairie Moon if I was in the area. Â Not sure I'd go out of my way to eat there, Â but if I were in Evanston and hungry it'd be at the top of my list.
Went to a wedding reception here--so that's the context of my review. Â
I was very impressed with how good the food was, even though it was made for a large group of people. Â
The set-up is nice for a reception, there's plenty of room for dancing in the backroom. Â It was great for a smaller wedding like the one I attended, while I could see if you're having a larger event the rooms might break it up a bit more.
Place is pretty huge. They have a restaurant area but even their the music is blasting. Bouncers are nowhere near friendly and rude from what I was observing.
Its also kinda pricey as if they thought they were located downtown Chicago. 12oz draft of Two Brothers was $6.
I still have to try it during the day though. They appear to have really good dishes and I have not tried any yet.
$4 Founders dry-hopped pale ale. Can't beat that.
On my second visit ever to Prairie Moon I discovered that there's more than just the front bar and dining area- this place is hidden huge. With an additional dining room behind the obvious dining and bar area and then another bar in back with enormous vintage light-up signs and a second smaller with and equally as impressive beer and spirits list and a pool table. From there, you can head to an outdoor patio to the left or to the dart room on the right and then into an even larger dining room. HUGE. Not quite a Target, but bigger than a Walgreens and better, obviously, because there's way more booze at Prairie Moon and a great place to meet up with a cornucopia's worth of friends.
Also, they have a crab hat. Oh, and service is friendly and the food, while I've yet to have it, smells delicious. I want those mussels and frites... but mostly that crab hat. That I need.
The Prairie moon was a wonderful find! Â The food was delicious, well presented and service was good. Â While at the Prairie Moon our cups never went empty and we definitely left with full bellies. Â At the end of the meal I enjoyed a "FILTHY RICH" piece of cake as they themselves described it and I believe it lived up to it.... Next time I am in Evanston I will be eating at the Prairie Moon again.
Review Source:Prairie Moon was excellent! Â Everything about this restaurant surprised me. Â The interior of the restaurant was beautiful. The food was moderately priced, but definitely worth it. Â I had the chimichurri steak which I would whole-heartedly recommend! Â The service was prompt and polite. Â I really enjoyed the aesthetics of the dishes, everything was very visually pleasing. Â I will definitely be going here again whenever I'm back in the area.
Review Source:Prairie Moon surprised me. Â The times we've walked by on the way to Tommy Nevins, there are usually like 5 people sitting at the bar. Â This past Wednesday night though, between Bar Louie, Prairie Moon and Tommy Nevis, PM seemed like the place to be.
I had no idea that it was HUGE. Â Lots of students and heavy looking backpacks. Â Guess grad students don't like to wheel around those newfangled wheelie backpacks. Â Although good for your back, definitely nerdy looking and something your mom would buy to prevent back injuries. Â
Drinks are cheap and there are a few TVs above the bar. Â There's a big paper mache panda head above the bar that appeared to say, "I welcome random gifts from drunk patrons." Â We ordered one drink a piece as a nightcap and a key lime pie. Â It was a small piece and not too tart, both good things!
It was fun to observe the students. Â I know the quarter/trimester started recently so there was a lot of mingling and smiling going on, which was hi-larious to watch. Â As we're no longer students, we paid the bill with our hard earned cash from our underpaying jobs and went to bed at a reasonable hour.
Amazing beer selection, friendly waitstaff, and decent cuisine. Food ranges from more unique and exotic, such as shrimp stuffed with crab to more classic, such as cheeseburgers. Prices are fairly priced, especially if you eat a smaller meal and have one of their petite sized plates or sandwiches. They can be a bit packed, particularly with Northwestern students, but the food comes out in a timely manner and the waitstaff is very attentive. Bonus points for the free mints!
Review Source:Just wasn't crazy about this restaurant following my visit. I'm a big fan of a place with an extensive craft brew list but this felt very pricey.
Service was very poor and we in fact complained about the length of time it took to get the food and were more or less told our food wasn't slow in coming out.
Food itself was ok but, again, not worth the price.
All things considered, I'm going down the street for a bar/restuarant with nice outdoor patio.
Great beer selection, especially Belgians. I think their best items are the burgers and hot sandwiches, but the rest of the menu is very creative. The patio is nice, and the staff have always been accommodating for groups and special requests. Depending on your drink and food choices, it can start to get pricey.
Review Source:I finally got a chance to check this place out and I'm a fan. Â Here are the hits and misses.
Hits: Â The outside patio section is a really nice addition to the restaurant. Â Great place to grab some food and a drink. Â The beer list rocks. Â I grabbed one of their draft beer specials at $4 and it was delicious... "trout something". Â Â The painted soup is unique, tasty, and healthy. Â They put bread on the table which is always welcome in my book. Â My cheeseburger was perfectly cooked, the bun was soft and fresh, and the smoked cheddar was AWESOME. Â Fries were fresh and hot. Â I have to say one of the best things about this place that will bring me back again and again, (other than the good cheap beer) funny enough was my daughter's meal. Â We ordered her the children's mac n cheese which came with a small dish of mac n cheese (not kraft) a dish of fresh steamed broccoli and a huge pile of fresh fruit. Â The total of her meal = $3.50. Â It is so hard as a parent to find restaurants that offer decent, healthy, and budget friendly options for children. Â
Now the misses: Â the service was below average. Â Nothing horrible, just not on it. Â The girl was not very friendly, didnt explain the beer list with ease, and only checked in once ( I would have ordered another beer). Â Next, they dont have a printed children's menu nor did someone tell me what the options for children were, I had to ask. Â There were no crayons or paper available for children. Â THe veggie burger my other half ordered was "good" but bordered on looking and tasting like a Boca Burger. Â (slightly dry) Â It did have a ton of avocado on it though, which is a plus. Â
All in all, this place won me over, I'll be back.
Warning - do not eat here if:
You are hungry and need to eat quickly
Do not have half a day to wait
Want a reasonably priced meal
I find that Prairie Moon is a restaurant in search of itself. Â Food is pretty good but way overpriced, the space feels like a college bar got a Target makeover, and the service is SLOOOWWW! Â I think it took about 20 minutes to get our drink order, 10 minutes to get 2 beers, and then another 10 minutes before someone came back to take our order. Â We finished our beers and waited another 15 minutes for someone to notice. Â It took another 10 minutes for them to come back. Â We then waited another 20 minutes for our food to show up - and we ordered SALADS. Â Then we waited for the check forever. Â All in all it took 2 hours to get 2 beers and a salad. Â It would be one thing if this was a beautiful, comfy space, but we were sitting on lawn furniture on the patio. Â
We go by this place about 6 times a week and always keep going.
thanks to some new laws I'm no longer allowed in Evanston at night.
So at least during the day, there are options for me to find some tasty fish tacos and savory beers to complement the moment.
Nice bar staff and free motherluvin chocolate chip cookies at the bar!
Stick my pinky toe in a pigs belly button! FREE COOKIES!!!!!
Of all the bars/resturants in the Evanston, P Moon is always my back up plan. Consistently good food and booze. We'll even have lunch meetings here! The BBQ chicken salad with dressing on the side is great. And those fries... always order something with fries. Desert is pretty awesome too. However, I was prompted to write a review because of my last visit.
So, as we were ordering we mentioned to our waiter (a nice southern gentlemen - excellent service) that our lunch mate was picky and would send back his burger if it wasn't cooked correctly -- in fact, he had done just that on his last visit. When it arrived it was cooked perfect - medium, perfectly pink. BUT THEN, the chef came out to check on it AND apologized for the burger being less then perfect last time. I thought it was a nice touch! Way to be P Moon.
The service is far better now. The server I had tonight was an absolute doll. We were not neglected or did not have to wait forever for anything. This makes me happy!
The food is still not spectacular (but totally decent) and wouldn't be my first option if I wanted a nicer dinner. But tonight? One of those nights where I just needed to indulge in awful-for-you but goes-down-so-easy bar food ala fried calamari, fries, and mac & cheese. I was a grouchy zombie before I ate, and after I huffed my food, I felt human again. Thanks, Prairie Moon! I will be back to explore the rest of your extensive food and beer menus!
This was a pleasant surprise :) Good service, good portions and great decor...
I went with a friend who said you have to eat here so we did before a movie. I ate every bite and wanted more... The manager Mike Hoyland was very nice and took the time to chat and make me feel I was appreciated as a customer... This is the way it should be. So if you want good food and a fun atmosphere go here... :)
Great bar/restaurant/event space. Â They have a long and varied menu which has something for everyone. Â
I had one really bad experience with a waitress, though, so that's what I am basing this review on. Â I told her I was allergic to wheat at the beginning, and she got so excited, saying she had tried going gluten-free for a while (for some undoubtedly frivolous reason...she obviously didn't take it seriously). Â I ordered one of the small plates and it had fried shallots on top. Â As I'm eating them, I'm like "wow I can't believe this doesn't have wheat! Â It really tastes like it does!" Â Um, yeah. Â When I said something to this overly excited waitress, she was like "oh I forgot, that has wheat." Â ughh. Â When I told her "I'm having an allergic reaction!" she did NOTHING. Â You need to take people seriously when they say not only "I have an allergy," but more importantly, "I'm having an allergic reaction, from food you told me was SAFE." Â Shame on you prairie moon.
Went here for a staff Christmas lunch and was very impressed. Â I haven't been too happy with most restaurants in Evanston, but Prairie Moon had a great menu, and really delivered a fantastic meal. Â
I loved that they had a lot of seafood and veggie options, and I had a really hard time deciding what to get because it all sounded so good. Â I got one of their lunch specials for the day, a local whitefish with an herb crust, mashed potatoes and broccoli. The fish was a really good size for a lunch portion, perfectly cooked, and had the right amount of herbs (thyme, rosemary, etc.). Â The mashed potatoes were delicious...probably the best I've had in a restaurant. Â They used red potatoes with the skin on, and were creamy, but with still some small chunks of potato and really good flavor. Â The broccoli was still crispy, just the way I like it! Â I couldn't believe this was only $9.95. Â Their lunch prices seemed to be $5-7 less than most of their dinner menu.
The space itself was cheery and clean, and we got seated in an area with a lot of natural light, which was really nice. Â Our waitress was attentive and friendly, and my entire group seemed to be happy with what they got. Â Looking forward to coming back and trying some of the other items on the menu!
Best Key Lime Pie EVER.
I'll repeat, in case that wasn't clear.
BEST KEY LIME PIE EVAR.
So the food is good here. I've had burgers, salads, the works. Everything is solid, delicious, no complaints. So since we've got that out of the way, we'll talk about what is exceptional, you know, the standouts:
1. The Key Lime Pie. This stuff is amazing. I'm something of a Key Lime Pie addict, and it's a dessert I *never* fail to order when it's on the menu and not out of a freezer. This is the best Key Lime pie I've had--ever. Better than the Key Lime Pie in Florida, better than any recipe that's ever been made for me, better than anything. Eat it.
2. The Painted Soup. This is also fantastic. It's pretty to look at, and the flavor is sublime. I order at least a cup every time I go now, if not a whole bowl. It's spicy, but not in that a-woogah spicy, in that slow-simmery spicy that doesn't linger too long or set you afire. It's flavorful and the texture is perfect.
3. The Lemonade. Fresh-squeezed. Not too much sugar, not too much water. It's a precarious balance-- and it works.
4. The Patio. It's pretty and on a nice night it's simply wonderful.
So those are the strong points. GO TO THIS PLACE.
Great brunch spot.
I had the Cedar-Planked Salmon with garlic and  horseradish mashed potatoes.
The salmon is delicious and presented on a plank of wood.
The service could be more up-beat. The guy who served us  was a bit grumpy and needed some coffee or a shot of Sunday joy.
But the food is great.
I've been to Prairie Moon a bunch  (don't let the one sole check-in fool ya') and have always enjoyed drinking beer there. Prairie's beer list is unsurpassed in Evanston, and the bartenders are only too happy to let you sample whatever you like.
This is a huge place, and the rooms sometimes don't fit together. I dig the big iron letters in the middle dining room that spell RESTAURANT. The back bar is very relaxed and small, with kind of a Margaritaville vibe. It leads to the patio, and has a pool table and dart board as well.
The space for me, is a bit "off", so this is more like 3.5 stars rounded up because I'm sooooooo glad it's not some lame chain "Irish" bar.
Walking into a bar and seeing a baby at 10:30 at night should mean run and don't look back, but we were far from home and the beer selection here was hard not to pass up.
I'm glad we did too because I had a blast! They have an impressive ever changing beer list and a cool layout. Bar in the front with TVs and a quieter sit down restaurant section in the back. The waitress we had was nice and right on the mark when I told her to bring out shots at midnight for Candice G.'s celebratory wearing of the crab leg-crown birthday shot!
The place to sit is by the bookshelf for sure. So many random goodies. If you like looking at old yearbooks and road trip photo albums you will not be disappointed. I am excited to see if more stuff gets added to it.
I'm not sure how crowded it gets on the weekends because we were here on a Tuesday. Definitely a place to try out!
Had a good time at this place. Friendly service. Good Beer selection!
My favorite part about this place was the bookshelf with all the weird books, random photo albums, and best of all was the CRAB-LEG CROWN!!!
I am a fan of places that have really bizarre accessories decorating the establishment, because I for one have a bizarre imagination, this place really satisfied my desires for sure.
Um, YUM! Â While walking around Evanston I told Ryan I was in the mood for bar food, so we wandered to Prairie Moon to grab some lunch. We got 1 thing right, it's a bar. As far as a bar food, we were completely wrong.
The bar is very open & has a nice lofty feel. I was excited to grab a burger & beer, but was brought to the back of the place in the actual dining area. It was nice with wooden floors, paintings on the walls, and a lovely back patio. We opened the menu to find very minimal bar food choices (4 I think), but were surprised by the upscale & affordable menu. Ryan settled on the corn crusted fish tacos & I got the "three sisters" vegetarian plate.
Fresh, sourdough bread was delivered shortly after placing our order which we devoured within minutes. It was warm & super soft, so we couldn't help ourselves. Our meals came & we were both delightfully surprised. The fish tacos were not already assembled, so Ryan got to pick & choose how much fish & toppings went into the corn tortillas. The fish was delicious (huge helping!) & the pico de gallo was super fresh. Everything was really, really good besides the spanish rice. It was very bland & we both love tasty, sticky spanish rice.
My lunch was the winner by far. A very large helping of white beans, roasted butternut squash, and peppers topped with sweet onions & sweet corn all tossed in this delicious homemade sauce on top of two pieces of grilled polenta. HEAVEN! There was just enough crunch left in the peppers & squash to not make it seem like total mush. The sauce was light, yet so flavorful & creamy. Almost like a super light alfredo, but not exactly. Argh, I can't put my finger on it. All I know is that I ate almost the entire thing...and it was big.
I would definitely recommend this joint to grab a delicious lunch for anyone in the area. Lets just say upscale, casual dining for only $30.00 total sounds good to me almost any day.
If you love quality beer, like I do, you are going to love Prairie Moon.
If I were to review them purely on beer alone? I'd give them six stars. Â They have an amazing selection and employ a group of bartenders who know their stuff. Â I seriously hope they read their Yelp reviews because you guys are absolute professionals. Â And service? A+++. I have been in PM about 3-4 times over the last two months, and these guys remember what I drank, and how much I liked it. Â Hell, I can't do that myself.
The food is decent but not amazing. Â They do an equally solid job on service with the food, but there is simply nothing particularly creative to warrant that fifth star.
PM is a place where adults go to have a few drinks, talk with their friends or to meet new people.  I have never seen any of the frat boy kind of behavior at PM that so many people avoid at bars  No doubt, this place is becoming 'my' bar.  Thinking of throwing a Yelp Evanston event here. Hope to see you there.
I hate that I can only give you 3 stars because we didn't eat any food - but my guess is that you could easily be a 4 or 5 star if we ate, and if we had Kyle at the bar entertaining us!
Walking into this place at this time of year is a bit of a trip. Â There are strands of Hawaiian decor coupled with Mardi Gras stuff all over the place. Â I wasn't sure if it was a tiki theme or mardi gras theme. Â it was a bit humorous!
You'll be super surprised at their awesome beer list that is about $1-2 less than what you'd pay in the city. Â I could potentially spend an afternoon drinking around the world there.
Food prices look awesome - they had a menu leftover from Valentine's day featuring a Surf and Turf that feeds two people for $34 - complete with a choice of twin lobster tails or alaskan king crab legs and a sirloin steak. Â That's enough to send me back to try it sometime!
Sorry, Praire Moon.  You lost a star or two - actually two - in my book.  I'm pretty sure from now on I'm only coming here for cheese fries at the bar - mostly because I've had consistently awful service the last 3-4 times I've eaten here.  Most recently, upon ordering a grey goose on the rocks w/ a splash of tonic, and drinking it, and  upon realizing that it either had some kind of poison in it or someone had coated the glass with a disgusting-flavored syrup, I asked the waitress if they could remake it and she told me: "Oh, I saw him pour it.  It's grey goose."  And that was that.  (I'm pretty sure the customer is always right?  At least those of us who have ever been in the food industry know that to be true.)
Also, one time, sitting on the patio outside in the summer, I saw a rat.
Awesome appetizers, delicious and large sized mains, and an atmosphere that echos -- college town. I got a cup of fish chowder which had large chunks of salmon in it, yum! The shrimp and sashimi ceviche (aka. seafood salsa) was delicious with slices of guac and the fresh-fried chips.. too bad I'm allergic to shrimp so I braved a couple of mouthfuls before my throat started itching. Bummer dude.
And then my main of Nick's sirloin steak was pretty well prepared, served with great sides of homestyle mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and asparagus. The tuna steak my mom got (medium rare) was delicious and well worth the price. Sis-in-law Kake S. got a big shrimp/ little shrimp dish over rice and although I couldn't taste anything apart from a small bit of rice and sauce, it looked delicious.
Great for families and bigger groups, with a large front bar, back dining area, and an outdoor patio -- Â a great place to chow down and chill.
UPDATE: I'm adding another star after several more visits, because (1) I like the back room, and (2) the food, whatever dish, has been very satisfying. My current favorite: Blackened Tilapia Breaux Bridge!!
**************************************************Â************
Just had a very satisfying meal here. My friend, who's a regular here, ONLY orders the Blackened Salmon Club sandwich at this place, and I could understand why after taking a bite of it. It comes with rye bread, which is great. The Chicken Rockefeller has become my favorite; it's chicken, mushroom and rice topped with creamy mushroom sauce. Mmm...so yummy. The burgers are delicious, too. Another friend of mine really enjoys her Pico Pepperjack Moon Burger slammed with a chunck of advocado inside. (see pics)
As for the drinks - you can't go wrong with their cold draught beers, especially the Summit Hefe Weizen.
Nice bars, friendly staff (though not very responsive), over all clean and spacious. There is a pool table and a TV in the back, but it doesn't get that unbearably rowdy, even in the front room.
All in all, great food and drinks at reasonable prices. The portions are just right, too. I'm inclined to give a five-star rating, but I'll wait till I try more dishes from the "big plates" menu.
Note: They open everday for lunch at 11:30am, but on Sundays they serve breakfast starting at 10am.
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