Stopped here for the outside seating on a beautiful day. Ordered the baked macaroni and cheese, again it says "baked" on the menu. What I got was like Kraft macaroni with baco bits....awful. It turned out well when I found metal wire in my dish. They comped my lunch, but I already felt ignored by the waitress and literally hated my lunch. Won't be going back.
(1)
Erika G.
This is a perfectly nice place to meet in perfectly nice Evanston, for a perfectly nice drink or some perfectly nice food. It's not exceptional, but it doesn't suck at all either. It's open late and has an outdoor space. Glasses of wine are a generously poured by cheerful waitresses. If you find yourself in Evanston, latenight, check it out!
(3)
David E.
It should be called Bar Lousy!! Food and drinks are very overpriced and the food is mediocre at best!! Went tonight because we wanted to sit outside but will not be returning!!
(2)
Jim H.
A good bar for several reasons. I like dollar beer night, it's fun to come early with a group of friends and stake out a table before it gets too crowded. The food is also pretty good as well. I've had burgers and flatbread here and I enjoyed both immensely. The staff was friendly and effective. It's a good, casual place to get a drink and have done food
(4)
michael w.
Was surprised to find that at 10pm on a monday night, this is one of the few places open that is still serving food in evanston - what what?! I felt the prices were on the high end for the most part and since it was late, opted for a veggie wrap. Was I overwhelmed by the food? No. Was I glad to have the food option?Yes. Thx for meeting my late night needs BL.
(3)
Rustygirl M.
Went for half priced apps tonight. Not all apps are avbl. Limited list but I had the chips and 3 dips and veggie flatbread. All were great! 20ozbeers were around 7$. Overpriced.
(4)
Ann B.
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. My husband and I have been there a number of times and we always get terrible service almost non existent service. One time we sat there for 30 minutes before someone even acknowledged that we were there. never again at this location.
(1)
Cindy W.
My appetizer -- the beer braised mussels -- was horrendous. It was bathing in a salty, oily giardiniera sauce. Who cooks mussels with giardiniera?Once I realized I was drinking the butter oil sauce, I stopped. Ugh. I was very disappointed. Wouldn't order again. Also... my waitress was MIA most of the time.
(1)
Valerie W.
Nothing too special... and not my favorite place. But, they do have $1 burgers on Tuesdays and $1 beers on Wednesdays, which seems to keep my other half satisfied. The layout is weird and it is difficult to get around inside, IMO. Go for the specials.
(3)
Carrie V.
Bar Louie delivers exactly what you expect - burgers and similar items and drinks at a fairly reasonable price. The best part about Bar Louie is the outdoor seating - perfect for summer in Chicago. If you are a sports fan, there are multiple TVs showing local teams.
(3)
Courtney G.
The food and drinks were good but working in the service industry for 10+ years I know service and the blonde bartender was horrible. To the point where she even claimed that splitting mine and my four friends checks was against policy. We all ordered separate drinks and food and acted like it was an impossible endeavor to give us our own checks. Total bummer, won't go back ):
(2)
Siva N.
Cool place. Good food. Right in Evanston downtown. I went here with my friends a few times. They have half off on some select items between 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays are $1 dollar burger nights. Best thing about this place is that it is open till 2 a.m.
(4)
Tina C.
My boyfriend and I had their loaded tots and chicken quesadilla. The quesadilla was great, but the "loaded" tots were not loaded at all. It actually should have been called sprinkled tots. Drink menu has a large variety, we ordered a long island and blue moon. Nothing to complain about there. It was just the service that got to me...when we entered we weren't greeted or hosted, so we found ourselves a table, and it took about 10 minutes before a waitress showed up, and she was also MIA most of the time. It took about 25 minutes for us to ask for a check even after we were done with our food.
(3)
Jane W.
This is my fourth year living in Evanston, but I've never been here before. I dropped by a week ago with a friend to grab drinks. I had a White Russian and we split the beer braised mussels. I was not a huge fan of the White Russian, because the alcohol taste was not well masked, and I'm personally more of a fruity drink person. However, the mussels were great. The environment is rather quiet and cozy, which (depending on what you're looking for) can be a good or a bad thing. I'd give this place a 3.5 star rating overall, but rounded down to a 3 because we were rather rudely asked to leave. I thought the place closed at 2am (it was actually 1am), and at 1:10am someone came by with a "guys we're closing now... it's 1:10 already". Jeez. Not that hard to be more polite. I might come back to try their $1 burgers/happy hour specials.
(3)
Melody Y.
Last summer, I came to Bar Louie on Tuesday for $1 burgers pretty much every week. I'd pick a beer off from their long (relative to other places in Evanston) list of local brews, stack my burger with tons of toppings, and order fries to share with the rest of the squad. It was a magical summer. An important, yet often overlooked, attribute of a good burger is THE BUN. If you're using a sesame bun or the standard white bun, your burger belongs in a fast food joint. In short, Bar Louie makes a good bun. I've never found the patty to be too dry, and they always cook it the way I want it. The toppings are fresh and there are a variety of options. I've had the burgers from The Globe, Bat 17, Farmhouse, Edzo's, DMK, Celtic Knot, Nevin's Pub, Prairie Moon and Five Guys (I know... I had a phase), and I think that Bar Louie has the best burger in Evanston. Their fries are really good too. However, I visited Bar Louie a few weeks ago and ordered the Southwest off the normal menu, and the burger was not what I remembered (change in management/cook?). The bread was dry, the patty tasted a little off, and I was given maybe 10-15 fries. It was still a good meal, and maybe my experience was an outlier, but I would not promote this place as enthusiastically now as I did back then... Not food points: Like the ambiance. Never had a problem with service. Bathrooms are not super clean but what did you expect... tables are clean though! I'd imagine this place to be bumpin during the school year but in the summer months there are plenty of open tables.
(4)
Jenny H.
Bar Louie is the place to go on Tuesday nights if you're craving a burger! You get $1 burgers with the purchase of a drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). And this isn't some cheap thin patty either, it's thick, juicy, and delicious. The fact that it's only $1 makes it taste even better. Then, you can pay for add ons, like $1 for guacamole. I usually add on swiss cheese, avocado, and bacon, which bring my burger up to only $4, which is still cheaper than other burger joints. When you walk in, you seat yourself. They have lots of cozy booths and big tables. It's good for groups, and they have tons of flatscreen TVs so you can watch the game. The bar is good and fully stocked. Every time I've been here, the service has been great. They also have half off appetizers on Mondays-Thursdays for a certain period of time. The calamari is quite delicious, and for $5, it's a steal. Definitely stop by on a Tuesday night when you get a chance!
(4)
Kazu N.
SLOW and average food. We got the most horrible mustard I have seen in a restaurant. disgusting..
(2)
Andrea K.
This place has been here my entire life and I finally stopped in for a few drinks and bites. The drink list was good as was the menu. We ordered the quesadillas and bruschetta. The quesadillas were pretty damn good for bar food. The bruschetta was weird because it came in a giant martini glass, literally, bigger than my husbands head. It was layered with lettuce and tomato with the bread on top. Not really bruschetta since it usually doesn't have lettuce and has balsamic and parmesan. It wasn't bad but we wouldn't order it again, and it was gigantic so we barely even had any after eating the quesadillas. Regardless, good atmosphere, great service, nice and casual place to pass time at.
(3)
U.M. S.
I don't know what many of ya'll are expecting. This is like the McDonald's of bars. It's not gonna be anything high-end and it never will be. Are some of the drinks pricey? Hell yeah. Does some of the food suck (nachos, guac spread, shrimp tempura, etc.)? Uhm yes. But it's a bar, its got booze, it's not gross, and the waitresses work their butts off...most of the time. Pro-tips: $1 burger tuesdays (don't expect much in terms of burger temp, sad I know) get their drink specials and try the Smores Martini, for reals. I usually order chicken tacos plate but some times its really hit or miss, meaning some times the chicken has obviously been re-cooked (no bueno). But hey, they get their food from a Sysco truck so there's not much going for them. However, their fries, tots, and chocolate cake are amazing. Their quesadillas are okay too. Meh.
(3)
Joshua S.
Dollar burger night. I didn't even know about this place. I went to go see the last hobbit at midnight at the century theater, and Bat17's transformer was out. What a shame. I was in a group of 4, and when one of the members ordered medium rare, the we waitress said that the cooks are "too lazy to use the thermometers". Health code violations. Check. When I asked for the Orange Mule, I was told they usually ask for people's ID's as collateral for not stealing the cup. Distrust. Check. When we received the burgers, they were of bland taste- you know, the gray-shaded layers of meat that look as dry as they taste. Horrible burger-meat- quality at a bar. Check. Do not go here. The waitresses are miserable. The atmosphere is uncomfortably stale. Bat17 rules! Go there instead...
(1)
Alvina C.
I have gone here a few times---of course for burger night---when there are a million people there and then on random afternoons/evenings when not so much is going on. Whether there are a lot of people or hardly any people, service is lacking. The food itself is nothing special and generally you can't go wrong with drinks--but it sucks when you're ready and willing to throw down some cash for more food and drinks and waitstaff is no where to be found....ugh!!!!
(2)
Josh S.
The service is miserable. The food is fine - ok bar food that is the same as every bar Louie throughout US suburbs. The manager is an idiot. The guy will sit in there at times and blast music from his own iPod while paying customers leave in droves. The place would be a fun spot to watch games if the service wasn't so awful.
(1)
Labarp S.
Very mediocre bar. Nothing special to go for and seems like their food qualities have gone down hill more recently. I used to dine in at this Bar Louie and their other locations frequently in the past, but nowadays, this location has never failed to disappoint me. Their drink specials aren't the best and what makes this my last visit to Bar Louie is their Tuesday $1 burger. I understand that I can't expect the best quality for a $1, but serving a dry, frozen, grey looking burger isn't any better either. I was on my way to another joint but since that place closed down early, I thought I'd give Bar Louie's $1 burger a try. I convinced all of my friends to settle for this place, but it didn't take long for me to regret my decison. For a dollar, you get that dry, paper-like patty with a cheap tasting bun, a shredded lettuce. You will have to pay for all other condiments, including tomatoes, onion n pickle, which can easily add up making the burger $3-$5 easily. On top, you can only order basket of fries/tots for $4 instead of a smaller side order. Yes yes, some might argue it is still cheap, but I would rather have a decent slider or a smaller portion burger for that price rather than that pile of nonsense. I have had $2, $3, $3.50 and $4 burger speicals around the city that are actually awesome and are served with regular condiments n a side of fries/chips. Those places choose to serve better food so that the customers come back every week for their specials and bring more business to them. Unlike Bar Louie's $1 burger, where the servers are in bad mood because everybody dining in are for the cheap burger, small tab, and low tips. You don't get to choose the temperature of the burger because your server will go, rolling the eyes "it's all med-well." And please take my word, it's not med-well, it's very well-done. May be my server could have made my experience a lil better with a better service, but ah well, don't want to whine about everything now. In short, when u NEED to fill yourself up and you are on a tight budget, yep, some of their specials, including the 1/2 of apps, and $1 burger is a route to go for. But sometimes when you feel like eating a decent food, this is not a place to go to, and especially their one frigging dollar burger. Adios Bar Louie, it was great knowing you !!!
(2)
Jennifer P.
This location sucks compared to the one on toughy. Their food quality is definitely lacking. And the "loaded" fries are about $7 extra for A LOT less fries and a little cheese, bacon, and whatever else they sprinkle on it. Not worth it at all. The last time we visited they didn't have a lot of the items we wanted. The martinis are good though as well as the service. Always friendly staff whenever I went. For some reason the food is just better on toughy and they give you more. Not sure if that's just been the case for us.
(2)
Chris P.
This is a terrible bar with overpriced watered down drinks. They tried to give me the wrong change after I paid of course in their favor.
(1)
Sam N.
Giving it 2 stars because I feel like being a nice guy today. What is the difference between one Bar Louie and another Bar LOuie? If you think about it...not that much. However even though the one in wrigleyville may be cheesy and the one in River North is actually good with some good food options, attractive bartenders, good wine options and specials during happy hour and its clean...so On 2nd thought there really is a difference. I have ben coming to the one in Evanston for about 5 years and there always something a bit off about the place. Like I have noted in my note, it's like eating and drinking in a broom closet without the smell of amonia. Sometimes the tables are sticky and have not been cleaned that day. We all know that maybe just maybe and I am going out on a lim here but if you are the chef are Bar Louie in Evanston, there are to be no appearances on TOP CHEF for you. It does not mean you should not have any pride. You should be able to say to yourself "hey I make the best guac in Evanston bring it on MOFO". Actually the guac here is not that good. I think I could do better. The flatbreads that I had taste like year old cardcoard...come on guys step it up. The chicken nachos were ok but still on the same level on things they might serve you in a North Korean Gulag. At least here you can get up and walk out... In the summer I have been here twice one of the times while wincing while one of my friends tries to flirt with the waitress who must have been 22 and he is like 41-not a good idea because this is not the viagra triangle 2 years ago I went in one weekend and the lights were flickering in the bathroom. Unless this was a prep for some B Movie horror scene this is not something that should take place. If this place was not next to The Keg which is god awful and is always on the verge of being closed depending on what the weekend. I am not going anymore...I will watch football and Hockey games at Tommy Nevins when I and my friends are in Evanston. At least there I know there is no chance on anything happening to me if I eat the food. PLUS- I get to hijack the juke box :)
(2)
Cat D.
I came to bar louie for their $1 burger, because who can say no to such a economic burger??? To be honest, I was more excited about the price. The burger was pretty good but mediocre at best (a little dry). The service was quite quick. I was in a rush and we were in and out within 40 minutes to an hour. I'll most likely be revisiting for the $1 burger and might even try some of their other things if I'm feeling adventurous that day. Another back burner option to add to my list.
(3)
Jack F.
Was really excited to come here for their $1 burger specials on Tuesday. Kind of a let down. The burger itself was insanely dry and had no flavor whatsoever. Also, the $1 burger only comes with lettuce, so with toppings and fries (for an additional $4!!) And a drink (which you need to get in order to get this special), the bill still came out to about $13. For that, I would've just gone to another restaurant. Also, don't ask for water: it tastes like bathroom water.
(2)
Jody B.
Hubby and I came here to eat after we went for cocktails at Ward Eight (5 mega stars!!!!). This has become a pattern... figure out a reason we can end up in Evanston for cocktails at Ward Eight, then decide if we will eat there, or pick another place nearby. This night it was Bar Louie. We sat at the bar. Hubby had a beer he liked and I had water. I was glad I had my cocktail at WE! We both had tortilla soup; our new favorite soup! It was meaty with a kick. The tortillas were too soggy. They should have waited to put them in the soup right before they brought them to the table. I'm not sure what was going on there... because we were sitting no more than 20 feet from the kitchen ledge where they put the food. I think it sat for a while. I had the salmon sliders and hubby had the fish and chips. The food is tasty, but nothing special. You do get a lot of salmon on the sliders. Nice! I couldn't finish them, so the bartender wrapped them up and said she would put them on the back counter out of my way. Unfortunately, halfway home, I realized she forgot to give them to me and I forgot to ask. Bummer! It sort of annoyed me because there were several waitresses/bartenders standing by our seats talking and using their iPhones... more attention to what we needed might have earned them another star. While I gave it only two stars, I would be back for the soup and sliders... after Ward Eight, of course!
(2)
Cherie W.
I enjoy going to this restaurant in the warm weather sitting outside on the patio. They have outdoor heaters on the cool fall nights which makes it very comfortable. The food is decent, it's the typical bar food stuff. I found the service to be consistently good and always have a good time when I go.
(3)
T D.
This is not a lunch place I'd recommend. The food takes a long time to come out. Sometimes the quality of the food is worth the wait, but that is not quite the case here. The one and only time I ate here, the server was rude and unapologetic.
(2)
Tom H.
Excellent service for a large group (7 pax) coming in on a Saturday evening after a football game. Minus one star because I thought the menu was a bit limited, but what was on the menu was all pretty nice. I had the Blue Louie, which was done very well, they resisted the normal urge to pile too much blue cheese on top, overpowering everything else on the burger. As it was, it was just enough. The pretzels are almost obligatory - excellent. Great, attentive service. I fine time was had by all.
(4)
Marla R.
The food was really good I had just a basic burger and fries. The fries were a little salty but other then that it's a nice clean place and the staff was wonderful
(4)
Meredith C.
Staff was very very polite and nice. Decor was cute and comfy. TV was good for a bears game. Food was really almost inedible. Quote gross. And I am not picky. No faultnof staff, just really poor quality. Wings tasted like saw dust, turkey burger was watery. Just about the worst meal I've ever had. Trivia was thrust upon us, table behind us was using their phone and cheating entire time. Staff was great. Ownership needs to step up the rest.
(3)
Aspen M.
Service is incredibly slow. Waitresses were rude. Simply asked when our food would come and they took it personally...I loved this place until the staff decided to give up up on its customers...Won't come back for food any time soon.
(1)
Cristina M.
Very cute little dive bar. Bouncer is outside smoking a cig before we entered and asked for ID. Bathrooms are sorry, but once again, it's a dive bar...a local pub...good spot to grab a drink :)
(4)
Emily M.
Too bad I wasn't on Yelp for all the great times I had here taking advantage of weekday specials, several years ago. Obviously I have an account now, so it's a shame that I had such a crappy experience last night. This was bar #2 in a work bar crawl (which also included fun times at Prairie Moon and Bat 17). At around 8pm, I went to the bar to use my drink ticket and also get an order of fries. Went like this: -I ask for whatever sparkling wine they have, and also, for an order of fries. -Bartender gets me my drink, starts making others. -I wait a minute, then ask what the price is for the fries, and he says $4.50 with tax. -I wait a few more minutes, then ask if I should pay him (taking out $6 to cover tip, too). -He continues making drinks (to be fair, it is busy). My boyfriend comes up to to the bar, to get his drink. -The bartender doesn't acknowledge us for the next several minutes, then tells us we have to get away from the bar, because the server needs that area. -Umm...if they don't want people at the bar, why are there stools in that space??? So, my boyfriend and I shared my wine and left, wondering why we hadn't trusted our instincts to bypass this place and go straight to Bat 17. No beer for bf, no fries for me, I guess. It's just so annoying when you end up wasting your time at a place that doesn't want to serve you, when there are a hundred other excellent bars throughout the Chicago area. Boo, Bar Louie. BOO!
(2)
Will B.
Best chicken wings in Evanston!
(4)
Brian B.
We had great food, service and it was $1 burgers night. My spouse had Portabella and I had the Louie. We got a large fries, martinis and beer with the food.
(4)
Steve A.
I'm not much of a bar person, but I really like Bar Louie. They have a great outside dining area, and surprisingly they make one of the best salads in town. The chop chop salad has iceberg lettuce, bacon, tomato, carrot, avocado, garbanzo beans, chopped egg, cucumber, tortilla strips, and house dressing. I also really like their pretzel sticks, which come with three very good dipping sauces. Service has always been efficient and friendly.
(4)
Tom A.
Enjoy dollar burgers
(3)
Andy S.
Bar Louie is on the "OK" side and not so much on the "A" side. Food is good, not great. They have good deals during the week on appetizers, burgers, and beer. The pretzel appetizer is pretty good actually. Pricing is pretty standard. Service is good.
(3)
Deon M.
My boyfriend and I came to this Bar Louie on a Saturday night to have some drinks and grab a quick app. Well let me tell you 2 things 1, DO NOT GET THE 3 DIP THING, it is awful! but then again what was I expecting from a BAR right? 2. The Drinks are WATERED DOWN, we ordered a couple shots of patron and it seriously wasn't strong, you could clearly taste that it was watered down. I also had a margarita and it was TOO SWEET to drink, way too much grenadine was used and I did not drink it. Do yourself a favor and go to Taco Diablo around the corner on Davis, their drinks are GREAT! I'm tipsy after just a few sips and they cost less too. I've never been back to Bar Louie since this experience.
(1)
Liz A.
This place is a nice alternative to the other bars in Evanston; the seating is very comfortable, you can usually get a booth, and there are plenty of TVs to watch whatever games are currently playing. They have lots of specials; Tuesday night is $1 burger nigh which is usually a big hit with the college guys, but don't be fooled--EVERYTHING costs extra, so be prepared to spend more than $1, also the burgers aren't very big, most guys need at least two plus an order of fries to feel full. All in all, the food is standard bar food, nothing special and prices are pretty reasonable, but the deals aren't as great as they seem. Comfortable place for a low key night.
(3)
Cassie S.
It seems that I just like all Bar Louies better in the summer. Well, the ones I've been to. That have outdoor seating areas. Burgers are decent, fries are hit or miss. They don't have my favorite Bar Louie staple (grilled cheese) on the menu, though I'm sure I could ask for it. Drinks can be overpriced but there's always a monthly special beer. And I had a really awesome beer margarita here a few weeks ago where there was a mini Corona bottle stuck upside down in a margarita. Trust me, it was cool. Final thought: they have these odd booths inside that are a whole lot smaller than they look. They are circular and while they look like you could fit 4 or 5, we had trouble with 2 (and full meals - maybe could have fit more with just drinks). There was plenty of butt space, but table space and leg space were severely limited.
(3)
Eric C.
Massive improvement in food. I avoided for years but last two lunches were great. I'm coming back soon. Nice work chef.
(4)
H K.
VERY VERY VERY SLOW!!!!!! We made a reservation but our table wasnt ready so they crammed 6 people in this small round table. So uncomfortable. Didnt even have space for our food. Got here right at noon but got our food little after 1pm. Don't ever go there unless you have plenty of time for waiting. The food is good but not worth of an hour wait.
(1)
Andie S.
I went to Northwestern and over the four years that I lived in Evanston, Bar Louie was one of my favorite spots. There's a great reason to go every day! Tuesday: Dollar burgers. Yes, you have to buy a drink, but with $3 beer of the month, you can get a great dinner for $5. And the burgers are great, I expected them to be small or crappy for a dollar, but they don't cut corners! Fries are $4, but worth it. Wednesday: Dollar beers. Enough said. Thursday: TRIVIA with $5 martinis and $5 flatbreads! How do you beat that? By far my favorite trivia in Evanston (and I tried them all) The menu is pretty good and pretty extensive for a bar, the bruschetta, turkey burgers, and spinach artichoke dip are favorites. All the waitresses were fun and friendly. I would definitely recommend Bar Louie to anyone in the area.
(4)
Erin P.
Sad - this place is the perfect hangout for a grad student like me BUT the staff is HORRIBLE and rude! They run around, yelling at people and FREAKING OUT on their patrons.
(1)
Kyle B.
I very rarely head to Evanston these days, but had a party to attend and thought I'd check out the scene. When I heard it was at Bar Louie my first thought was, "Those are still around?" as per my experience with every other Bar Louie I know closing down in multiple cities. But I'd been before, oddly enough kind of missed the place, and thought it might be kind of a blast from the past to order up some old favorites. The scene there wasn't too bad - just a handful of locals hanging out enjoying the weekly specials - but I can't even articulate how awful the service was. I joined the group after the party started so they already had drinks and apps in front of them, but right when I sat down I was warned to "order everything I needed, because they rarely come back to check in." That was already alarming, but when the waitress didn't even come to say as much as a "hi" after a half hour, I was already not enjoying my experience. When the waitress finally came over, I wanted to place an order for a 1/2 price app (the special of the day) only to be told that I had missed the cut-off by, you guessed it, a half hour. Very clever waitress. You won that round. I finally got a tall draft and was never asked if I wanted another THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS THERE. The sad thing is, the food actually wasn't that bad. The pretzel stick appetizer was pretty tasty, and I had no complaints about the sliders. I just grew a beard waiting for it. I mean, I look pretty good in a beard, but I'd rather grow it on my own terms. If you want a place that has some decent weekly specials after a hard day of work, feel free to stop by. Just know that the term "happy hour" here should actually be plural.
(2)
Barney C.
This place is real "Eh" ... I love bar food. I mean nothing beats a good burger and some 1/2 off appetizers. It's a beautiful thing. This Bar Louie isn't really doing the trick for me though. The burger was pretty good, especially with the base model having a sticker price of $1 on Tuesdays (5pm until close). Add a plethora of trimmings like crumbled blue cheese and good ol' American bacon for 50 cent a pop each and 4 bucks later you've got a personalized artery clogging meal. The appetizers is where they dropped the ball though. It just pretty much sucked. Calamari. Chewy and stale. Boneless Wings. Bland. Artichoke Dip. Plenty of choke. I won't rush back to this Bar Louie for Happy Hour.
(2)
Shradha A.
I'm not sure I really ever visited Bar Louie while in school in Evanston, because The Keg used to be the ones with the parties. But when chance had me land up here Monday night during school break, I wasn't too impressed by the drinks or the food but of course, I am probably now too old to appreciate it any way.
(3)
CK L.
Tuesday burger night! Love it! I always get my Turkey burger and a Portabella burger! Condiments... Really is your choice. I usually go for Pepper Jack, Buffalo Sauce, and Guacamole. Gosh, so full! So good! By the way, the beer special is getting a large size beer for the price of small!
(5)
Ehow C.
Expensive. Unless you come for $1 burger nights on Tuesday, then it's a bit more affordable. The secret to making your burgers not taste terrible? Hot sauce, lots of hot sauce. Trust me on this one.
(2)
Jelena Z.
Chains and me, we're not so happy together. But Bar Louie is all right, it really is. What they do well: burgers, TVs and specials (i.e. $1.50 mini items such as sliders and tots on Thursdays in August). Also, the Vesuvio Melt with chicken, provolone, tomato (86 for me), lettuce, onion, mayo, and olive oil is a personal favorite. They are also good at fooling people that they aren't a chain - I'd say 4 out of 10 friends don't realize this. Interesting little tidbit, indeed! Beer list could use some work - I ended up with a Bud Light Golden Wheat which is completely atypical for me. The closest they stock to a microbrew is Stella, which for some reason I can't drink anymore. Service is okay, though I imagine it gets crazy in here on Tuesdays ($1 burger night). All in all, not a bad spot to close out an evening after catching a flick at Century Theatre.
(3)
Melissa F.
Ew, just no. I went this summer for drinks for my friend's 21st birthday. It was relatively low-key, or at least we thought it'd be, but the waitstaff was clearly overwhelmed by Dollar Burger Night. We had one waitress but then we had another, and then our first waitress returned. Also? The drinks taste like medicine. They are strong to the point of undrinkable, and they taste like maybe not medicine but rather the love child of Robitussin and vodka. Do...not...want.
(2)
Annie W.
The best thing about our experience was the waitress, who was sassy and fun! I liked that there was live music when we were leaving - wished we'd been seated by the music - or known about it! The food was oh so very MEH, and there are too many TV's. Not my kind of place.
(3)
Adi S.
I have been to Bar Louie a countless number of times and I always enjoy coming to this place. It's a great bar for the NU crowd, because of the location, hours and mixed seating areas. Their mixed drink selection is fantastic, and their non-alcoholic lemonades and limeades are delicious as well. Dollar burger nights are a great value; the burgers are well cooked, and the service is generally quick.
(4)
OG Corweezy K.
Yo so I hit this place up two nights in a row, once for a drink and once for some food. They had this legit deal where you get a burger for a dollar. They catch is though that it's like $.50 for a topping or some shit. Still a straight up deal. It breaks down was they hooked me up with some Hennessy on drinking night, but damn son they couldn't keep an iced tea glass full on eating night. Damn shame too cuz I would have hooked this place up with another star for it too. I'll prolly go back.
(3)
Peter K.
Great margaritas, but seems like everything after that was just okay. Crispy chicken sandwich is just ok and so are the fries. Dj had a mic and played trivia with a couple groups there. The mans voice was so annoying we just ended up leaving.
(3)
Rowena L.
Admittedly I'm more partial to Nevin's and Bat 17, so I've frequented this place less recently. The cheese quesadillas and spinach artichoke dip are amazing! I guess for me the atmosphere just isn't as good.
(3)
Moni K.
This place is called Bar Louie but it is no bar. It is a great burger joint; a hidden gem. Try the Blue Louie* (blue cheese, bacon, spinach, Buffalo sauce) or the Southwest* (pepper jack, guacamole, jalapeños) Actually any burger you pick you will not be disappointed. Also, all of Louie's meat burgers can be substituted for veggie. All burgers also come with delicious french fires nicely salted you just want to eat and eat and eat and lick your fingers Bar Louie is a franchise at least I think and I have tried many different locations for them in Chicago such as in Wrigley and on Chicago Ave but I think that the Bar Louie in Evanston is exceptionally good. Also they have these plush cozy round couches that you can snuggle to your love while you wait for the food. The food is great, staff is on it and the atmosphere is great. The other Bar Louis' just lack these ingredients. And it is August and they do have Stella for $3 on tap.
(5)
Keiko S.
There are like...five bars in Evanston, and people typically hop around from one to another because they're all within a short walking distance. For me, if not Pete Millers or Prairie Moon, I'd rather go here (BL) or Nevins than the infamous Keg. Four stars for the outside patio, three for the inside seating. It gets really stuffy, rowdy and crowded inside; I can't stand having to shout at friends. The service is usually good, though, with cool and friendly servers. Decent drinks and appetizers...can't say much more, 'cause I usually end up not remembering what I'd had.
(3)
Mikey J.
I went here for dollar burgers using a Groupon I had bought earlier. We had a group of 8-9 people to celebrate a birthday and I recommended Bar Louie. Bad choice. Being dollar burger Tuesday the place was packed and service was thumbs down big time. The food is alright but came out real slow and the burgers are nothing out of the ordinary.
(3)
William G.
I normally despise Bar Louie for its trendy, mass appeal and franchise like nature. Its quite expensive and very little if anything is unique about its menu or portion sizes. However, . . . . . This one Bar Louie has my attention because its dive-like in some way. The space is split into a bar on one side and tiny restaurant area on the other, and for a wait staff comprised almost exclusively of skinny/slutty/dopey college students they manage not to come off as inexperienced or unorganized. But as you'd suspect, they're a little slow. My last trip there, wasn't my best, but it won't deter me from going back there. The draught beer tasted horrible. I had a miller lite or some domestic which was on special and sent it back. They exchanged it for a premium beer that I would normally order somewhere else, and it tasted like dirty dish water. So I finally ordered a Budweiser in a bottle and it tasted normal, so I'm pretty sure that "Dreck" taste was dirty dish water. Thankfully I only had a sip of each draft, otherwise I would've been consuming dirty dish water, or some checmical compound bars use to sanitize glasses in a hurry. Their Camp Fire Crunch is to die for, I usually eat 2 in one sitting. Otherwise I get the fries and a tiny container of ranch and I'm fine. Unless you're sitting outside for the purpose of fulfilling your Bar Louie fairy tale visit, you'd think it was a neighborhood bar. So this particular location gets an A-OK from me. My only suggestions is, oder something in bottles, or you might be sipping the bus-boy's unwashed hands.
(3)
Kit G.
If you are looking for a sit down lunch during the workday in Evanston this is one of your best bets. They have really great lunch specials - they have several options that are like $7.95 each. I have been several times and they are never too busy - which means the service has been quick. I love their buffalo chicken sandwich and their fries. Urgh... that just made me hungry!
(4)
Katherine L.
I would recommend this place for burgers and fries and drinks. I tried the BLT sandwich tonight, and it was way too salty, and the buffalo chicken pizza was unusual with carrots and celery sprinkled on top. The dough was more chewy (not that delicious).
(3)
Ju L.
I admit I actually like this place. Tuesdays after 5pm is infamous Dollar Burger Night, with purchase of a drink-- it can be alcoholic or not, but a bottomless soda (there is no other kind!) is already $2.49 and the service is bad enough that you're never going to get it refilled, so you might as well spend the extra 50 cents on their $3 beer-of-the-month pints (all the time, any time!). Dollar Burger Tuesdays are unfair to judge Bar Louie by: It's INSANE until after 8pm, the burgers are often cold and not cooked to order, and they come only with shredded lettuce (sauces cost 25 cents, extras cost 50 cents each). Service is abysmal: Order everything you want --drinks, food, everything-- the first time the waitress comes to your table, because she's not coming back for a while. Having been here for NOT-Dollar Burger Night, I can say that it can be enjoyable. The waitstaff is much happier and attentive. 35-cent wings on Monday nights don't come close to the deliciousness that is Merle's 25-cent wings on Wednesdays (and no drink requirement there), but Bar Louie's Philly cheesesteak sliders are pretty good. I'd still avoid alcohol that isn't beer (the giant drink menu doesn't list prices because all their shitty drinks cost around $10), but there are 1/2 price appetizers between 4pm and 7pm, or anytime with an old receipt. Not bad. Haven't tried the midnight breakfast buffet yet but it sounds legit. The sports-bar ambiance that turned me off before is actually not so strong here-- there are lots of high-mounted TV's showing games, but few prematurely-balding men grunting into the air. And in keeping with someone else's sentiments below, the high tables and stools make me feel tall, too. UPDATE: The free midnight breakfast buffets on Saturdays DON'T EXIST! Sigh, of course it sounded too good to be true. Bar Louie just hasn't fixed its sign yet.
(4)
Craig S.
I had a good burger and good service here. I don't recommend the banana pudding though. Nice ambiance but there's very little room at the bar itself. Taps take up most of the space.
(4)
Michelle D.
Love this place!! great staff and great food!! Had the buffalo chicken pizza and it was amazing! Cant wait to go back!
(5)
Mari Y.
As an ex-suburbanite, going to Bar Louie is one step up from going to the local watering hole. It doesn't swing too hard with the Northwestern presence and they have good daily deals. Now on to the two star review. I'm giving the establishment two stars because I had one bad experience here but three OK experiences. Two stars is the result of a very sophisticated algorithm averaging all of the experiences. Some friends and I visited Bar Louie on a day where they were doing $1 drink specials as they were experimenting with new summer drinks. The waitress also informed us that appetizers were 50% off. Being the cheapskates that we are, we ordered a load of drinks and appetizers because IT WAS A GOOD DEAL! We took bets on how much our bill would be and were shocked to see that the little American Express booklet noted that the total was nearly $30 more than we expected. After reviewing the bill, I called the waitress over and talked her through the bill, where we suspected there were mis-charges. The drinks were all correct but the appetizers were not. I went through the math with her on the bill and she said she needed to discuss it with her manager. A few minutes later, the manager came over and said something to the effect of "You're not getting anything for free and you DO have to pay," in an accusatory tone. Paying wasn't even the issue, we just wanted to be sure that it was the correct amount. Apparently the waitress did not inform us correctly that only "select" appetizers were 50% off. The manager went on to defend the waitress which was odd for the reason that the manager wasn't around when the waitress initially approached our table. Unless the waitress was wearing a wire, how would the manager know? So, we did the math against the changed appetizer prices but the bill was still wrong. We asked the manager again and she responded with something to the effect of, "I don't know, it's somewhere around this amount." Excuse me. Are you not an establishment that has: 1)a cash register that adds on its own 2) a calculator 3) an employee's mobile phone with a calculator?! We paid the incorrect amount and got the hell out of there as the waitstaff was giving us the evil eye and talking smack about our table. We haven't been back since.
(2)
Chris R.
Luv this place! It's our corner bar with good food, great TVs, and friendly service. If your hungry, GET IN HERE! Varied menu has a good selection. If your thirsty, GET IN HERE! You'll never go long without a refill and Kevin will make (or try to make) whatever you want...even when he's weeded he's good! Wanna watch a game.....GET IN HERE!!! They will try to find it if you want to watch it. HOWEVER they really need to buy the sports packages for NFL,NHL,MLB.....etc Food, Service, Atmosphere, Value...BINGO! You seriously cannot go wrong in here. It's casual, it's fun....hey, it's the neighborhood bar.....GET IN HERE!!!
(5)
Amy W.
TUESDAY DOLLAR BURGERS!! That is all that needs to be said about Bar Louie. I actually don't think I've ever come here on any other day of the week for any other food, except for one time when I was up late studying for finals and was suddenly craving calamari. I always get my dollar burgers with garlic fries, even though I always end up regretting having garlic breath for the rest of the night. For a while my friends and I were coming here EVERY Tuesday for the dollar burgers... No wonder I gained five pounds.
(4)
Kate S.
My friends and I went here last night for my 21st birthday/$1 burger night. I didn't get a burger, but everyone else seemed to really enjoy theirs. The fries are delicious (both the regular and the garlic varieties), and the tater tots are crazy good (except the ones at the bottom of the basket, which were a little bit oily). The drinks are overpriced compared to other bars in Evanston, but my classic cosmo was great. There's a huge variety of specialty drinks, along with the usual beer and wine options. Aside from the higher drink prices, this place is much nicer than the Keg, P-Moon, or Hundo. I can't really comment on Nevin's, as I have only been there for special fundraising events. It has a very friendly neighborhood feel, which I love in a bar. Yes, it is loud; yes, it is crowded, but it was fun and our service was especially prompt (considering how crowded it was and that we had 8 or 9 people in our party) and friendly. I will definitely be returning for another Tuesday night.
(4)
Rebecca L.
Bar Louie Evanston is YUMMY! Here's what I recommend: -Tater tots are #1! Try them with buffalo dipping sauce...amazing. -Mediterranean Salmon entree...its like being on vacation. -Chicken quesadillas are excellent!! I wish I was eating them right now... -Buffalo wings are ohh my goodness. So good! -Chopped salad - great for lunch Truthfully, the food here is great, and the service is wonderful. Try it next time you are in town. For friendly service and a good bite to eat, Bar Louie is where it's at!
(5)
d a.
Was in tonight. The prices and appetizers are the best deal in evanston. Was a weird crowd, some 6 year olds with their parents. The food was fine. The real issue was with the service. I called earlier in the day about football, they told me they'd have it so I came, when I got there, they didn't have the package and then the bartender-who seemed more interested in talking to his buddy at the bar-this has happened before during previous visits with other servers-then changed the channel off what I was watching after he had agreed to change it. The prices are reasonable if you're a student on a budget and the food is fine, but if service is a dealbreaker for you I really wouldn't bother and this is not a one time thing with them.
(3)
L. P.
i can't believe this place only has 3 stars. i've come here on multiple occasions, mostly on their dollar burger tuesdays, and I've always had a good time. their burgers are actually decently sized and they have pretty good drink specials on the other days. i've always had pretty good service here. last time i went, the waitress was even willing to add an egg to my burger even though that wasn't listed on the menu.
(4)
Lindsay S.
First time to Evanston for us girls! We pulled the car out during a Cubs game and everything! It's a miracle! So we needed a drinky drink and by our walking around, there didn't seem to be too many bars open on a Sunday afternoon, actually not too many at all. Then the bar that's in every neighborhood showed up on the corner we were walking towards. Like a beacon calling! Beer!! And yummy ones on tap too! People coming in here were more families coming in for lunch, which was odd to me. We had a beer and took it in while watching the Cubs game. The staff is very friendly, so much so that apparently the mail carrier stops in for a drink after her shift! It was a good stop all-in-all before taking off and exploring more of Evanston!
(4)
Brett N.
Dammit! I have been a fan of Bar Louie - for over 15 years but things have changed. Once a popular, swanky indulgence, this "tavern" joint has gotten so measured (skimpy!!) with the food and drinks. So many others do it better these days at pleasing the customer. The ambiance (at Evanston) is set to be kindof 1940's supper club but the feeling of a sticky sports bar kept interrupting. Tacky promotions and TV screens (even in the dining room) really elevated the sense of desperation and pandering. What else have you to offer? The beer specials are listed in the menu as $3 but they're really $3.50 (this month). The fried calamari was way too minimal for $10 and the small cone basket was half filled with lettuce!! My standby, the Chicken Vesuvio basket, had an overblown bun and almost 20 fries on the side. Again, the shredded lettuce was the star on this sandwich, not the cheese or the chicken. Grrrr... My friend had the Fish and Chips which was ample with 3 flanks on top of the substituted tater tots (which were great). It was embarrassing how different the orders were - and about the same price! I nicely mentioned these topics to the waitress who seemed ready to politely ignore my observations with a "yeah, that the way it's always been..." sort of reply. No adjustment. No offer. No extra fries. Nothing. Well... we got water refills. Too bad, because I am a really good tipper. Get it together BL. Please don't be a bad host.
(2)
Sandeep P.
Indeed, as the reviews below indicate, this place is a real gem for burgers! I came here at the behest of a friend for the Tuesday "dollar burgers", and while my burger ended up being nearly $3 or $4 with toppings, I must say it was one of the most delicious I've had in Evanston. In fact, I've been back at least 2 times since then, often going out of my way to do so. The key to the burgers here is that they actually season the patties quite well, which combined with the delicious toppings (my faves: sauteed mushrooms, bacon, guacamole and pepperjack cheese) is absolutely scrumptious. As my friend remarked "Wow, you haven't even put down your burger since getting it....you're practically inhaling it!" High praise from a slow (and picky) eater. The only catch of dollar burgers is that you have to buy a drink (alcoholic or otherwise) but hey, it's hardly a fee- you still get to have a drink with your delicious burger! Take the time to come out here. You won't regret it.
(5)
Joseline N.
Horrible service. My waitress literally approached the table and said "alright " so we can order. the drinks on the menu weren't available and the ones we did order didn't taste good. I had a sangria ...red ...beware! I asked for water she brought 1 and nothing for my friend and I went to the bar for my silverware, napkins, more water... I pretty much waited on myself. I waitressed for almost 10 years And never seen anything like this, just horrible service. food was ok guacamole just tasted like avocados too... Boo for Bar Louie Evanston!
(1)
James B.
This place is BRILLIANT! Between dollar burger (or chicken sandwich or turkey burger) night, trivia night, amazing cocktails and OUTSTANDING service--be sure to ask for Brandy, who will deliver everything with a little sass and a lot of speed--I'm looking forward to becoming a regular at Bar Louie.
(5)
Allison S.
Pretty good bar food! Love their appetizers, shrimp skewers, calamari, hummus, spinach artichoke dip, pretzel sticks... It gets an extra star for all of their specials! They have a 3 dollar beer every month that switches off. Also I think on wednesdays they have 3 dollar any beer on tap. Love their cocktails- have tried almost all of them- honeydew, diva, dirty, and smores martinis are my favorites. The best is dollar burger night on tuesdays, while it is extra for each topping plus a drink, its still worth it, and you can substitute for turkey burger, chicken breast, or a portabello burger! SO good! Also love coming for trivia on thursdays!
(4)
Tarra T.
Great $1 Burgers on Tuesday night. Though if you want cheese, bacon or anything other than the meat and bun you'll pay $.50 extra. Even still, it's a pretty good deal and a way to feed yourself on a student budget if you're like me. Also, pretty inexpensive drinks too.
(3)
Emma M.
Meh. I've come here for happy hour after work a few times mostly because they have 1/2 off appetizers. Their drinks are over priced and they have a terrible selection of beer. Can we please move on from heineken, Sam adams and miller products, please? The bruchetta is pico de gallo served with bread aka gross. Their only good appetizer I've had is the boneless chicken wings, but then again that's something that's frozen and thrown into the deep fryer. Their service is okay, kind of on the slower side. I rather much go somewhere else and I think I will next time. Sorry Louie.
(2)
Steve J.
Food is good (well, except for fish and chips that I had last time I was there); cajun items usually quite tasty. Service has been lacking here for the last 12 years that I have been coming. But even more disappointing is there beer pricing: if you order beer with your food, they tax the beer. But, if you just have a drink, it is tax free. Why should the beer cost more if you have it with a meal?
(3)
Ted C.
I've been here a few times and it's been okay. They had 5 dollar buckets for Miller Lite so my friend was pretty happy and their buffalo calamari is good. I should really go on nights they have specials because $7 for a Black Velvet is a little too much to be charging, at least if I have cheap food I feel like I'm coming out even. I want to give it a begrudging 3 stars, because it's never really done me wrong, just a tad too much for a Guinness and Cider.
(3)
Ali O.
Man oh man. I'm one of those lame-ohs that actually likes Bar Louie. Before the one on Damen closed, it was pretty easy to guess where I would be on any given Tuesday Night . . . Dollar Burgers! Now that our Bar Louie is closed, when we need a fix we venture to the Bar Louie in Evanston. The great thing about chains is that they are all the same! Like most people mentioned, dollar burger night tends to get BUSY. So please, don't come here at peak dinner hour with a big group of people. That just isn't using your head. The main thing about this Bar Louie is that it is chalk full of college kids. Now, some might find this terribly obnoxious. I, on the other hand, like to look at it as an opportunity to relive my college days. Who doesn't want to travel back in time and be a young coed again? And don't even get me started on those hot young college studs . . . . rawr
(4)
Christina B.
It's a simple story: Ordered bar louie as a take out (i was at work) and when I got home with my Pesto Chicken sandwich...there was no pesto! I can understand if it was a secondary ingredient but its in the title!! So it was basically chicken on a bun!! I didn't have time to sort it out because I was at work but made a mental note to skip Bar Louie Evanston next time.
(1)
Jexenia G.
The only good thing about this place os their music. Good old school rock, but everything else was terrible. Had the sesame seed encrusted ahi tuna, it was way over cooked barely saw the raw meat and no seasame seeds encrusting it?? Prior to getting the food the waitress was completely clueless about what's on the menu, my friend asked how their ribeye sandwich was and she said oh yea the pulled pork is so good!! Ok fine ill let her get away with that, maybe a newbie college student. My bf and I ordered drinks and food way before the couple that came with us did and they get their drinks and food before. Ok FiNE ...let another slide. Finally we get our food....no wait it was my main meal AND the appetizer together, wtf? So what's an appetizer for?? My poor bf waited about 15 minutes later before getting his tacos ( a simpler meal that all of us). If your hungry don't bother coming to eat here, mostly made for drinking. And one more thing the food tasted terrible, didn't finish half the plate.
(1)
Jims L.
I have to say that I love the atmosphere at Bar Louie in the evenings, especially in the summer and with outdoor seating. Though they're tasty, especially with cheese/fries, $1 burgers on Tuesday usually turn into $15 meals (if you want extras, something on the side, and a tasty drink).
(3)
david b.
Something about the place refrains from delivering true love. But they know how to fry calamari right. The servers are nice except when they're off duty drinking and having romantic spats with each other. Which is actually entertaining mostly. Oh, never go on dollar burger tuesday cuz it filled with hungry college kids.
(3)
Marion P.
We go here sometimes for no particular reason (it's just conveniently in the neighborhood) and there's usually something good and something bad about it. + The street seating is nice on a pretty afternoon. - They make an awful blackened salmon that literally tastes like it consists of 30% salt + They have huge burgers with some good toppings - The veggie burgers cost MORE than the meat burgers! (Not only overpriced for a Boca burger, but also makes you wonder about the quality of their beef) + The chips with three dips are really good - I found some hard, undefinable pieces in my black beans once - The service was generally slow and not particularly friendly - Their indoors area isn't very comfortable - I'm no fan of the atmosphere, and that includes the mix of horrible pop music running against sports tv A few more cons than pros, then, but I will still go back because I really want to try their hummus/tabuli/tsatsiki-platter, which I just discovered on the menu yesterday - yum!
(3)
Jess B.
As someone who has tried virtually everything on the menu I can say for a chain Bar Louie is the top! The bartenders and staff are friendly and know how to pour a drink. Whether cozied up at the bar in the winter over one of their seasonal hot beverages, or lazing in the sun with an ice cold beer- I've always enjoyed my time at Bar Louie. Great wings, great burgers, great pizza, great quesadillas. And the pretzels, buffalo calamari, and the crispy chicken sandwich are MUST tries! I'm also a honey mustard addict so order a side of that with almost anything. They are very accommodating to tweaks in your order. I love Bar Louie!
(5)
Chelsea L.
Wtf yelp? I read all these negative reviews before coming here and I was so worried it would suck. But I am here at Dollar Burger Night and it was glorious!! Drinks were a tiny bit expensive but that's our only complaint. It's not too crowded (we walked in at 6:15 and got a table immediately), and we had prompt, friendly service. Our drinks were tasty. We started with a half-prize appetizer, and it was good. But most importantly, we had four super delicious burgers! Even with toppings mine was only $2 - a fantastic deal. Everything was great, and we will definitely be back!
(5)
Liz L.
I had very high expectations for this place, everything on the menu looks so good! They must have hired someone really eloquent with words to make all the food sound much much better than it really is. The atmosphere was outright sketchy. The chairs were torn and had holes and the tables were sticky and gross. There were flies all over the place and they kept sitting on our food. I think my hand was shooing flies away more than it was putting food into my mouth. Our group had the california burger, cheese quesadillas, and white louie pizza. The cheese quesdillas were decent, the tortillas were really chewy. The burgers were pretty low-quality. The meat patties were cold and dry and reminded me of frozen patties. I honestly think wendy's burgers are better. The white louie pizza was also disappointing. The dough tasted like frozen dough and the cheese was all cold and flavorless. The peppers on the pizza tasted like the cheap peppers sold in glass containers at Costco. Worst part was that the place isn't even cheap. With their prices, you could probably make this meal three times and have it taste better.
(2)
Jennifer Q.
Went here yesterday afternoon after seeing a movie at the nearby Century Theatre. I ordered the seared ahi tuna appetizer. It was a little on the "expensive" side for an appetizer ($12), but I have to say, the portion was pretty decent. There were about 8 maki sized pieces, a little side of zesty edamame / veggie blend (almost like a pico de gallo) and some sliced cucumbers. I really liked the sauce that was served with it. I was filled up and felt good about it because it was healthy. My friends ordered salads which were very generous as well. It's a nice place. Sort of a trendy bar /restaurant -lots of TVs and sports playing. Dark, sort of "romantic" vibe. It would be a cool place to bring a date after the movies. I had been to Bar Louie before in Wheeling (which I think is now closed). I like this location more -I like the decor more-it has a little more of a swanky vibe. It was a good experience overall.
(3)
Stacey A.
I don't live in Evanston. I don't go to school in Evanston. I really come here for dinner with friends and boys I sometimes think I'm dating. But whatever I ended up doing in Evanston, we always seemed to end up at Bar Louie afterwards. The service was quick, the bartenders friendly, and the company superb. Beers were a tad expensive, and the Louie is always a bit chain-y.
(4)
David B.
I've never had a bad visit to any of the many Bar Louie's scattered around Chicago. I like this Evanston spot because its conveniently located to me and its never overly crowded. I would say they have above average bar food and a nice selection of beers/drinks.
(3)
Jesster A.
I can believe this is a date and/or drinking place - I can't believe anyone comes here for the food. I had the worst salad I've ever had here and the spouse had a stale bread sandwich. We specifically ordered the nachos SANS hot peppers and the waitress brought us a platter of hot peppers with a few chips underneath... She brought them all at the same time and never came back, so we never had the chance to send them back or even order another round of drinks. Finally had to chase her down and she didn't even apologize.
(2)
Andrew K.
Exactly 3 stars. My "fish" Poboy was decent (but suspect given that they didn't define the type of fish), as were the fries and the goose island ale (in a mighty big glass). Not cheap or expensive, convenient outdoor seating. Took too long to get the bill.
(3)
Anna H.
Good bar food! I like going here on Mondays when they have 25 cent wings and Tuesdays for $1 burgers. Unlike other places that run weekday specials, this place doesn't downgrade its quality or portion size for the specials. They serve you the same food, just at a cheaper price. The $1 burgers are good quality for the price! Update: I'm changing the rating to 3.5 stars! The Monday special changed to 1/2 off everything on the menu, which is a super deal for dinner.
(3)
Joshua N.
Pretty good menu for a bar and some of the drinks are nice. I just ordered a burger, backyard bbq something or other. It was really good, but was overshadowed by some of the worst service I've had in a really long time. This chick seriously was cuddling with her beau eating fries together for extended periods of time instead of waiting on her tables. We were all looking around at each others empty glasses and admiring the audacity of this waitress to basically be on a date in the middle of her shift, in the middle of her section. She never even brought all of the things that we ordered. No check back after the food was delivered. Nothing. There are better places in Evanston to spend $9 bucks on a drink.
(2)
Jess S.
I'm never impressed with the place. I've only been here to enjoy the cheap burger night or use up some free entree coupons. Servers are always slow and indifferent. Food is alright. (But overpriced, just like the drinks) Parking is always impossible (to be expected in downtown Evanston). I've had better experiences at other locations, but still don't totally despise this place so a somewhat-neutral 3 stars.
(3)
Adam P.
$1 burgers on Tuesday nights are really the only reason to go to Bar Louie. The rest of the food is pretty mediocre and overpriced. And so are the drinks. Of course this is a nicer bar than The Keg or Hundo, but I'm in college -- I want to drink in a shithole.
(3)
Antonio S.
What to say about this place. Think of all the nice things to say in a review and reverse it. We went into Bar Louis about 1 year ago, and we didn't have any change for the parking meters. So, as anyone might do, we went in to Bar Louis to get change so we could eat there. Not only did they refuse to give us quarters, but they were extremely rude about it. We explained a few times that we would eat there, but we needed quarters or we couldn't park. They still refused and laughed at us once we got upset. So we left and went to one of the many GOOD restaurants in the area. Update: We tried Bar Louis again, thinking that things may have changed. We decided to go in for lunch. Our waitress greeted us and sat us down. We ordered two diet cokes and looked at the menu. We tried to order a burger, but the waitress told us that they had run out. She forgot to mention when we entered the restaurant that they were out of burgers. What kind of place known for their burgers runs out of burgers? It was ridiculous. Not only did our waitress not tell us that when we entered, but we paid 6 bucks for 2 diet cokes. So, a burger place that runs out of burgers, expensive, lousy service, and sub-par food. Thanks Bar Louis for making this review easy.
(1)
Ngoc H.
I've been here a handful of times and the food is just ok. The tator tots they serve are probably the best thing on the menu. Crispy little nuggets of golden deliciousness topped with bacon cheese and other things of greatness. There's a patio for the summer time when you want to people watch and enjoy the weather. Only two stars because of the tots. The last and probably final time I went there, we got the philly sliders or something like that and there was a rock, yes, rock in one of the sliders. The waitress we had, had a preppy, kind of "I'm better than you" attitude so she never came by to check on us. Good thing my friend knew a girl that worked there and basically served us until the end. All in all, I would go back for the tator tots but nothing else. No thank you to the rude waitress that acted as if we weren't there and didn't do anything, not even fill our waters and nothing about the ROCK in our burger. Thank you for the waitress that knew what waitress-ing was and served us throughout the meal.
(2)
Tyler S.
Stopped in for a few drinks and dollar burgers last night. I was really impressed. Nice outdoor patio, friendly service, and good prices. Especially that dollar burger! Every Tuesday from 5pm to close is dollar burger night. Go with some friends; have some fun!
(4)
John C.
This is one of those bars that serves food.....not a restaurant where you get a drink with your food. I am sympathetic to everyone who says the food either sucks or is mediocre in this place, but come on people, it's a bar. Do you really expect better than average food? Loud? Yes, because it's a bar. Crowd ranges from 21-50 with average being around 30. Loud music sometimes, but it's an okay place to get a drink and shoot the shit with friends as long as you manage your expectations.
(3)
E V.
over-flowing toilet in the ladies room bartender had no idea that you make a Manhattan with rye whiskey and/or Canadian whiskey--Jack Daniels? really? waitress pointed me to their "drinks menu", so supposedly they DO know how to make the silly concoctions listed there :\ didn't have any food so cannot comment on that it was reasonably priced, however
(2)
T K.
Bar Louie is decent for an Evanston bar. I used to make it a regular spot with a buddy of mine during the week and we got to know a few of the staff. They were always pretty friendly and willing to chat when it wasn't busy. I even got a free shot on my birthday without asking for it. The food is pretty decent and the specials make up for any shortcomings. All in all an ok place to grab a dinner and drinks...
(3)
Jaclyn C.
One of the 4 or so Chicago-area Bar Louies, it's best known in Evanston for it's dollar-burger night. As it should be. A range of drinks from martinis to beer, they also kick it up a notch from regular bar food (i.e. it tastes good).
(3)
Greg G.
Neutral place to grab a couple of drinks and an appetizer with a friend. The spinach artichoke dip with nachos is pretty good. Mixed crowds, decent atmosphere with metered parking (usually) on Grove or Sherman.
(3)
Gil N.
Average spot for a drink and some food. Service is decent, nothing special. I guess if you've been to one Bar Louie you've been to them all. This particular one had an internet jukebox, so it gets some points for that. No complaints, but nothing to rave about either.
(3)
Jonathan K.
i guess this is one of the best you'll get in evanston...its right downtown which is cool. crowd is pretty tame, i guess considering theyre probably all nw students. they have a sidewalk patio so thats nice.
(3)
Meredith F.
I've gone here for Dollar burgers on Tuesday night...the burgers are really good, but you have to buy a regulay price drink to get the burger deal, and they just keep charging on top of that, from toppings to fries, etc. Still, the atmosphere is cool and the outdoor tables are really nice in the summer. Definitely a college and grad school crowd.
(3)
Dee W.
A great alternative for cheap food (they get you with drinks) with the $1 burgers on Tuesdays. Unfortunately, they don't offer more cheap food options like they do in the city. Service is usually pretty good here and it's a nice place to grab a drink after work (or for NU students, final/paper/midterm - any excuse to drink, really) I forget which night we came in here and sampled at least 6 of their different martinis but I remember their names being provacatively creative and the martinis equally yummy and potent. (Maybe that's why I don't remember much after that)
(3)
Hilary M.
I often go here because I really like the outdoor seating in the summer time. (What can I say, I'm a sucker for outdoor seating.) They always have a pretty good beer special and the food is decent. It can get busy on tuesday nights for dollar burgers, but the burgers are good if you are looking for a cheap meal!
(3)
Jen H.
Go here for the mac n' cheese or the huge sandwiches, and check out the pretzel appetizer. Beyond that...pretty much pub food...but with a surprisingly awesome indie rock/dance rock jukebox (actually heard several obscure songs, including the Beck E-Pro remix--on a Sunday morning).
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner, Late Night Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Juke Box Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Tue, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Terry R.
Stopped here for the outside seating on a beautiful day. Ordered the baked macaroni and cheese, again it says "baked" on the menu. What I got was like Kraft macaroni with baco bits....awful. It turned out well when I found metal wire in my dish. They comped my lunch, but I already felt ignored by the waitress and literally hated my lunch. Won't be going back.
(1)Erika G.
This is a perfectly nice place to meet in perfectly nice Evanston, for a perfectly nice drink or some perfectly nice food. It's not exceptional, but it doesn't suck at all either. It's open late and has an outdoor space. Glasses of wine are a generously poured by cheerful waitresses. If you find yourself in Evanston, latenight, check it out!
(3)David E.
It should be called Bar Lousy!! Food and drinks are very overpriced and the food is mediocre at best!! Went tonight because we wanted to sit outside but will not be returning!!
(2)Jim H.
A good bar for several reasons. I like dollar beer night, it's fun to come early with a group of friends and stake out a table before it gets too crowded. The food is also pretty good as well. I've had burgers and flatbread here and I enjoyed both immensely. The staff was friendly and effective. It's a good, casual place to get a drink and have done food
(4)michael w.
Was surprised to find that at 10pm on a monday night, this is one of the few places open that is still serving food in evanston - what what?! I felt the prices were on the high end for the most part and since it was late, opted for a veggie wrap. Was I overwhelmed by the food? No. Was I glad to have the food option?Yes. Thx for meeting my late night needs BL.
(3)Rustygirl M.
Went for half priced apps tonight. Not all apps are avbl. Limited list but I had the chips and 3 dips and veggie flatbread. All were great! 20ozbeers were around 7$. Overpriced.
(4)Ann B.
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. My husband and I have been there a number of times and we always get terrible service almost non existent service. One time we sat there for 30 minutes before someone even acknowledged that we were there. never again at this location.
(1)Cindy W.
My appetizer -- the beer braised mussels -- was horrendous. It was bathing in a salty, oily giardiniera sauce. Who cooks mussels with giardiniera?Once I realized I was drinking the butter oil sauce, I stopped. Ugh. I was very disappointed. Wouldn't order again. Also... my waitress was MIA most of the time.
(1)Valerie W.
Nothing too special... and not my favorite place. But, they do have $1 burgers on Tuesdays and $1 beers on Wednesdays, which seems to keep my other half satisfied. The layout is weird and it is difficult to get around inside, IMO. Go for the specials.
(3)Carrie V.
Bar Louie delivers exactly what you expect - burgers and similar items and drinks at a fairly reasonable price. The best part about Bar Louie is the outdoor seating - perfect for summer in Chicago. If you are a sports fan, there are multiple TVs showing local teams.
(3)Courtney G.
The food and drinks were good but working in the service industry for 10+ years I know service and the blonde bartender was horrible. To the point where she even claimed that splitting mine and my four friends checks was against policy. We all ordered separate drinks and food and acted like it was an impossible endeavor to give us our own checks. Total bummer, won't go back ):
(2)Siva N.
Cool place. Good food. Right in Evanston downtown. I went here with my friends a few times. They have half off on some select items between 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays are $1 dollar burger nights. Best thing about this place is that it is open till 2 a.m.
(4)Tina C.
My boyfriend and I had their loaded tots and chicken quesadilla. The quesadilla was great, but the "loaded" tots were not loaded at all. It actually should have been called sprinkled tots. Drink menu has a large variety, we ordered a long island and blue moon. Nothing to complain about there. It was just the service that got to me...when we entered we weren't greeted or hosted, so we found ourselves a table, and it took about 10 minutes before a waitress showed up, and she was also MIA most of the time. It took about 25 minutes for us to ask for a check even after we were done with our food.
(3)Jane W.
This is my fourth year living in Evanston, but I've never been here before. I dropped by a week ago with a friend to grab drinks. I had a White Russian and we split the beer braised mussels. I was not a huge fan of the White Russian, because the alcohol taste was not well masked, and I'm personally more of a fruity drink person. However, the mussels were great. The environment is rather quiet and cozy, which (depending on what you're looking for) can be a good or a bad thing. I'd give this place a 3.5 star rating overall, but rounded down to a 3 because we were rather rudely asked to leave. I thought the place closed at 2am (it was actually 1am), and at 1:10am someone came by with a "guys we're closing now... it's 1:10 already". Jeez. Not that hard to be more polite. I might come back to try their $1 burgers/happy hour specials.
(3)Melody Y.
Last summer, I came to Bar Louie on Tuesday for $1 burgers pretty much every week. I'd pick a beer off from their long (relative to other places in Evanston) list of local brews, stack my burger with tons of toppings, and order fries to share with the rest of the squad. It was a magical summer. An important, yet often overlooked, attribute of a good burger is THE BUN. If you're using a sesame bun or the standard white bun, your burger belongs in a fast food joint. In short, Bar Louie makes a good bun. I've never found the patty to be too dry, and they always cook it the way I want it. The toppings are fresh and there are a variety of options. I've had the burgers from The Globe, Bat 17, Farmhouse, Edzo's, DMK, Celtic Knot, Nevin's Pub, Prairie Moon and Five Guys (I know... I had a phase), and I think that Bar Louie has the best burger in Evanston. Their fries are really good too. However, I visited Bar Louie a few weeks ago and ordered the Southwest off the normal menu, and the burger was not what I remembered (change in management/cook?). The bread was dry, the patty tasted a little off, and I was given maybe 10-15 fries. It was still a good meal, and maybe my experience was an outlier, but I would not promote this place as enthusiastically now as I did back then... Not food points: Like the ambiance. Never had a problem with service. Bathrooms are not super clean but what did you expect... tables are clean though! I'd imagine this place to be bumpin during the school year but in the summer months there are plenty of open tables.
(4)Jenny H.
Bar Louie is the place to go on Tuesday nights if you're craving a burger! You get $1 burgers with the purchase of a drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). And this isn't some cheap thin patty either, it's thick, juicy, and delicious. The fact that it's only $1 makes it taste even better. Then, you can pay for add ons, like $1 for guacamole. I usually add on swiss cheese, avocado, and bacon, which bring my burger up to only $4, which is still cheaper than other burger joints. When you walk in, you seat yourself. They have lots of cozy booths and big tables. It's good for groups, and they have tons of flatscreen TVs so you can watch the game. The bar is good and fully stocked. Every time I've been here, the service has been great. They also have half off appetizers on Mondays-Thursdays for a certain period of time. The calamari is quite delicious, and for $5, it's a steal. Definitely stop by on a Tuesday night when you get a chance!
(4)Kazu N.
SLOW and average food. We got the most horrible mustard I have seen in a restaurant. disgusting..
(2)Andrea K.
This place has been here my entire life and I finally stopped in for a few drinks and bites. The drink list was good as was the menu. We ordered the quesadillas and bruschetta. The quesadillas were pretty damn good for bar food. The bruschetta was weird because it came in a giant martini glass, literally, bigger than my husbands head. It was layered with lettuce and tomato with the bread on top. Not really bruschetta since it usually doesn't have lettuce and has balsamic and parmesan. It wasn't bad but we wouldn't order it again, and it was gigantic so we barely even had any after eating the quesadillas. Regardless, good atmosphere, great service, nice and casual place to pass time at.
(3)U.M. S.
I don't know what many of ya'll are expecting. This is like the McDonald's of bars. It's not gonna be anything high-end and it never will be. Are some of the drinks pricey? Hell yeah. Does some of the food suck (nachos, guac spread, shrimp tempura, etc.)? Uhm yes. But it's a bar, its got booze, it's not gross, and the waitresses work their butts off...most of the time. Pro-tips: $1 burger tuesdays (don't expect much in terms of burger temp, sad I know) get their drink specials and try the Smores Martini, for reals. I usually order chicken tacos plate but some times its really hit or miss, meaning some times the chicken has obviously been re-cooked (no bueno). But hey, they get their food from a Sysco truck so there's not much going for them. However, their fries, tots, and chocolate cake are amazing. Their quesadillas are okay too. Meh.
(3)Joshua S.
Dollar burger night. I didn't even know about this place. I went to go see the last hobbit at midnight at the century theater, and Bat17's transformer was out. What a shame. I was in a group of 4, and when one of the members ordered medium rare, the we waitress said that the cooks are "too lazy to use the thermometers". Health code violations. Check. When I asked for the Orange Mule, I was told they usually ask for people's ID's as collateral for not stealing the cup. Distrust. Check. When we received the burgers, they were of bland taste- you know, the gray-shaded layers of meat that look as dry as they taste. Horrible burger-meat- quality at a bar. Check. Do not go here. The waitresses are miserable. The atmosphere is uncomfortably stale. Bat17 rules! Go there instead...
(1)Alvina C.
I have gone here a few times---of course for burger night---when there are a million people there and then on random afternoons/evenings when not so much is going on. Whether there are a lot of people or hardly any people, service is lacking. The food itself is nothing special and generally you can't go wrong with drinks--but it sucks when you're ready and willing to throw down some cash for more food and drinks and waitstaff is no where to be found....ugh!!!!
(2)Josh S.
The service is miserable. The food is fine - ok bar food that is the same as every bar Louie throughout US suburbs. The manager is an idiot. The guy will sit in there at times and blast music from his own iPod while paying customers leave in droves. The place would be a fun spot to watch games if the service wasn't so awful.
(1)Labarp S.
Very mediocre bar. Nothing special to go for and seems like their food qualities have gone down hill more recently. I used to dine in at this Bar Louie and their other locations frequently in the past, but nowadays, this location has never failed to disappoint me. Their drink specials aren't the best and what makes this my last visit to Bar Louie is their Tuesday $1 burger. I understand that I can't expect the best quality for a $1, but serving a dry, frozen, grey looking burger isn't any better either. I was on my way to another joint but since that place closed down early, I thought I'd give Bar Louie's $1 burger a try. I convinced all of my friends to settle for this place, but it didn't take long for me to regret my decison. For a dollar, you get that dry, paper-like patty with a cheap tasting bun, a shredded lettuce. You will have to pay for all other condiments, including tomatoes, onion n pickle, which can easily add up making the burger $3-$5 easily. On top, you can only order basket of fries/tots for $4 instead of a smaller side order. Yes yes, some might argue it is still cheap, but I would rather have a decent slider or a smaller portion burger for that price rather than that pile of nonsense. I have had $2, $3, $3.50 and $4 burger speicals around the city that are actually awesome and are served with regular condiments n a side of fries/chips. Those places choose to serve better food so that the customers come back every week for their specials and bring more business to them. Unlike Bar Louie's $1 burger, where the servers are in bad mood because everybody dining in are for the cheap burger, small tab, and low tips. You don't get to choose the temperature of the burger because your server will go, rolling the eyes "it's all med-well." And please take my word, it's not med-well, it's very well-done. May be my server could have made my experience a lil better with a better service, but ah well, don't want to whine about everything now. In short, when u NEED to fill yourself up and you are on a tight budget, yep, some of their specials, including the 1/2 of apps, and $1 burger is a route to go for. But sometimes when you feel like eating a decent food, this is not a place to go to, and especially their one frigging dollar burger. Adios Bar Louie, it was great knowing you !!!
(2)Jennifer P.
This location sucks compared to the one on toughy. Their food quality is definitely lacking. And the "loaded" fries are about $7 extra for A LOT less fries and a little cheese, bacon, and whatever else they sprinkle on it. Not worth it at all. The last time we visited they didn't have a lot of the items we wanted. The martinis are good though as well as the service. Always friendly staff whenever I went. For some reason the food is just better on toughy and they give you more. Not sure if that's just been the case for us.
(2)Chris P.
This is a terrible bar with overpriced watered down drinks. They tried to give me the wrong change after I paid of course in their favor.
(1)Sam N.
Giving it 2 stars because I feel like being a nice guy today. What is the difference between one Bar Louie and another Bar LOuie? If you think about it...not that much. However even though the one in wrigleyville may be cheesy and the one in River North is actually good with some good food options, attractive bartenders, good wine options and specials during happy hour and its clean...so On 2nd thought there really is a difference. I have ben coming to the one in Evanston for about 5 years and there always something a bit off about the place. Like I have noted in my note, it's like eating and drinking in a broom closet without the smell of amonia. Sometimes the tables are sticky and have not been cleaned that day. We all know that maybe just maybe and I am going out on a lim here but if you are the chef are Bar Louie in Evanston, there are to be no appearances on TOP CHEF for you. It does not mean you should not have any pride. You should be able to say to yourself "hey I make the best guac in Evanston bring it on MOFO". Actually the guac here is not that good. I think I could do better. The flatbreads that I had taste like year old cardcoard...come on guys step it up. The chicken nachos were ok but still on the same level on things they might serve you in a North Korean Gulag. At least here you can get up and walk out... In the summer I have been here twice one of the times while wincing while one of my friends tries to flirt with the waitress who must have been 22 and he is like 41-not a good idea because this is not the viagra triangle 2 years ago I went in one weekend and the lights were flickering in the bathroom. Unless this was a prep for some B Movie horror scene this is not something that should take place. If this place was not next to The Keg which is god awful and is always on the verge of being closed depending on what the weekend. I am not going anymore...I will watch football and Hockey games at Tommy Nevins when I and my friends are in Evanston. At least there I know there is no chance on anything happening to me if I eat the food. PLUS- I get to hijack the juke box :)
(2)Cat D.
I came to bar louie for their $1 burger, because who can say no to such a economic burger??? To be honest, I was more excited about the price. The burger was pretty good but mediocre at best (a little dry). The service was quite quick. I was in a rush and we were in and out within 40 minutes to an hour. I'll most likely be revisiting for the $1 burger and might even try some of their other things if I'm feeling adventurous that day. Another back burner option to add to my list.
(3)Jack F.
Was really excited to come here for their $1 burger specials on Tuesday. Kind of a let down. The burger itself was insanely dry and had no flavor whatsoever. Also, the $1 burger only comes with lettuce, so with toppings and fries (for an additional $4!!) And a drink (which you need to get in order to get this special), the bill still came out to about $13. For that, I would've just gone to another restaurant. Also, don't ask for water: it tastes like bathroom water.
(2)Jody B.
Hubby and I came here to eat after we went for cocktails at Ward Eight (5 mega stars!!!!). This has become a pattern... figure out a reason we can end up in Evanston for cocktails at Ward Eight, then decide if we will eat there, or pick another place nearby. This night it was Bar Louie. We sat at the bar. Hubby had a beer he liked and I had water. I was glad I had my cocktail at WE! We both had tortilla soup; our new favorite soup! It was meaty with a kick. The tortillas were too soggy. They should have waited to put them in the soup right before they brought them to the table. I'm not sure what was going on there... because we were sitting no more than 20 feet from the kitchen ledge where they put the food. I think it sat for a while. I had the salmon sliders and hubby had the fish and chips. The food is tasty, but nothing special. You do get a lot of salmon on the sliders. Nice! I couldn't finish them, so the bartender wrapped them up and said she would put them on the back counter out of my way. Unfortunately, halfway home, I realized she forgot to give them to me and I forgot to ask. Bummer! It sort of annoyed me because there were several waitresses/bartenders standing by our seats talking and using their iPhones... more attention to what we needed might have earned them another star. While I gave it only two stars, I would be back for the soup and sliders... after Ward Eight, of course!
(2)Cherie W.
I enjoy going to this restaurant in the warm weather sitting outside on the patio. They have outdoor heaters on the cool fall nights which makes it very comfortable. The food is decent, it's the typical bar food stuff. I found the service to be consistently good and always have a good time when I go.
(3)T D.
This is not a lunch place I'd recommend. The food takes a long time to come out. Sometimes the quality of the food is worth the wait, but that is not quite the case here. The one and only time I ate here, the server was rude and unapologetic.
(2)Tom H.
Excellent service for a large group (7 pax) coming in on a Saturday evening after a football game. Minus one star because I thought the menu was a bit limited, but what was on the menu was all pretty nice. I had the Blue Louie, which was done very well, they resisted the normal urge to pile too much blue cheese on top, overpowering everything else on the burger. As it was, it was just enough. The pretzels are almost obligatory - excellent. Great, attentive service. I fine time was had by all.
(4)Marla R.
The food was really good I had just a basic burger and fries. The fries were a little salty but other then that it's a nice clean place and the staff was wonderful
(4)Meredith C.
Staff was very very polite and nice. Decor was cute and comfy. TV was good for a bears game. Food was really almost inedible. Quote gross. And I am not picky. No faultnof staff, just really poor quality. Wings tasted like saw dust, turkey burger was watery. Just about the worst meal I've ever had. Trivia was thrust upon us, table behind us was using their phone and cheating entire time. Staff was great. Ownership needs to step up the rest.
(3)Aspen M.
Service is incredibly slow. Waitresses were rude. Simply asked when our food would come and they took it personally...I loved this place until the staff decided to give up up on its customers...Won't come back for food any time soon.
(1)Cristina M.
Very cute little dive bar. Bouncer is outside smoking a cig before we entered and asked for ID. Bathrooms are sorry, but once again, it's a dive bar...a local pub...good spot to grab a drink :)
(4)Emily M.
Too bad I wasn't on Yelp for all the great times I had here taking advantage of weekday specials, several years ago. Obviously I have an account now, so it's a shame that I had such a crappy experience last night. This was bar #2 in a work bar crawl (which also included fun times at Prairie Moon and Bat 17). At around 8pm, I went to the bar to use my drink ticket and also get an order of fries. Went like this: -I ask for whatever sparkling wine they have, and also, for an order of fries. -Bartender gets me my drink, starts making others. -I wait a minute, then ask what the price is for the fries, and he says $4.50 with tax. -I wait a few more minutes, then ask if I should pay him (taking out $6 to cover tip, too). -He continues making drinks (to be fair, it is busy). My boyfriend comes up to to the bar, to get his drink. -The bartender doesn't acknowledge us for the next several minutes, then tells us we have to get away from the bar, because the server needs that area. -Umm...if they don't want people at the bar, why are there stools in that space??? So, my boyfriend and I shared my wine and left, wondering why we hadn't trusted our instincts to bypass this place and go straight to Bat 17. No beer for bf, no fries for me, I guess. It's just so annoying when you end up wasting your time at a place that doesn't want to serve you, when there are a hundred other excellent bars throughout the Chicago area. Boo, Bar Louie. BOO!
(2)Will B.
Best chicken wings in Evanston!
(4)Brian B.
We had great food, service and it was $1 burgers night. My spouse had Portabella and I had the Louie. We got a large fries, martinis and beer with the food.
(4)Steve A.
I'm not much of a bar person, but I really like Bar Louie. They have a great outside dining area, and surprisingly they make one of the best salads in town. The chop chop salad has iceberg lettuce, bacon, tomato, carrot, avocado, garbanzo beans, chopped egg, cucumber, tortilla strips, and house dressing. I also really like their pretzel sticks, which come with three very good dipping sauces. Service has always been efficient and friendly.
(4)Tom A.
Enjoy dollar burgers
(3)Andy S.
Bar Louie is on the "OK" side and not so much on the "A" side. Food is good, not great. They have good deals during the week on appetizers, burgers, and beer. The pretzel appetizer is pretty good actually. Pricing is pretty standard. Service is good.
(3)Deon M.
My boyfriend and I came to this Bar Louie on a Saturday night to have some drinks and grab a quick app. Well let me tell you 2 things 1, DO NOT GET THE 3 DIP THING, it is awful! but then again what was I expecting from a BAR right? 2. The Drinks are WATERED DOWN, we ordered a couple shots of patron and it seriously wasn't strong, you could clearly taste that it was watered down. I also had a margarita and it was TOO SWEET to drink, way too much grenadine was used and I did not drink it. Do yourself a favor and go to Taco Diablo around the corner on Davis, their drinks are GREAT! I'm tipsy after just a few sips and they cost less too. I've never been back to Bar Louie since this experience.
(1)Liz A.
This place is a nice alternative to the other bars in Evanston; the seating is very comfortable, you can usually get a booth, and there are plenty of TVs to watch whatever games are currently playing. They have lots of specials; Tuesday night is $1 burger nigh which is usually a big hit with the college guys, but don't be fooled--EVERYTHING costs extra, so be prepared to spend more than $1, also the burgers aren't very big, most guys need at least two plus an order of fries to feel full. All in all, the food is standard bar food, nothing special and prices are pretty reasonable, but the deals aren't as great as they seem. Comfortable place for a low key night.
(3)Cassie S.
It seems that I just like all Bar Louies better in the summer. Well, the ones I've been to. That have outdoor seating areas. Burgers are decent, fries are hit or miss. They don't have my favorite Bar Louie staple (grilled cheese) on the menu, though I'm sure I could ask for it. Drinks can be overpriced but there's always a monthly special beer. And I had a really awesome beer margarita here a few weeks ago where there was a mini Corona bottle stuck upside down in a margarita. Trust me, it was cool. Final thought: they have these odd booths inside that are a whole lot smaller than they look. They are circular and while they look like you could fit 4 or 5, we had trouble with 2 (and full meals - maybe could have fit more with just drinks). There was plenty of butt space, but table space and leg space were severely limited.
(3)Eric C.
Massive improvement in food. I avoided for years but last two lunches were great. I'm coming back soon. Nice work chef.
(4)H K.
VERY VERY VERY SLOW!!!!!! We made a reservation but our table wasnt ready so they crammed 6 people in this small round table. So uncomfortable. Didnt even have space for our food. Got here right at noon but got our food little after 1pm. Don't ever go there unless you have plenty of time for waiting. The food is good but not worth of an hour wait.
(1)Andie S.
I went to Northwestern and over the four years that I lived in Evanston, Bar Louie was one of my favorite spots. There's a great reason to go every day! Tuesday: Dollar burgers. Yes, you have to buy a drink, but with $3 beer of the month, you can get a great dinner for $5. And the burgers are great, I expected them to be small or crappy for a dollar, but they don't cut corners! Fries are $4, but worth it. Wednesday: Dollar beers. Enough said. Thursday: TRIVIA with $5 martinis and $5 flatbreads! How do you beat that? By far my favorite trivia in Evanston (and I tried them all) The menu is pretty good and pretty extensive for a bar, the bruschetta, turkey burgers, and spinach artichoke dip are favorites. All the waitresses were fun and friendly. I would definitely recommend Bar Louie to anyone in the area.
(4)Erin P.
Sad - this place is the perfect hangout for a grad student like me BUT the staff is HORRIBLE and rude! They run around, yelling at people and FREAKING OUT on their patrons.
(1)Kyle B.
I very rarely head to Evanston these days, but had a party to attend and thought I'd check out the scene. When I heard it was at Bar Louie my first thought was, "Those are still around?" as per my experience with every other Bar Louie I know closing down in multiple cities. But I'd been before, oddly enough kind of missed the place, and thought it might be kind of a blast from the past to order up some old favorites. The scene there wasn't too bad - just a handful of locals hanging out enjoying the weekly specials - but I can't even articulate how awful the service was. I joined the group after the party started so they already had drinks and apps in front of them, but right when I sat down I was warned to "order everything I needed, because they rarely come back to check in." That was already alarming, but when the waitress didn't even come to say as much as a "hi" after a half hour, I was already not enjoying my experience. When the waitress finally came over, I wanted to place an order for a 1/2 price app (the special of the day) only to be told that I had missed the cut-off by, you guessed it, a half hour. Very clever waitress. You won that round. I finally got a tall draft and was never asked if I wanted another THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS THERE. The sad thing is, the food actually wasn't that bad. The pretzel stick appetizer was pretty tasty, and I had no complaints about the sliders. I just grew a beard waiting for it. I mean, I look pretty good in a beard, but I'd rather grow it on my own terms. If you want a place that has some decent weekly specials after a hard day of work, feel free to stop by. Just know that the term "happy hour" here should actually be plural.
(2)Barney C.
This place is real "Eh" ... I love bar food. I mean nothing beats a good burger and some 1/2 off appetizers. It's a beautiful thing. This Bar Louie isn't really doing the trick for me though. The burger was pretty good, especially with the base model having a sticker price of $1 on Tuesdays (5pm until close). Add a plethora of trimmings like crumbled blue cheese and good ol' American bacon for 50 cent a pop each and 4 bucks later you've got a personalized artery clogging meal. The appetizers is where they dropped the ball though. It just pretty much sucked. Calamari. Chewy and stale. Boneless Wings. Bland. Artichoke Dip. Plenty of choke. I won't rush back to this Bar Louie for Happy Hour.
(2)Shradha A.
I'm not sure I really ever visited Bar Louie while in school in Evanston, because The Keg used to be the ones with the parties. But when chance had me land up here Monday night during school break, I wasn't too impressed by the drinks or the food but of course, I am probably now too old to appreciate it any way.
(3)CK L.
Tuesday burger night! Love it! I always get my Turkey burger and a Portabella burger! Condiments... Really is your choice. I usually go for Pepper Jack, Buffalo Sauce, and Guacamole. Gosh, so full! So good! By the way, the beer special is getting a large size beer for the price of small!
(5)Ehow C.
Expensive. Unless you come for $1 burger nights on Tuesday, then it's a bit more affordable. The secret to making your burgers not taste terrible? Hot sauce, lots of hot sauce. Trust me on this one.
(2)Jelena Z.
Chains and me, we're not so happy together. But Bar Louie is all right, it really is. What they do well: burgers, TVs and specials (i.e. $1.50 mini items such as sliders and tots on Thursdays in August). Also, the Vesuvio Melt with chicken, provolone, tomato (86 for me), lettuce, onion, mayo, and olive oil is a personal favorite. They are also good at fooling people that they aren't a chain - I'd say 4 out of 10 friends don't realize this. Interesting little tidbit, indeed! Beer list could use some work - I ended up with a Bud Light Golden Wheat which is completely atypical for me. The closest they stock to a microbrew is Stella, which for some reason I can't drink anymore. Service is okay, though I imagine it gets crazy in here on Tuesdays ($1 burger night). All in all, not a bad spot to close out an evening after catching a flick at Century Theatre.
(3)Melissa F.
Ew, just no. I went this summer for drinks for my friend's 21st birthday. It was relatively low-key, or at least we thought it'd be, but the waitstaff was clearly overwhelmed by Dollar Burger Night. We had one waitress but then we had another, and then our first waitress returned. Also? The drinks taste like medicine. They are strong to the point of undrinkable, and they taste like maybe not medicine but rather the love child of Robitussin and vodka. Do...not...want.
(2)Annie W.
The best thing about our experience was the waitress, who was sassy and fun! I liked that there was live music when we were leaving - wished we'd been seated by the music - or known about it! The food was oh so very MEH, and there are too many TV's. Not my kind of place.
(3)Adi S.
I have been to Bar Louie a countless number of times and I always enjoy coming to this place. It's a great bar for the NU crowd, because of the location, hours and mixed seating areas. Their mixed drink selection is fantastic, and their non-alcoholic lemonades and limeades are delicious as well. Dollar burger nights are a great value; the burgers are well cooked, and the service is generally quick.
(4)OG Corweezy K.
Yo so I hit this place up two nights in a row, once for a drink and once for some food. They had this legit deal where you get a burger for a dollar. They catch is though that it's like $.50 for a topping or some shit. Still a straight up deal. It breaks down was they hooked me up with some Hennessy on drinking night, but damn son they couldn't keep an iced tea glass full on eating night. Damn shame too cuz I would have hooked this place up with another star for it too. I'll prolly go back.
(3)Peter K.
Great margaritas, but seems like everything after that was just okay. Crispy chicken sandwich is just ok and so are the fries. Dj had a mic and played trivia with a couple groups there. The mans voice was so annoying we just ended up leaving.
(3)Rowena L.
Admittedly I'm more partial to Nevin's and Bat 17, so I've frequented this place less recently. The cheese quesadillas and spinach artichoke dip are amazing! I guess for me the atmosphere just isn't as good.
(3)Moni K.
This place is called Bar Louie but it is no bar. It is a great burger joint; a hidden gem. Try the Blue Louie* (blue cheese, bacon, spinach, Buffalo sauce) or the Southwest* (pepper jack, guacamole, jalapeños) Actually any burger you pick you will not be disappointed. Also, all of Louie's meat burgers can be substituted for veggie. All burgers also come with delicious french fires nicely salted you just want to eat and eat and eat and lick your fingers Bar Louie is a franchise at least I think and I have tried many different locations for them in Chicago such as in Wrigley and on Chicago Ave but I think that the Bar Louie in Evanston is exceptionally good. Also they have these plush cozy round couches that you can snuggle to your love while you wait for the food. The food is great, staff is on it and the atmosphere is great. The other Bar Louis' just lack these ingredients. And it is August and they do have Stella for $3 on tap.
(5)Keiko S.
There are like...five bars in Evanston, and people typically hop around from one to another because they're all within a short walking distance. For me, if not Pete Millers or Prairie Moon, I'd rather go here (BL) or Nevins than the infamous Keg. Four stars for the outside patio, three for the inside seating. It gets really stuffy, rowdy and crowded inside; I can't stand having to shout at friends. The service is usually good, though, with cool and friendly servers. Decent drinks and appetizers...can't say much more, 'cause I usually end up not remembering what I'd had.
(3)Mikey J.
I went here for dollar burgers using a Groupon I had bought earlier. We had a group of 8-9 people to celebrate a birthday and I recommended Bar Louie. Bad choice. Being dollar burger Tuesday the place was packed and service was thumbs down big time. The food is alright but came out real slow and the burgers are nothing out of the ordinary.
(3)William G.
I normally despise Bar Louie for its trendy, mass appeal and franchise like nature. Its quite expensive and very little if anything is unique about its menu or portion sizes. However, . . . . . This one Bar Louie has my attention because its dive-like in some way. The space is split into a bar on one side and tiny restaurant area on the other, and for a wait staff comprised almost exclusively of skinny/slutty/dopey college students they manage not to come off as inexperienced or unorganized. But as you'd suspect, they're a little slow. My last trip there, wasn't my best, but it won't deter me from going back there. The draught beer tasted horrible. I had a miller lite or some domestic which was on special and sent it back. They exchanged it for a premium beer that I would normally order somewhere else, and it tasted like dirty dish water. So I finally ordered a Budweiser in a bottle and it tasted normal, so I'm pretty sure that "Dreck" taste was dirty dish water. Thankfully I only had a sip of each draft, otherwise I would've been consuming dirty dish water, or some checmical compound bars use to sanitize glasses in a hurry. Their Camp Fire Crunch is to die for, I usually eat 2 in one sitting. Otherwise I get the fries and a tiny container of ranch and I'm fine. Unless you're sitting outside for the purpose of fulfilling your Bar Louie fairy tale visit, you'd think it was a neighborhood bar. So this particular location gets an A-OK from me. My only suggestions is, oder something in bottles, or you might be sipping the bus-boy's unwashed hands.
(3)Kit G.
If you are looking for a sit down lunch during the workday in Evanston this is one of your best bets. They have really great lunch specials - they have several options that are like $7.95 each. I have been several times and they are never too busy - which means the service has been quick. I love their buffalo chicken sandwich and their fries. Urgh... that just made me hungry!
(4)Katherine L.
I would recommend this place for burgers and fries and drinks. I tried the BLT sandwich tonight, and it was way too salty, and the buffalo chicken pizza was unusual with carrots and celery sprinkled on top. The dough was more chewy (not that delicious).
(3)Ju L.
I admit I actually like this place. Tuesdays after 5pm is infamous Dollar Burger Night, with purchase of a drink-- it can be alcoholic or not, but a bottomless soda (there is no other kind!) is already $2.49 and the service is bad enough that you're never going to get it refilled, so you might as well spend the extra 50 cents on their $3 beer-of-the-month pints (all the time, any time!). Dollar Burger Tuesdays are unfair to judge Bar Louie by: It's INSANE until after 8pm, the burgers are often cold and not cooked to order, and they come only with shredded lettuce (sauces cost 25 cents, extras cost 50 cents each). Service is abysmal: Order everything you want --drinks, food, everything-- the first time the waitress comes to your table, because she's not coming back for a while. Having been here for NOT-Dollar Burger Night, I can say that it can be enjoyable. The waitstaff is much happier and attentive. 35-cent wings on Monday nights don't come close to the deliciousness that is Merle's 25-cent wings on Wednesdays (and no drink requirement there), but Bar Louie's Philly cheesesteak sliders are pretty good. I'd still avoid alcohol that isn't beer (the giant drink menu doesn't list prices because all their shitty drinks cost around $10), but there are 1/2 price appetizers between 4pm and 7pm, or anytime with an old receipt. Not bad. Haven't tried the midnight breakfast buffet yet but it sounds legit. The sports-bar ambiance that turned me off before is actually not so strong here-- there are lots of high-mounted TV's showing games, but few prematurely-balding men grunting into the air. And in keeping with someone else's sentiments below, the high tables and stools make me feel tall, too. UPDATE: The free midnight breakfast buffets on Saturdays DON'T EXIST! Sigh, of course it sounded too good to be true. Bar Louie just hasn't fixed its sign yet.
(4)Craig S.
I had a good burger and good service here. I don't recommend the banana pudding though. Nice ambiance but there's very little room at the bar itself. Taps take up most of the space.
(4)Michelle D.
Love this place!! great staff and great food!! Had the buffalo chicken pizza and it was amazing! Cant wait to go back!
(5)Mari Y.
As an ex-suburbanite, going to Bar Louie is one step up from going to the local watering hole. It doesn't swing too hard with the Northwestern presence and they have good daily deals. Now on to the two star review. I'm giving the establishment two stars because I had one bad experience here but three OK experiences. Two stars is the result of a very sophisticated algorithm averaging all of the experiences. Some friends and I visited Bar Louie on a day where they were doing $1 drink specials as they were experimenting with new summer drinks. The waitress also informed us that appetizers were 50% off. Being the cheapskates that we are, we ordered a load of drinks and appetizers because IT WAS A GOOD DEAL! We took bets on how much our bill would be and were shocked to see that the little American Express booklet noted that the total was nearly $30 more than we expected. After reviewing the bill, I called the waitress over and talked her through the bill, where we suspected there were mis-charges. The drinks were all correct but the appetizers were not. I went through the math with her on the bill and she said she needed to discuss it with her manager. A few minutes later, the manager came over and said something to the effect of "You're not getting anything for free and you DO have to pay," in an accusatory tone. Paying wasn't even the issue, we just wanted to be sure that it was the correct amount. Apparently the waitress did not inform us correctly that only "select" appetizers were 50% off. The manager went on to defend the waitress which was odd for the reason that the manager wasn't around when the waitress initially approached our table. Unless the waitress was wearing a wire, how would the manager know? So, we did the math against the changed appetizer prices but the bill was still wrong. We asked the manager again and she responded with something to the effect of, "I don't know, it's somewhere around this amount." Excuse me. Are you not an establishment that has: 1)a cash register that adds on its own 2) a calculator 3) an employee's mobile phone with a calculator?! We paid the incorrect amount and got the hell out of there as the waitstaff was giving us the evil eye and talking smack about our table. We haven't been back since.
(2)Chris R.
Luv this place! It's our corner bar with good food, great TVs, and friendly service. If your hungry, GET IN HERE! Varied menu has a good selection. If your thirsty, GET IN HERE! You'll never go long without a refill and Kevin will make (or try to make) whatever you want...even when he's weeded he's good! Wanna watch a game.....GET IN HERE!!! They will try to find it if you want to watch it. HOWEVER they really need to buy the sports packages for NFL,NHL,MLB.....etc Food, Service, Atmosphere, Value...BINGO! You seriously cannot go wrong in here. It's casual, it's fun....hey, it's the neighborhood bar.....GET IN HERE!!!
(5)Amy W.
TUESDAY DOLLAR BURGERS!! That is all that needs to be said about Bar Louie. I actually don't think I've ever come here on any other day of the week for any other food, except for one time when I was up late studying for finals and was suddenly craving calamari. I always get my dollar burgers with garlic fries, even though I always end up regretting having garlic breath for the rest of the night. For a while my friends and I were coming here EVERY Tuesday for the dollar burgers... No wonder I gained five pounds.
(4)Kate S.
My friends and I went here last night for my 21st birthday/$1 burger night. I didn't get a burger, but everyone else seemed to really enjoy theirs. The fries are delicious (both the regular and the garlic varieties), and the tater tots are crazy good (except the ones at the bottom of the basket, which were a little bit oily). The drinks are overpriced compared to other bars in Evanston, but my classic cosmo was great. There's a huge variety of specialty drinks, along with the usual beer and wine options. Aside from the higher drink prices, this place is much nicer than the Keg, P-Moon, or Hundo. I can't really comment on Nevin's, as I have only been there for special fundraising events. It has a very friendly neighborhood feel, which I love in a bar. Yes, it is loud; yes, it is crowded, but it was fun and our service was especially prompt (considering how crowded it was and that we had 8 or 9 people in our party) and friendly. I will definitely be returning for another Tuesday night.
(4)Rebecca L.
Bar Louie Evanston is YUMMY! Here's what I recommend: -Tater tots are #1! Try them with buffalo dipping sauce...amazing. -Mediterranean Salmon entree...its like being on vacation. -Chicken quesadillas are excellent!! I wish I was eating them right now... -Buffalo wings are ohh my goodness. So good! -Chopped salad - great for lunch Truthfully, the food here is great, and the service is wonderful. Try it next time you are in town. For friendly service and a good bite to eat, Bar Louie is where it's at!
(5)d a.
Was in tonight. The prices and appetizers are the best deal in evanston. Was a weird crowd, some 6 year olds with their parents. The food was fine. The real issue was with the service. I called earlier in the day about football, they told me they'd have it so I came, when I got there, they didn't have the package and then the bartender-who seemed more interested in talking to his buddy at the bar-this has happened before during previous visits with other servers-then changed the channel off what I was watching after he had agreed to change it. The prices are reasonable if you're a student on a budget and the food is fine, but if service is a dealbreaker for you I really wouldn't bother and this is not a one time thing with them.
(3)L. P.
i can't believe this place only has 3 stars. i've come here on multiple occasions, mostly on their dollar burger tuesdays, and I've always had a good time. their burgers are actually decently sized and they have pretty good drink specials on the other days. i've always had pretty good service here. last time i went, the waitress was even willing to add an egg to my burger even though that wasn't listed on the menu.
(4)Lindsay S.
First time to Evanston for us girls! We pulled the car out during a Cubs game and everything! It's a miracle! So we needed a drinky drink and by our walking around, there didn't seem to be too many bars open on a Sunday afternoon, actually not too many at all. Then the bar that's in every neighborhood showed up on the corner we were walking towards. Like a beacon calling! Beer!! And yummy ones on tap too! People coming in here were more families coming in for lunch, which was odd to me. We had a beer and took it in while watching the Cubs game. The staff is very friendly, so much so that apparently the mail carrier stops in for a drink after her shift! It was a good stop all-in-all before taking off and exploring more of Evanston!
(4)Brett N.
Dammit! I have been a fan of Bar Louie - for over 15 years but things have changed. Once a popular, swanky indulgence, this "tavern" joint has gotten so measured (skimpy!!) with the food and drinks. So many others do it better these days at pleasing the customer. The ambiance (at Evanston) is set to be kindof 1940's supper club but the feeling of a sticky sports bar kept interrupting. Tacky promotions and TV screens (even in the dining room) really elevated the sense of desperation and pandering. What else have you to offer? The beer specials are listed in the menu as $3 but they're really $3.50 (this month). The fried calamari was way too minimal for $10 and the small cone basket was half filled with lettuce!! My standby, the Chicken Vesuvio basket, had an overblown bun and almost 20 fries on the side. Again, the shredded lettuce was the star on this sandwich, not the cheese or the chicken. Grrrr... My friend had the Fish and Chips which was ample with 3 flanks on top of the substituted tater tots (which were great). It was embarrassing how different the orders were - and about the same price! I nicely mentioned these topics to the waitress who seemed ready to politely ignore my observations with a "yeah, that the way it's always been..." sort of reply. No adjustment. No offer. No extra fries. Nothing. Well... we got water refills. Too bad, because I am a really good tipper. Get it together BL. Please don't be a bad host.
(2)Sandeep P.
Indeed, as the reviews below indicate, this place is a real gem for burgers! I came here at the behest of a friend for the Tuesday "dollar burgers", and while my burger ended up being nearly $3 or $4 with toppings, I must say it was one of the most delicious I've had in Evanston. In fact, I've been back at least 2 times since then, often going out of my way to do so. The key to the burgers here is that they actually season the patties quite well, which combined with the delicious toppings (my faves: sauteed mushrooms, bacon, guacamole and pepperjack cheese) is absolutely scrumptious. As my friend remarked "Wow, you haven't even put down your burger since getting it....you're practically inhaling it!" High praise from a slow (and picky) eater. The only catch of dollar burgers is that you have to buy a drink (alcoholic or otherwise) but hey, it's hardly a fee- you still get to have a drink with your delicious burger! Take the time to come out here. You won't regret it.
(5)Joseline N.
Horrible service. My waitress literally approached the table and said "alright " so we can order. the drinks on the menu weren't available and the ones we did order didn't taste good. I had a sangria ...red ...beware! I asked for water she brought 1 and nothing for my friend and I went to the bar for my silverware, napkins, more water... I pretty much waited on myself. I waitressed for almost 10 years And never seen anything like this, just horrible service. food was ok guacamole just tasted like avocados too... Boo for Bar Louie Evanston!
(1)James B.
This place is BRILLIANT! Between dollar burger (or chicken sandwich or turkey burger) night, trivia night, amazing cocktails and OUTSTANDING service--be sure to ask for Brandy, who will deliver everything with a little sass and a lot of speed--I'm looking forward to becoming a regular at Bar Louie.
(5)Allison S.
Pretty good bar food! Love their appetizers, shrimp skewers, calamari, hummus, spinach artichoke dip, pretzel sticks... It gets an extra star for all of their specials! They have a 3 dollar beer every month that switches off. Also I think on wednesdays they have 3 dollar any beer on tap. Love their cocktails- have tried almost all of them- honeydew, diva, dirty, and smores martinis are my favorites. The best is dollar burger night on tuesdays, while it is extra for each topping plus a drink, its still worth it, and you can substitute for turkey burger, chicken breast, or a portabello burger! SO good! Also love coming for trivia on thursdays!
(4)Tarra T.
Great $1 Burgers on Tuesday night. Though if you want cheese, bacon or anything other than the meat and bun you'll pay $.50 extra. Even still, it's a pretty good deal and a way to feed yourself on a student budget if you're like me. Also, pretty inexpensive drinks too.
(3)Emma M.
Meh. I've come here for happy hour after work a few times mostly because they have 1/2 off appetizers. Their drinks are over priced and they have a terrible selection of beer. Can we please move on from heineken, Sam adams and miller products, please? The bruchetta is pico de gallo served with bread aka gross. Their only good appetizer I've had is the boneless chicken wings, but then again that's something that's frozen and thrown into the deep fryer. Their service is okay, kind of on the slower side. I rather much go somewhere else and I think I will next time. Sorry Louie.
(2)Steve J.
Food is good (well, except for fish and chips that I had last time I was there); cajun items usually quite tasty. Service has been lacking here for the last 12 years that I have been coming. But even more disappointing is there beer pricing: if you order beer with your food, they tax the beer. But, if you just have a drink, it is tax free. Why should the beer cost more if you have it with a meal?
(3)Ted C.
I've been here a few times and it's been okay. They had 5 dollar buckets for Miller Lite so my friend was pretty happy and their buffalo calamari is good. I should really go on nights they have specials because $7 for a Black Velvet is a little too much to be charging, at least if I have cheap food I feel like I'm coming out even. I want to give it a begrudging 3 stars, because it's never really done me wrong, just a tad too much for a Guinness and Cider.
(3)Ali O.
Man oh man. I'm one of those lame-ohs that actually likes Bar Louie. Before the one on Damen closed, it was pretty easy to guess where I would be on any given Tuesday Night . . . Dollar Burgers! Now that our Bar Louie is closed, when we need a fix we venture to the Bar Louie in Evanston. The great thing about chains is that they are all the same! Like most people mentioned, dollar burger night tends to get BUSY. So please, don't come here at peak dinner hour with a big group of people. That just isn't using your head. The main thing about this Bar Louie is that it is chalk full of college kids. Now, some might find this terribly obnoxious. I, on the other hand, like to look at it as an opportunity to relive my college days. Who doesn't want to travel back in time and be a young coed again? And don't even get me started on those hot young college studs . . . . rawr
(4)Christina B.
It's a simple story: Ordered bar louie as a take out (i was at work) and when I got home with my Pesto Chicken sandwich...there was no pesto! I can understand if it was a secondary ingredient but its in the title!! So it was basically chicken on a bun!! I didn't have time to sort it out because I was at work but made a mental note to skip Bar Louie Evanston next time.
(1)Jexenia G.
The only good thing about this place os their music. Good old school rock, but everything else was terrible. Had the sesame seed encrusted ahi tuna, it was way over cooked barely saw the raw meat and no seasame seeds encrusting it?? Prior to getting the food the waitress was completely clueless about what's on the menu, my friend asked how their ribeye sandwich was and she said oh yea the pulled pork is so good!! Ok fine ill let her get away with that, maybe a newbie college student. My bf and I ordered drinks and food way before the couple that came with us did and they get their drinks and food before. Ok FiNE ...let another slide. Finally we get our food....no wait it was my main meal AND the appetizer together, wtf? So what's an appetizer for?? My poor bf waited about 15 minutes later before getting his tacos ( a simpler meal that all of us). If your hungry don't bother coming to eat here, mostly made for drinking. And one more thing the food tasted terrible, didn't finish half the plate.
(1)Jims L.
I have to say that I love the atmosphere at Bar Louie in the evenings, especially in the summer and with outdoor seating. Though they're tasty, especially with cheese/fries, $1 burgers on Tuesday usually turn into $15 meals (if you want extras, something on the side, and a tasty drink).
(3)david b.
Something about the place refrains from delivering true love. But they know how to fry calamari right. The servers are nice except when they're off duty drinking and having romantic spats with each other. Which is actually entertaining mostly. Oh, never go on dollar burger tuesday cuz it filled with hungry college kids.
(3)Marion P.
We go here sometimes for no particular reason (it's just conveniently in the neighborhood) and there's usually something good and something bad about it. + The street seating is nice on a pretty afternoon. - They make an awful blackened salmon that literally tastes like it consists of 30% salt + They have huge burgers with some good toppings - The veggie burgers cost MORE than the meat burgers! (Not only overpriced for a Boca burger, but also makes you wonder about the quality of their beef) + The chips with three dips are really good - I found some hard, undefinable pieces in my black beans once - The service was generally slow and not particularly friendly - Their indoors area isn't very comfortable - I'm no fan of the atmosphere, and that includes the mix of horrible pop music running against sports tv A few more cons than pros, then, but I will still go back because I really want to try their hummus/tabuli/tsatsiki-platter, which I just discovered on the menu yesterday - yum!
(3)Jess B.
As someone who has tried virtually everything on the menu I can say for a chain Bar Louie is the top! The bartenders and staff are friendly and know how to pour a drink. Whether cozied up at the bar in the winter over one of their seasonal hot beverages, or lazing in the sun with an ice cold beer- I've always enjoyed my time at Bar Louie. Great wings, great burgers, great pizza, great quesadillas. And the pretzels, buffalo calamari, and the crispy chicken sandwich are MUST tries! I'm also a honey mustard addict so order a side of that with almost anything. They are very accommodating to tweaks in your order. I love Bar Louie!
(5)Chelsea L.
Wtf yelp? I read all these negative reviews before coming here and I was so worried it would suck. But I am here at Dollar Burger Night and it was glorious!! Drinks were a tiny bit expensive but that's our only complaint. It's not too crowded (we walked in at 6:15 and got a table immediately), and we had prompt, friendly service. Our drinks were tasty. We started with a half-prize appetizer, and it was good. But most importantly, we had four super delicious burgers! Even with toppings mine was only $2 - a fantastic deal. Everything was great, and we will definitely be back!
(5)Liz L.
I had very high expectations for this place, everything on the menu looks so good! They must have hired someone really eloquent with words to make all the food sound much much better than it really is. The atmosphere was outright sketchy. The chairs were torn and had holes and the tables were sticky and gross. There were flies all over the place and they kept sitting on our food. I think my hand was shooing flies away more than it was putting food into my mouth. Our group had the california burger, cheese quesadillas, and white louie pizza. The cheese quesdillas were decent, the tortillas were really chewy. The burgers were pretty low-quality. The meat patties were cold and dry and reminded me of frozen patties. I honestly think wendy's burgers are better. The white louie pizza was also disappointing. The dough tasted like frozen dough and the cheese was all cold and flavorless. The peppers on the pizza tasted like the cheap peppers sold in glass containers at Costco. Worst part was that the place isn't even cheap. With their prices, you could probably make this meal three times and have it taste better.
(2)Jennifer Q.
Went here yesterday afternoon after seeing a movie at the nearby Century Theatre. I ordered the seared ahi tuna appetizer. It was a little on the "expensive" side for an appetizer ($12), but I have to say, the portion was pretty decent. There were about 8 maki sized pieces, a little side of zesty edamame / veggie blend (almost like a pico de gallo) and some sliced cucumbers. I really liked the sauce that was served with it. I was filled up and felt good about it because it was healthy. My friends ordered salads which were very generous as well. It's a nice place. Sort of a trendy bar /restaurant -lots of TVs and sports playing. Dark, sort of "romantic" vibe. It would be a cool place to bring a date after the movies. I had been to Bar Louie before in Wheeling (which I think is now closed). I like this location more -I like the decor more-it has a little more of a swanky vibe. It was a good experience overall.
(3)Stacey A.
I don't live in Evanston. I don't go to school in Evanston. I really come here for dinner with friends and boys I sometimes think I'm dating. But whatever I ended up doing in Evanston, we always seemed to end up at Bar Louie afterwards. The service was quick, the bartenders friendly, and the company superb. Beers were a tad expensive, and the Louie is always a bit chain-y.
(4)David B.
I've never had a bad visit to any of the many Bar Louie's scattered around Chicago. I like this Evanston spot because its conveniently located to me and its never overly crowded. I would say they have above average bar food and a nice selection of beers/drinks.
(3)Jesster A.
I can believe this is a date and/or drinking place - I can't believe anyone comes here for the food. I had the worst salad I've ever had here and the spouse had a stale bread sandwich. We specifically ordered the nachos SANS hot peppers and the waitress brought us a platter of hot peppers with a few chips underneath... She brought them all at the same time and never came back, so we never had the chance to send them back or even order another round of drinks. Finally had to chase her down and she didn't even apologize.
(2)Andrew K.
Exactly 3 stars. My "fish" Poboy was decent (but suspect given that they didn't define the type of fish), as were the fries and the goose island ale (in a mighty big glass). Not cheap or expensive, convenient outdoor seating. Took too long to get the bill.
(3)Anna H.
Good bar food! I like going here on Mondays when they have 25 cent wings and Tuesdays for $1 burgers. Unlike other places that run weekday specials, this place doesn't downgrade its quality or portion size for the specials. They serve you the same food, just at a cheaper price. The $1 burgers are good quality for the price! Update: I'm changing the rating to 3.5 stars! The Monday special changed to 1/2 off everything on the menu, which is a super deal for dinner.
(3)Joshua N.
Pretty good menu for a bar and some of the drinks are nice. I just ordered a burger, backyard bbq something or other. It was really good, but was overshadowed by some of the worst service I've had in a really long time. This chick seriously was cuddling with her beau eating fries together for extended periods of time instead of waiting on her tables. We were all looking around at each others empty glasses and admiring the audacity of this waitress to basically be on a date in the middle of her shift, in the middle of her section. She never even brought all of the things that we ordered. No check back after the food was delivered. Nothing. There are better places in Evanston to spend $9 bucks on a drink.
(2)Jess S.
I'm never impressed with the place. I've only been here to enjoy the cheap burger night or use up some free entree coupons. Servers are always slow and indifferent. Food is alright. (But overpriced, just like the drinks) Parking is always impossible (to be expected in downtown Evanston). I've had better experiences at other locations, but still don't totally despise this place so a somewhat-neutral 3 stars.
(3)Adam P.
$1 burgers on Tuesday nights are really the only reason to go to Bar Louie. The rest of the food is pretty mediocre and overpriced. And so are the drinks. Of course this is a nicer bar than The Keg or Hundo, but I'm in college -- I want to drink in a shithole.
(3)Antonio S.
What to say about this place. Think of all the nice things to say in a review and reverse it. We went into Bar Louis about 1 year ago, and we didn't have any change for the parking meters. So, as anyone might do, we went in to Bar Louis to get change so we could eat there. Not only did they refuse to give us quarters, but they were extremely rude about it. We explained a few times that we would eat there, but we needed quarters or we couldn't park. They still refused and laughed at us once we got upset. So we left and went to one of the many GOOD restaurants in the area. Update: We tried Bar Louis again, thinking that things may have changed. We decided to go in for lunch. Our waitress greeted us and sat us down. We ordered two diet cokes and looked at the menu. We tried to order a burger, but the waitress told us that they had run out. She forgot to mention when we entered the restaurant that they were out of burgers. What kind of place known for their burgers runs out of burgers? It was ridiculous. Not only did our waitress not tell us that when we entered, but we paid 6 bucks for 2 diet cokes. So, a burger place that runs out of burgers, expensive, lousy service, and sub-par food. Thanks Bar Louis for making this review easy.
(1)Ngoc H.
I've been here a handful of times and the food is just ok. The tator tots they serve are probably the best thing on the menu. Crispy little nuggets of golden deliciousness topped with bacon cheese and other things of greatness. There's a patio for the summer time when you want to people watch and enjoy the weather. Only two stars because of the tots. The last and probably final time I went there, we got the philly sliders or something like that and there was a rock, yes, rock in one of the sliders. The waitress we had, had a preppy, kind of "I'm better than you" attitude so she never came by to check on us. Good thing my friend knew a girl that worked there and basically served us until the end. All in all, I would go back for the tator tots but nothing else. No thank you to the rude waitress that acted as if we weren't there and didn't do anything, not even fill our waters and nothing about the ROCK in our burger. Thank you for the waitress that knew what waitress-ing was and served us throughout the meal.
(2)Tyler S.
Stopped in for a few drinks and dollar burgers last night. I was really impressed. Nice outdoor patio, friendly service, and good prices. Especially that dollar burger! Every Tuesday from 5pm to close is dollar burger night. Go with some friends; have some fun!
(4)John C.
This is one of those bars that serves food.....not a restaurant where you get a drink with your food. I am sympathetic to everyone who says the food either sucks or is mediocre in this place, but come on people, it's a bar. Do you really expect better than average food? Loud? Yes, because it's a bar. Crowd ranges from 21-50 with average being around 30. Loud music sometimes, but it's an okay place to get a drink and shoot the shit with friends as long as you manage your expectations.
(3)E V.
over-flowing toilet in the ladies room bartender had no idea that you make a Manhattan with rye whiskey and/or Canadian whiskey--Jack Daniels? really? waitress pointed me to their "drinks menu", so supposedly they DO know how to make the silly concoctions listed there :\ didn't have any food so cannot comment on that it was reasonably priced, however
(2)T K.
Bar Louie is decent for an Evanston bar. I used to make it a regular spot with a buddy of mine during the week and we got to know a few of the staff. They were always pretty friendly and willing to chat when it wasn't busy. I even got a free shot on my birthday without asking for it. The food is pretty decent and the specials make up for any shortcomings. All in all an ok place to grab a dinner and drinks...
(3)Jaclyn C.
One of the 4 or so Chicago-area Bar Louies, it's best known in Evanston for it's dollar-burger night. As it should be. A range of drinks from martinis to beer, they also kick it up a notch from regular bar food (i.e. it tastes good).
(3)Greg G.
Neutral place to grab a couple of drinks and an appetizer with a friend. The spinach artichoke dip with nachos is pretty good. Mixed crowds, decent atmosphere with metered parking (usually) on Grove or Sherman.
(3)Gil N.
Average spot for a drink and some food. Service is decent, nothing special. I guess if you've been to one Bar Louie you've been to them all. This particular one had an internet jukebox, so it gets some points for that. No complaints, but nothing to rave about either.
(3)Jonathan K.
i guess this is one of the best you'll get in evanston...its right downtown which is cool. crowd is pretty tame, i guess considering theyre probably all nw students. they have a sidewalk patio so thats nice.
(3)Meredith F.
I've gone here for Dollar burgers on Tuesday night...the burgers are really good, but you have to buy a regulay price drink to get the burger deal, and they just keep charging on top of that, from toppings to fries, etc. Still, the atmosphere is cool and the outdoor tables are really nice in the summer. Definitely a college and grad school crowd.
(3)Dee W.
A great alternative for cheap food (they get you with drinks) with the $1 burgers on Tuesdays. Unfortunately, they don't offer more cheap food options like they do in the city. Service is usually pretty good here and it's a nice place to grab a drink after work (or for NU students, final/paper/midterm - any excuse to drink, really) I forget which night we came in here and sampled at least 6 of their different martinis but I remember their names being provacatively creative and the martinis equally yummy and potent. (Maybe that's why I don't remember much after that)
(3)Hilary M.
I often go here because I really like the outdoor seating in the summer time. (What can I say, I'm a sucker for outdoor seating.) They always have a pretty good beer special and the food is decent. It can get busy on tuesday nights for dollar burgers, but the burgers are good if you are looking for a cheap meal!
(3)Jen H.
Go here for the mac n' cheese or the huge sandwiches, and check out the pretzel appetizer. Beyond that...pretty much pub food...but with a surprisingly awesome indie rock/dance rock jukebox (actually heard several obscure songs, including the Beck E-Pro remix--on a Sunday morning).
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