**** (4 stars)
This is a good wings place, but they actually have a lot more, including hamburgers, hot dogs and even vegetarian sandwiches. Everything is cooked to order, so it’s hot and fresh, and there is a nice enough dining area both in front and in back. Service is fast and efficient. Cash only.
Buffalo Joe’s
812 Clark St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 328-5525
http://www.yelp.com/biz/buffalo-joes-evanston
***** (5 stars)
This is the best sashimi I’ve found in Chicago. Interestingly, sashimi is not available by the piece, but only in various collections, such as the chef’s omakase, which is available in three sizes. The quality and presentation is superb.
This isn’t really a place to go if you’re looking for sushi rolls. The selection is limited, and they weren’t the highlight of our meal. Also, the tempura was just so so. However the eel custard was great.
Indeed, this is a sashimi place, so plan on having that when you go, and plan on spending a fair amount for it, as the quality means it is expensive.
There is a thoughtful if short wine list, and the Champagne on it goes great with the sashimi.
Katsu
2651 W Peterson Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 784-3383
http://www.yelp.com/biz/katsu-chicago
*** (3 stars)
A good place for breakfast. The chilaquiles and pancakes were both fine, not particularly remarkable. The side order of ham was generous and very tasty, sourced (as are many of their offerings) from a local provider. Service was friendly and attentive.
Fuel
1222 Washington Ct
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 251-3835
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fuel-wilmette-2
***** (5 stars)
Superb ceviche, perhaps the best I’ve had anywhere. The sampling of empanadas as interesting, the arepas less so. The drunken mushrooms were a standout, as was the coconut sorbet served with the chocolate cake.
Wonderfully welcoming atmosphere and superb service throughout our visit make this place a special treat.
Longitud315
315 Waukegan Ave
Highwood, IL 60040
(847) 926-7495
http://www.yelp.com/biz/longitud315-highwood-2
**** (4 stars)
It’s nice to find a burger place with table service. This small restaurant offers counter service to go, but if you want to eat in, just have seat.
The veggie burger I had was delicious, with a nice crust, and moist, tasty filling, and good toppings. The bun tended to self-destruct, even though it had been nicely grilled, but fortunately I had a knife and fork!
The fries were tasty but a bit soggy, although that was mostly masked by the excellent blue cheese and bacon topping.
Service, by Tess, was great, friendly and informative. Nice place.
DMK Burger & Fish
815 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 424-8226
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dmk-burger-and-fish-evanston
*** (3 stars)
This is basically a middle eastern Chipotle. You choose a salad bowl or rice bowl or pita, a main ingredient such as falafel or shawarma, and then pick the accompaniments. There’s not much point in choosing the pita, because the bowl comes with a pita anyway.
The falafel was nice and crunchy. I had it on a salad, which would have been rather dry and bland had I not added hummus, which is $1.50 extra.
Combo meals come with a drink and a side. I chose the fries, which were actually house made potato chips. They would have been good had they been fresh and crisp, but mine were soggy.
For about the same amount of money I could have gone around the corner to Olive Mountain and had table service.
Naf Naf Grill
1629 Orrington Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 866-8470
http://www.yelp.com/biz/naf-naf-grill-evanston-2
*** (3 stars)
While the logo may suggest this is a noodle shop, I would describe it more as a sushi restaurant that also serves pan-Asian food.
There are a number of interesting bento boxes available for lunch, and I like the fact that you can essentially pick your own sushi, sashimi and roll as part of one of them. The sushi was perfectly acceptable, better than a market but not gourmet. Certainly for the price it was good. The miso soup was excellent.
Service is friendly and the atmosphere is casual but nice enough.
Dozika Restaurant
601 Dempster St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 869-9740
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dozika-restaurant-evanston
***** (5 stars)
From the outside, with its dark windows, this place looks like a questionable dive, but step inside and it’s a trendy, vibrant (i.e. loud) and wonderful restaurant.
The menu offers fewer than twenty dishes, but if what I sampled is any indication, there is plenty of variety, and a lot of amazing culinary skill behind it.
Yes, it’s Latin American influenced, but if I hadn’t been told that I’m not sure I would have guessed from the dishes I was served. I had an arugula, blue cheese and walnut salad that was superb. Then scallops on black rice that were equally superb; in fact, they were quite possibly the best scallops I’ve ever had.
They have positioned themselves as a tapas style sharing restaurant, but the servings are much larger than tapas, and two dishes was all I could manage, although I wanted to try more.
The beverage service is also noteworthy. I had a specialty margarita with a smoky character that was quite interesting, and then I tried the sangria. Wow. This was easily the best sangria I ever tasted. In addition to Burgundy, brandy, apple and berries, there was also “hum,” a botanical spirit that added an amazing complexity. It was so fantastic I found it online and sought out a place to buy a bottle on my way home (Binny’s on Dempster, if you want some).
Service was friendly and fast. The place was packed, but kitchen service was prompt and didn’t seem stressed at all.
The only downside is the noise level. On a Tuesday night there was no possibility of conversing with a tablemate in anything less than a shout. But if that doesn’t put you off, this is a truly impressive restaurant.
Libertad
7931 Lincoln Ave
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 674-8100
http://www.yelp.com/biz/libertad-skokie
***** (5 stars)
This is a gorgeous restaurant interior. If this place weren’t is a Doubletree in an obscure spot it would be packed.
Alone at lunch on a Saturday, we had a wonderful meal, sharing four appetizers: firecracker shrimp, crab rangoon, seafood pancakes and lettuce wraps. Each was excellent, reasonably priced, and the portions were huge. There is also a thoughtful wines by the glass list and a nices offering of sakes.
If this place were closer to Chicago I would be there all the time.
Karma Asian Food & Fine Wine
510 E Il Rt 83
Mundelein, IL 60060
(847) 970-6900
http://www.yelp.com/biz/karma-asian-food-and-fine-wine-mundelein
**** (4 stars)
We passed this place on a drive to Milwaukee, and although we didn’t stop, I felt compelled to return.
It was everything I expected, and more. Actually I was expecting nothing but a tacky tourist trap. But you can’t really call it a trap, since hundreds of fans return here, again and again. Why? Because of the sheer volume of “stuff” they have.
Yes, there are T-shirts and souvenirs. But really the place is about cheese, beer, gourmet foods and wine, not necessarily in that order. They also have a ton of hot sauces.
The beer selection alone is vast. And there were many gourmet honeys, syrups, seasonings and biscuits I’d never seen before. Unfortunately the prices are pretty much at the level you’d expect, so I didn’t actually buy anything, but plenty of people were loading up.
The cheeses I tried were actually fairly bland and forgettable, but then I’m more of a European cheese person.
Mars’ Cheese Castle
2800 W Frontage Rd
Kenosha, WI 53144
(800) 655-6147
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-cheese-castle-kenosha