Visiting Evanston this weekend and found the Prarie Moon on Yelp. Looking for something different than burger and fries for lunch. Had the crabcake salad. Some of the best crab cakes I've ever had! Crunchy exterior and nicely seasoned meat. Rest of the crew liked their turkey sandwich and salads. Will visit again when in the area.
(4)
Rachel O.
Beer was warm, waitress was inappropriate, food was mediocre, service was bad. The atmosphere is cool, outside area is nice. The menu is all over the place, unsure how they call it "all American cuisine". Probably won't come back.
(3)
Jo Ann F.
Trying out new places since our move to Evanston. My husband ordered the shrimp po-boy which he quite enjoyed. My son had the mac-and-cheese off the children's menu. He also enjoyed the broccoli and fruit that accompanied the meal. I basically had French toast with praline walnuts and strawberries. The French toast was cold (should it have been?) and the strawberries were cut with a knife that had previously been cut with an onion... So that's what they tasted like. I would like to give them another chance. Maybe it's what I ordered or that we got there right as they opened. :-/
(3)
Michael V.
Went to Prairie Moon with two friends on a pleasant Saturday night. We got seated right away in their outdoor patio section which was great! I was impressed with their beer list and ended up getting Revolution's Coffee Eugene. The guys kept up with the water refills pretty well and we were given bread to start which was nice. I ordered the Howl at the Moon burger while my friends both got the Black and Blue Burger (it's not on the menu but they still make it). The burgers and sweet potato fries were really good! I definitely recommend getting a burger if that's your thing. Only reason I have to give 4/5 starts is service was rather slow, although our server was very nice. Good place in Evanston to go for dinner, especially this time of year!
(4)
Deborah H.
Service good, food ok but terrible dj w horrible music choices and way too loud. It was clear the few clients did not enjoy it and they kept it going. They need a better model for entertainment.
(2)
Scott W.
Great place for beer lovers. They always have a terrific selection of interesting local and smaller national craft brews. Prairie Moon plays host to tap takeovers, too. You're sure to find something to whet your whistle. The space is deceptively huge -- which makes it perfect for larger groups. But the front bar is an intimate, yet fun room. The small outdoor patio is perfect to day drink an afternoon away as the Purple Line whirrs by. Its also a good spot for kids. Food-wise, you could do worse than the shrimp po' boy, the mussels or the fish tacos. Most items on the menu are solid and priced fairly.
(4)
Kevin C.
This was a really hit and miss experience for me. We arrived and there were some folks in front of us talking to the hostess. She left to seat them and didn't acknowledge us. That's fine, I guess, I mean... I know she'll be right back. But she wasn't. We waited, several of the other employees sort of looked at us. Finally one came over, I'm sorry for the wait, I'm sure she'll be right back. Another group came in behind us. Hostess still MIA. More looks from the rest of the staff. Finally, after several minutes, a different employee comes over and says "She's clearing a table for you. That's what's taking so long. Sorry for the wait." A few minutes later, the hostess reappears. "Hi. She says, Two? Ok. Well there's no tables so it'll be at least a 15 minute wait." OK. What now? That lady just said you were cleaning our table. Is this the kind of place where the staff lies to the customers for literally no reason? This is not a big deal, but it's weird that the previous staff member saw fit to make up a story rather than just help us, or even simply ask us to continue to wait. Having to wait for hostess that's abandoned you is annoying, but being lied to is really, really, really weird and made me uncomfortable. "You can sit at the bar if you want." she said and gestured to several tables in the bar area. OK. Sure. Fine. A basket of bread was brought to our table with a bunch of butter packets in the basket. The bread was hot and delicious. "I'll put some butter on this." I thought, that'll make it even better. The moment I opened the butter is was immediately on my tie. Apparently, the hot bread sits in the basket with the butter long enough to belt the butter completely. The butter was absolutely liquid and unmanageable. Goodbye, tie. I really don't like staying at a restaurant when I'm so uncomfortable, it's sort of a bad scene for everyone. I wanted to leave at this point, but we'd heard the food was good and my partner was dead set on staying. Our sever came and she was sooooo delightful. Throughout the meal she was friendly and attentive. Unfortunately, there were lots of high maintenance tables around us, and she left us alone for longer than was desirable... but when she was with us, she was so great this was easy-ish to overlook and it didn't contribute to the weird vibes from earlier. However, our food came out moments after our appetizers did. I know YELP is where hyberbole goes to die, but our food honestly came out two bites into our appetizers. Our server was super apologetic, but it didn't change the fact our food was cold by the time we got to it. Then the prices. Is this serious? 7$ for soup? The soup was delicious, but even for delicious soup, 7$ seems high for food served in a bar. 10$ for vegetarian nachos? 20$ for etouffee? Everything was good, but I don't know man... a little too much. The portion sizes were average, and didn't compensate for the very high prices. My burger was 12$ and it was super great, served with delicious cole slaw, and appropriately priced. I really don't know what to think. I think we'll come back one more time in hopes that this was a fluke, but a place that charges so much for "comfort food" should probably put a stronger emphasis on the overall customer experience.
(2)
Jordan H.
Was there,first thing server told us was "You know our kitchen is closed." We were only there for drinks. Other than the first bad step, service was quick and friendly. Drinks were stiff. Atmosphere was missing the target as was the DJ. If I lived here I would definitely be back to give the menu a shot. Always up for southern cuisine
(3)
Mandy J.
A colleague introduced me to this place for lunch last week. It might be my new favorite Evanston spot! The lunch menu was extensive and it all sounded so good. A real battle to decide which of the five you've narrowed it down to. I opted for the crab cake salad. I was not disappointed! The portion was generous, the crab cakes cooked perfectly, and the price very reasonable. We sat near the patio, so we had a great view and were able to enjoy the weather. I was trying to be responsible and not drink on my lunch hour, but there were plenty of people who were making me jealous! The beer menu looked great! Also, the chocolate chip cookies they offer on the way out are w nice change from your boring after-meal mints. I'll definitely be back...for the cookies and a beer!
(5)
Kacie Starr L.
Ate here for a graduation party. The hosts ordered heavy appetizers and everything was served hot, tasty and well seasoned. Serving staff seemed efficient and were diligent about cleaning plates. The bartender was super friendly and sweet. As a visitor to Chicago, I enjoyed my time at this restaurant.
(5)
Kennen M.
The major pro to this place is that the kitchen stays open late. Everything else about this place is forgettable. The bar area is spacious with lots of tables and the back dining room has the decor of a family breakfast restaurant. At first look, the menu appears to be large and filled with all sort of varieties but upon closer review, the menu was all over the place with Mexican, burgers, BBQ, Italian, American dishes. It gave me the impression that they don't do one thing well but instead just do a bunch of other things with mediocrity. The food came out very fast. The mussels were on special and gave them a go. They were ok and not worthy of slurping up the rest of the broth. I ordered the BBQ combo and it came out lukewarm. Again, it was ok. I don't see myself running back to this place soon unless it is late night and my options were limited.
(3)
Charles J.
Excellent service from Mallory and the food was fantastic! We will definitely be back! Thank you so much Mallory!
(5)
Elizabeth F.
Great beer selection and a casual vibe. We went on a Thursday night and got a table right away. It was a little quiet, but perfect for post-date drinks. It's a great alternative to places like Bar Louie and Bat 17, which seem to always be over-crowded.
(4)
Michelle M.
We have been here 4 times since we moved to Evanston in October. The food is consistently very good as is the service. An excellent craft beer selection and the atmosphere is fun but low key. A great place to take guests when in town.
(5)
Dawn C.
Our appetites were tantalized by the menu descriptions online. Unfortunately, our taste buds were left wanting: the food was wholly average, with the asparagus & goat cheese being beyond disappointing. My daughter and I casually dined on five of the 'small plates' as we traversed the cocktail menu, where we were not let down. Our server, Matthew was capable but nothing more. When my daughter's fork was removed and not replaced we did have fun sharing mine. Can't imagine why I'd return.
(2)
Peter O.
Good. A solid good based on many visits during the past couple years, which is disappointing to report as their decor and menu suggest better, make us expect more: more warmth, charm and better prepared, higher grade home-style comfort foods. We've had mediocre special occasion brunches with extended family, just okay lunches and completely ordinary dinners as a couple and with friends. We keep wanting it to be better and can not fool ourselves into believing it is so. Their wine and craft beer selection can be satisfying and their bar and bartenders are their high point. Prairie Moon's kitchen is open late, a definite plus, especially in Evanston. We would return to eat if invited or if perhaps we needed fortification for driving purposes after drinking here at their pleasant bar or elsewhere. As we all know, in certain chemically altered frames of mind quality of food is less important than just having something actual and solid that is not McAnything and has neither King nor Castle in its name. Bluestone, not far away in Evanston, is better in every conceivable way and similar in atmosphere and feel, with a very pleasant outdoor area. Truly, Peter O. and S.
(3)
mary b.
Nice venue, with a nice outdoor space. Maybe for a cocktail and appetizer. A group of four, went with the recommendation of two who had been previously. The food was uneven. The calamari appetizer was good, and a steak sandwich was enjoyed. But the pulled pork was dry, not much sauce. The crab cakes were flavorless, too much breading. They were on the nightly specials menu but the rice underneath was cold, likely because cold pico de gallo was put on top. The whole thing was a big, kind of expensive, miss. My cocktail, while not weak, wasn't strong as others have suggested. Water glasses not refilled until we asked. Not very busy so come on..... The big fail was the lack of personality of our waiter. Yikes. He truly seemed like he wished he was elsewhere. The hostess was bland,not rude, but not welcoming as one's first impression on a not busy night. A member of the group tried to give her a contest card on the way out that had been included with our bill.....she didn't know what it was!!! Think I'm on to something here....communication and staff training. There is a reason it's called the HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY!!
(2)
Temple S.
Wow. this place really went down hill from my last visit a year ago. I will not be back. Food was sub-par and service was really slow. We were in a big group. Waitress did not even take our kids' order so when our food came, they had none. I guess she thinks kids are invisible. Kids got their food after we had finished ours and the management didn't even offer to discount their food. Terrible customer service.
(2)
Matt Z.
Excellent food, great beer list, great service, and very pleasant and welcoming to all guests. A must stop for all beer fans in the area.
(5)
Judith M.
Great food and service. The Tilamook chowder and small plate Ciderday Salmon were delicious. My sister had the triple berry crumble was excellent.
(5)
Bob R.
After visiting the Luthier (see other review), we stopped here on a recommendation. It was late afternoon, we were hungry and thirsty. We had pretty much the whole restaurant to ourselves. (There were a few others, but not many.) For some reason, they put us at a awkward table that sat between two dining rooms. I say awkward because they added a seat so four of us could sit there, and the seat blocked entry into the other room. We ordered beer - the menu was extensive, and the beers on tap were very good. But, I am not a daytime drinker and I'm afraid the beer made me tired. It was quite tasty though. For my lunch, I ordered their Prairie Moon burger. I comes on a bun with lettuce, tomato and onion and is served with fries. The burger is a mix up of various cuts of meat. I ordered it medium, and it came rare but I really didn't want to send it back. The server was nice. The beer was good, but I would say that overall, it was an average pub without anything that really made it stand out. Would I go back? Sure, but I think the overall experience (of course late afternoon) could have been more special.
(3)
arpan s.
Love the beer selection here. I make sure I get the tillamook fish chowder every time I go foods always been great too. Service can be hit or miss sometimes seems people take longer and there's also that courtesy factor. They're always changing up the beer menu.
(5)
Andrew G.
I still have heartburn from the crab cakes...who puts tartar sauce right in the cake. The fish taco were a joke. I never saw a plate like that served it looked like slop with tortillas on the side. The fish was battered with cornmeal....yuck. The wings were fatty and not crispy. STAY AWAY
(1)
George B.
Good food, good party room. I've been here more often for events than for dinner, but it has always been satisfying. The appetizers served at a few work events were actually above average. That said, I think it's a bit generic, and you can have a better, more adventurous meal in Evanston.
(3)
Candice G.
$4 Founders dry-hopped pale ale. Can't beat that. On my second visit ever to Prairie Moon I discovered that there's more than just the front bar and dining area- this place is hidden huge. With an additional dining room behind the obvious dining and bar area and then another bar in back with enormous vintage light-up signs and a second smaller with and equally as impressive beer and spirits list and a pool table. From there, you can head to an outdoor patio to the left or to the dart room on the right and then into an even larger dining room. HUGE. Not quite a Target, but bigger than a Walgreens and better, obviously, because there's way more booze at Prairie Moon and a great place to meet up with a cornucopia's worth of friends. Also, they have a crab hat. Oh, and service is friendly and the food, while I've yet to have it, smells delicious. I want those mussels and frites... but mostly that crab hat. That I need.
(4)
Angela S.
I agree with Dee W about the back room space being a great venue for a private event. This weekend I attended a Bar Mitzvah party on Saturday night. This was my first visit to the restaurant/bar, and I liked that it was smidgen off the beaten path because street parking was a breeze, and overall restaurant did a great job of making sure all palates and those with dietary restrictions were attended to. The menu was specially designed for parties and started off with Salsa Suprema: Homemade tortilla chips with pico de gallo, chipotle cream, salsa roja & Haas Guacamole (delicious chunky guac. BTW) and cheesy flat bread. The main course consisted of a the Farmers Garden Salad: Seasonal vegetables on mixed babygreens, served with your choice of balsamic vinaigrette & garlic ranch; Grilled Seasonal Vegetables & Polenta: Zucchini, yellow squash, sweet peppers, crimini mushrooms & sweet onions grilled with a balsamic glaze over grilled fresh herb polenta squares (loaded with beyond flavorful veggies); Roma Basil Penne Fresh penne pasta tossed with a Roma tomato-basil pan sauce, wild mushrooms and baby spinach, topped with Vermont goat cheese; and Cedar-Planked Salmon: Baked Atlantic fillet with Annecortes barbecue butter glaze. Side note: The best part about this salmon is the fact that it was so delicious that my kids tried salmon for the first time ever and LOVED it! Major big win. Here we had vegans, those with soy allergies, adults and kids, and everyone left with the ability to try most everything! The space was nicely sized for a large party with lots of seating, a media screen for presentations, just the right amount of lighting to make the evening intimate and the backdrop of train lights from the nearby tracks you can watch as they go by. This was my favorite part of the atmosphere. A great urban feel. Along the hallways leading to the room there were coat racks everywhere for winter gear, and the restaurant in general is large. The servers were friendly, and overall when I walked in with my kids I didn't get weird stares from non-kid folks.
(4)
Dylan M.
Visited for the first time and enjoyed the atmosphere. The front of the restaurant has a lot of character with a large older bar and tables and high-tops with TVs for watching sports etc. They also have a great patio (too cold for that). Further back it has a large dining room area well suited for groups or families. The menu offers a lot of choices and the food was nicely prepared. I would come back again if I were in the area.
(4)
AJ M.
Came here for the second time. This spot is a hidden gem for craft beers. Located right by Tommy Nevins and Bar louie, this is a perfect median between those two palces. A more laid back environment , with a large beer menu. The food is pretty good. Service can be hit or miss but i dont hold it against them as i feel they might be understaffed. Currently under construction, wonder whats going to be different about this place, will definetly come back !!
(4)
Miles G.
Today's service was nothing short of what you'd receive at a DPRK prison camp. The bald man that I guess one would surmise was our waiter had no idea how to do his job. He was both incompetent and rude. Twice, he found it necessary to raise his voice at our party for misunderstanding the ambiguous payment system. After a long night out for NYE, today's experience was the exact wrong way to start the year. Althought the food was good as was the music, I won't be going back. It's a real shame because the last time I was here, we had a very cute and charming young lady as our waitress and the overall experience then was 5 star worthy. I suggest that no one visit Prarie Moon until things are changed with the service. -New Years Blues
(1)
Moni K.
Waited 55 minutes to get a pretty simple breakfast of scramble eggs. Definitely not acceptable wait time. When the meal arrived it was just placed in front of me by the kitchen help and they just walked away. What about butter, ketchup, hot sauce and jelly for the bread. Service was non-existent. Waiter brought me sugar that did not have regular sugar packets and the packets that were in there were used.
(1)
Travis B.
Pretty much everything was disappointing. We didn't have a waiter until we flagged someone down who adopted us but turned out to be an inattentive condescending ass. The Cobb salad was missing about half the ingredients I'd consider essential for a Cobb salad, lettuce was strangely warm, and the dressing was on the side after I was specifically asked if I wanted it on the side and said no. The fish po-boy was better, but bland, and we had to ask for slaw even though we'd just discussed it with the waiter. The beer selection is smallish but interesting enough (and the only thing this place has going for it).
(1)
Megan D.
Overall place was OK not great. I can see it being a good place for grabbing a drink after work. Food was average as well. Waitress seemed to disappear as more tables filled up and didn't seem pleased when we asked the split the bill....and it was just two couples and a kid. Not exactly difficult. I'd go back but probably try somewhere else first.
(3)
David R.
I wish I could review the bar and restaurant separately. So I'm going to. Prairie Moon is a fixture (maybe THE fixture) in the Evanston craft brew scene. They have a solid rotating tap, a fine bottle list, and a good relationship with the burgeoning Evanston craft brew community. Also a hangout for the local homebrew club. A great place to grab a pint and a snack. 4 stars. As far as a dinner spot, the food is a little overpriced and a little underwhelming. Generally a little bland. A few good dishes, but pretty forgettable overall. 2 stars.
(3)
T D.
I eat here quite often as I work in the neighborhood. I always have the blackened salmon salad, and always leave with an elated sense of satisfaction. I'm surprised the review ratings are not higher.
(4)
Melissa B.
I came here as a visitor from Indy with a large group of people that the restaurant was not at all thrilled to accommodate. We called ahead of time and gave them an estimate of forty people. They refused to welcome us. When we realized that fewer people would be going, we called back and asked for 15-25. They were still reluctant to seat us but did so anyway. It was strange to me that they wanted to refuse what would certainly be a larger than normal check. When we got there, one server had to suffer through the ordering of what turned out to be around 25 people. She was flustered for obvious reasons and let that affect her attitude. OK, fair enough, but we made it clear that she had no reason to rush. We ordered a shot of Maker's Mark for each person in attendance and several people ordered beer-a huge bar tab-and the bartender was pissy that she had to carry around a huge tray of it. Seriously? As for the food, it was just so-so. I had a Wild Turkey sandwich that came out with gummy cheese as if someone else had ordered it and sent it back, and then it was given to me. The fries that came with it were basically crumbs. Everyone else seemed to have OK food, but I was personally disappointed. I could see how this could be a much better experience with a smaller group, but I'm still perplexed why they were so frustrated with us when they clearly have the space to accommodate several large groups. And given that we gave them several hundred dollars in business, I just can't get over how rude they were to us.
(2)
Jeff O.
GREAT food, and always such a wonderful revolving beer section!
(5)
Kelly R.
This palace has wonderful burgers and is probably me and hub's favorite place to go for a quick bite to eat!
(4)
Steve R.
We tried this place for Brunch. The menu is very limited to choices and a little pricy for a bar. The atmosphere is nice. Our waitress took our order and we never saw her again until she came around and asked if we wanted the check. The waitress looked like she rolled out of bed and had a hangover. Had to get busboy attention for another cup of coffee. They do not have Splenda or real cream. As a diabetic I can not stand sweet and low or equal. Not sure about lunch or dinner. But for brunch breakfast we will not come back. Good portion was good. Food was just ok.
(2)
Debbie S.
This place is a solid Evanston option -- especially with kids. Is the food going to blow your mind? No. But on the whole, the service tends to be good and there are multiple options for people with all different food interests. They have a nice outdoor patio and as long as the back rooms aren't in use by private parties, we have never had a problem getting a table. I happen to love the Three Sisters and this is what I typically order when I go here. Decent beer list and an overall good atmosphere makes this an always solid option. If I didn't live in Evanston, not sure how frequently I would make a special trip, but given that this is less than a mile from my house, I'm here often.
(3)
Catherine W.
Three and a half stars. Enjoyed the trout entree very much; the surf and turf was okay (steak smaller than expected). Service was excellent despite it being noisy and crowded.
(3)
Karen T.
I had lunch there yesterday and my experience was not good. I have never had a problem with the food or service but not sure if I will be going back or recommending them. I ordered a Shrimp Po'Boy to go for a co-worker after eating lunch. I had a issue with the order and my server Shane was very short and rude with me. At on point he said "So what do you want because I have to keep it moving" The shrimp were cut up and it also had crawfish in it. I spoke to the manager and he checked with the kitchen and came back and said that's they way they make it. I left and when my co-worker opened it the bread was burned on the bottom. I checked the menu today and it says nothing about crawfish being included on the Po'Boy sandwich. Make sure if you go you don't get carry out
(2)
Steve B.
Delightful lunch experience. Top marks to the man who seated us; it was sunny and hot, most of the outdoor tables were taken, but after investigating he suggested, correctly, that my elderly mother and I would be comfortable at a partially shaded table near the back. We were quickly provided ice water, and our server, though quite busy, promptly and smilingly delivered my frosty pint of hefeweizen (his recommendation, and perfect for the weather--even if he did not know where specifically in Germany the beer was brewed). My mother was very pleased with the Blue Crabcakes and fruit; our server was most helpful in bringing her fries unsalted. (She's had appetite loss since recent heart trouble, but relished the food here!) Unlike her I'd eaten a full late breakfast, and so ordered a small plate: Wild Mushroom Quesadillas. It was, I have to say, exquisite! Exclamation mark-worthy--delicious to the point I found myself reminiscing about San Diego/Baja hybrid high points. The El was intermittently audible, but by no means loud. To my ears pleasant.
(5)
Shawn I.
I often take the kids here. The food is good but definitely not great. The service and beer list are excellent though. We always have a good time there. Bluestone has better food. Prairie Moon has a better beer list. Both are really good for families.
(4)
Justin B.
Great beer selection and the large piece of Texas sheet cake that I had this week was great. Perfect location to hit in Evanston if you want a large space to hang with older friends (like 25 and up, as opposed to college kids) in the neighborhood and still watch a game on the big screen.
(4)
Stacy O.
In full disclosure, Prairie Moon is owned by the same people as Wheatberry (see previous review), which is located near my former home in Indiana. I was near destined to love this place. And I do. Prairie Moon features a strong selection of craft beer, including some that are harder to find (Three Floyd's Apocalypse Cow, Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu). They also showcase the breadth of some regional breweries, like Tyranena out of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, by devoting several taps at once to their beers. We sat at the bar - as we do - and I immediately ordered a flight of four beers. My husband ordered a dry-hopped pale ale from Founders. As we browsed the food menu, I was pleased to see some of my favorites from Wheatberry on this menu, but also plenty of other options to try. I settled on the Redbud barbecue chicken salad - with big chunks of avocado and topped with fresh tortilla strips, it was perfect. They served our meals with a small loaf of fresh bread. Service was great - they checked in frequently to see if we need more beer or water. A fun fact about Praire Moon is that they play host to the Evanston Home Brew Club on the third Thursday of each month. If you like local, craft beer or are a homebrewer, it's worth learning more about.
(4)
Vince G.
This place is the greatest thing about working in Evanston. I've yet to have a bad meal here. From fish tacos to Chimichurri steak, there isn't a bad option on this menu. Friendly wait staff, solid beer and wine selection and free cookies! How the hell can you wrong here? You can't, solid place for lunch or dinner.
(5)
Andrew L.
Nice atmosphere. Etouffe, yum. Acoustics are a bit harsh, especially with a loud drinking group in the room. Sports bar. Great menu and desserts. Convenient public parking across the street. I'd go back.
(4)
Alexis K.
Yep, my first 1 star review. One star because the bathrooms have interesting decor. Our server was more than awful (I'd do details, but it's too much), the fries came out as though they'd been fried for a second time and left to sit, the bread (prior to the meal and on the sandwich) was dry, the Cobb salad lacked essential elements of a Cobb salad (for just one: boiled egg), etc. The guy who sat us, have us menus, water, bread, and tried to score us a waiter deserves a huge raise.
(1)
Kate M.
Him "You want drinks or food? When do you want to do this?" Me "I always want food. I have plans Thursday then I'm free for...ever" Him "Oh man you're lame. Now I have to take you out for food" Yes, I'm quite lame. Prairie Moon isn't though. Met an old friend for dinner, we had about 18 years of catching up to do, and needed some good food and beer while we did so. I had a burger with bacon and horseradish sauce (it should've had horseradish cheese too but I'm trying to be good). It was really good, the fries were really good too. I'm not a huge fan of beer, it's not that I dislike it, but like so many things too many choices and I get confused and wander off. Prairie Moon has a big craft beer list and I, as always, got confused and wandered off. The waiter was kind enough to pick something for me, then I switched to cider. (I do love cider). The service was good, the server was attentive but not annoying. A fine line to walk. The dining room was nice, pretty big, but not too loud. I'd go back to Prairie Moon if I was in the area. Not sure I'd go out of my way to eat there, but if I were in Evanston and hungry it'd be at the top of my list.
(4)
NB K.
We chose a table on the patio, under the stars and super harvest moon. The staff was attentive and friendly. The menu was broad with many choices. Many small plates and salads, two soups, plus sandwiches and "large plates" (entrees). We started with the 3-chili wings. They were meaty and tasty. I had the blackened fish po' boy and my husband had the harvest moon burger. Each sandwich came with a choice of potato and cole slaw. The portions were most generous. My fish was delicious and piled high with chopped lettuce and tomato. His burger was, as well. The only down side is that my fries were not hot. The beer choices were broad (we didn't even check out the wine list). The prices were reasonable. If I lived here, I'd definitely come back.
(4)
Sarah P.
This is a nice place to eat outside when the weather is nice on their back patio. The food is pretty good and there is a nice selection to choose from. It has been a nice spot to meet up with a few friends for dinner and drinks.
(3)
Marla R.
Really amazing food. Had the salmon and my mom had a chicken sandwich she said it was the best she's ever had. For stars because the service was meh
(4)
Kristine W.
We came here because Ward Eight was a bit pretentious for my tastes, especially when the bartender smiles at us twice without stopping to offer a seat or anything. I like the selection of beer here, but the food was just okay. The gumbo looked nothing like New Orleans style gumbo, but was quite meaty, just on the drier side considering it's supposed to be soupy. I ordered a chimichurri steak tips and my food was cold. After she took it back and came out with what looked like a fresher dish, the food was fine but I wasn't hungry anymore at that point. My fiance ordered the chicken and andouille sausage, but they were out of sausage so it wasn't a dish at its full potential. We probably wouldn't come back unless we were just in the area for drinks.
(3)
Matt R.
I think I've been here twice now, maybe more. I like it...to a point. This is arguably a bar slash restaurant. Not just bar, not just restaurant. Which means: a: the food selection is nice (you have some good vegetarian options in that native food thing) and b: the place is NOISY indoors. I am talking "I'd remove a star" noisy. It may be a bar, and that's fine, but it was so loud that it was almost painful at plenty of times. I do like their beer selection and the food selection was good/of good quality, but I don't think I could tolerate such noise unless I was already drunk enough to not care. So I'm sorry, but I'm not coming back here, unless it's in the summer, outdoors, away from the biggest crowds.
(3)
Paul S.
Had a special of blackens tilapia with red beans and rice and spinach that was perfectly cooked and delicious. Was there for a late lunch (after 1 pm) and waiter was very attentive.
(4)
Chris C.
Great atmosphere, great service, fantastic food, and a stellar beer list all add up to a wonderful dining experience. The staff is friendly and efficient, and the menu is creative, with daily specials rounding out the unique experience.
(5)
Mandy K.
I absolutely love this restaurant. You can not go wrong with just about anything you order. I have heard the brunch is off the charts and to top it off it has one of the most amazing beer lists I have seen anywhere in the Chicagoland area. Since I work in the area we often choose this restaurant for our lunches out, but also for any special events we have (ie: baby showers) and they are always accommodating and provide great service. Also, when I got married a few years back we chose this restaurant for our rehearsal dinner spot. It won the vote with my husband and I due to the unique and delicious menu items, but to be honest mostly because of the stellar beer list. This is an Evanston staple and honestly wish there was a location near my home so I could enjoy it more regularly.
A decently curated beer selection and interesting taps! I wasn't particularly enamored with the food, but it might have been an off day. The drink selection is really the standout here, and the servers did a good job keeping it all in check. Service could have been a tad bit faster, but all in all it was great.
(4)
Nikki C.
thanks to some new laws I'm no longer allowed in Evanston at night. So at least during the day, there are options for me to find some tasty fish tacos and savory beers to complement the moment. Nice bar staff and free motherluvin chocolate chip cookies at the bar! Stick my pinky toe in a pigs belly button! FREE COOKIES!!!!!
(4)
Dee W.
I have now returned back to Prairie Moon consistently as my workplace has thrown past events there using the back room space, come as dinner/brunch options for the family, and then, again, most recently last month as part of our board's annual dinner where we had fantastic customer service and the food was delicious. Overall, you can find something for everyone considering that our group had pregnant women, gluten allergies, pescatarians, and vegetarians where finding an option for everyone isn't always the easiest thing to do but Prairie Moon came through for us. They still have a great selection of beer and wine to boot.
(4)
Iryna Z.
Great tastying food! Variety to fit anyones taste! Service, not so much.
(4)
Heather L.
We came to Prairie Moon for their great selection of craft beer but to our surprise, the service was excellent and we loved everything we tasted! Painter's soup was artistically presented and delicious; Grilled Trout was crispy outside, flavorful and moist inside. Three Sisters: roasted butternut squash, toasted corn and white beans were sumptuously blanketed with Gilroy garlic sauce. Chimichurri Steak was tender and juicy, the garlic mashed potatoes decadent. Loved the Key Lime Pie with coconut crust. Our favorite restaurant in Evanston!
(5)
Andy S.
Just wasn't crazy about this restaurant following my visit. I'm a big fan of a place with an extensive craft brew list but this felt very pricey. Service was very poor and we in fact complained about the length of time it took to get the food and were more or less told our food wasn't slow in coming out. Food itself was ok but, again, not worth the price. All things considered, I'm going down the street for a bar/restuarant with nice outdoor patio.
(2)
Yanyao N.
The service is far better now. The server I had tonight was an absolute doll. We were not neglected or did not have to wait forever for anything. This makes me happy! The food is still not spectacular (but totally decent) and wouldn't be my first option if I wanted a nicer dinner. But tonight? One of those nights where I just needed to indulge in awful-for-you but goes-down-so-easy bar food ala fried calamari, fries, and mac & cheese. I was a grouchy zombie before I ate, and after I huffed my food, I felt human again. Thanks, Prairie Moon! I will be back to explore the rest of your extensive food and beer menus!
(4)
Caitlin B.
I really like this place! Extensive beer and wine menu, and a variety of different food items. It looks MUCH nicer than Tommy Nevin's, but the prices are pretty on par, and the food is much better. Many items have a southwestern flair, and I've tried a lot of different items here (burgers, sandwiches, salads, fish), and have always been happy with my order. The service can be dicey, but hey, this is Evanston...the land of abysmal service.
(4)
Andrew S.
This place has me on the fence... theyve been rude, theyve been cordial. Theyve had great food and that which has been subpar. Things that you can count on are a selection of great beer, and that the New Mexican Painted Soup will be to die for. The 15% wildcard discount on dine in (excludes alc /: ) Is nice and id steer a friend towards the burgers and away from the more interesting sounding fare, minus the chimichurri steak which hits the spot for $9.99 As for the ambiance if youre looking for a bar to watch tv n pound em back at, slip over to Nevins a door south, but if your pants are slighlty higher up your waist and you think you know more about beer than most and are willing to spend to prove it, this spot will do just fine.
(4)
Mike S.
Excellent burgers. Even better craft beer selection. Good for a large group or a date night.
(5)
Adi S.
Went here for lunch with a friend after having passed this place on the way to Nevin's many many times and never having gone in for the food, although I have been in for drinks quite a few times. I am a big fan of the open space towards the back of this place...it really creates a nice feel and I can see this as a good restaurant to bring a first date. I had the three sisters skillet and my friend had the moon burger. Although our food was quite good, I have to say that the menu came off a bit confusing...perhaps through the organization or the lack of some details? The skillet was fairly unique in my experience with the butternut squash and garlic sauce... the entire combination went together quite well. However, somehow I missed the memo that this would be completely vegetarian. In addition, my friend's burger didn't taste as expected based on the menu...a combination of cuts, but rather tasted like a normal burger.
(3)
Dee J.
Great Service and amazing food. Kid friendly too. I had the "Three Sisters" which was fantastic! Also tried the Carrot Cake which was fresh and delish! Highly recommend you check it out.
(4)
Gwynneth V.
We just held my best friend's baby shower here yesterday, and it was wonderful. The room was beautiful and set up perfectly, the food was delicious, and our server, Mallory, was as attentive, thoughtful, and helpful as could be. We all declared it a great success, and it was because of Prairie Moon that it was so pleasant, smooth, and easy. A special thanks to Mike, who arranged everything for us, and was welcoming, generous, and on top of it all.
(5)
Kyle H.
I've been to Prairie Moon a bunch (don't let the one sole check-in fool ya') and have always enjoyed drinking beer there. Prairie's beer list is unsurpassed in Evanston, and the bartenders are only too happy to let you sample whatever you like. This is a huge place, and the rooms sometimes don't fit together. I dig the big iron letters in the middle dining room that spell RESTAURANT. The back bar is very relaxed and small, with kind of a Margaritaville vibe. It leads to the patio, and has a pool table and dart board as well. The space for me, is a bit "off", so this is more like 3.5 stars rounded up because I'm sooooooo glad it's not some lame chain "Irish" bar.
(4)
Emily Y.
Friends. The kitchen is open until midnight on weeknights, or at least Thursday (the only weeknight I've tested). Annnd, the food at 11pm is delicious.* I've been here before and I remember it being good, but have no idea what I ordered. This time around I'm a vegetarian (flexitarian, technically), but vegan for this particular month (roll your eyes, I know - stupid self-challenges - but, hey!, I've lost 4 pounds this month and heifers and hens have been sending me Thank You cards on the regular). Point being: The menu is pretty limited if you're trying to avoid cheese, but I managed to order the Veggie Pico de Gallo Pepperjack Burger minus the pepperjack... and the pepperjack must've been a complete luxury because the burger without pepperjack was amazing. My date had the Shrimp Po'Boy which he claims was good albeit messy. Ordinarily, I'd just introduce myself to his plate (let's be honest, this is the fate of anyone willing to eat with me), but my diet-restrictions subdued me and I had to take his word for it. Wah-waaah. They have Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake (TCSC) on the dessert menu, which is one of my favorite things in the whole wide world ever - but I know for a fact that it's half-sour cream and half-butter. I can't recommend Prairie Moon's TCSC, but I can recommend the state of Texas's TCSC - and seeing as this is the only place where I've EVER seen it on the menu EVER (even in Texas your mama has to bake it for you), I'm tempted to tell you to roll that dice. Worst case scenario, you'll get a cinnamony-chocolate cake with fudgy chocolate frosting that doesn't taste as good as some girl from Texas with very high TCSC standards says it should. Chicagoans barely have taste buds anyway. * I was STARVING, but I wasn't drunk - so I stand by this assessment.
(4)
Chet K.
Feb 2014. Prairie Moon fit my expectation of upscale good looking and tasty bar food. It fills this niche well. There is a market for this social intensive type of restaurant, especially back in my college days. But it's easy to make tasty, good looking food. With all the other quality restaurants, Prairie Moon is not my choice for a dining experience destination. It is now also no longer a destination for meeting socially, even for a drink or two for the simple reason I think so many restaurants loose repeat customers. The overwhelming scented timed 'air freshner' products in the men's bathroom. These products mask odors and as with me, make any food and even a social drink smell and taste like institutional cleaning products. At this point, it makes no difference how many different specialty beers are available. My strong suggestion is to instead rely on a daily thorough cleaning of the bathrooms (including a wiping of the outside bottom of the urinals) and working exhaust fans. The use of splash quards instead of the paradichlorizine pucks is appreciated, but it made no difference when I walked through a mist from the timed wall-mount dispenser.
(2)
Frank T.
Place is pretty huge. They have a restaurant area but even their the music is blasting. Bouncers are nowhere near friendly and rude from what I was observing. Its also kinda pricey as if they thought they were located downtown Chicago. 12oz draft of Two Brothers was $6. I still have to try it during the day though. They appear to have really good dishes and I have not tried any yet.
(3)
Brook E.
Went to a wedding reception here--so that's the context of my review. I was very impressed with how good the food was, even though it was made for a large group of people. The set-up is nice for a reception, there's plenty of room for dancing in the backroom. It was great for a smaller wedding like the one I attended, while I could see if you're having a larger event the rooms might break it up a bit more.
(4)
Ian B.
Good location amongst the bars and restaurants of kaneston. Quick service. Nice spot.
(2)
Katarina X.
It is a bar, it is unpretentious and they can really bring good food and the beer! I have a secret shhhh.... I have never cared for beer myself. That's okay- really it is- they have a full bar rarin' to go. The server was cute and fast and very helpful- Boyfriend could not decide which beer so she recommended a tremendous, unexpected but welcome flight of FIVE beer options in honor of Belgian Independence (and yes I sipped from two without complaint, so I can definitely say with certainty they were delicious). We were about to go see a fun summer action movie (Pacific Rim!) and the pictures on yelp convinced us try everything- yes everything, all of it: At the waitress' kind suggestion we ordered the chips and guacamole- the chips are fresh, house-made, light, airy and just the right crispness- the guacamole served in a generous martini glass, convenient for passing back and forth to share. The Calamari are delicious, crisp on the surface and not overwhelmed by breading. THe sauce it was served with was satisfyingly chunky however I am opposed to cheese on fish- luckily the Parmesan handler went easy on this dish, leaving unsullied crispy perfect bites for me and cheesy for my less discriminating Boyfriend. I love crab cakes, it is an obsession. I will go and order crab cakes from just about any menu as many ways as it can be served yummy so long as cheese is not involved. The lunch menu features a crab cake entree with fries, fruit and I am ever-so-devastated we arrived too late to order that- I got the dinner crab cake salad option. Oh, The crab cakes were spicy, not overwhelmed with breading, not falling apart from too little breading and were the perfect portion for two. My sad, complaint: They come with a nearly solid, heavy, thick, dense, cheesy, cream-based dressing that did little for the crab cake. This is sad, nearly tragic- cheese and seafood are not a good combination. So if you order this, consider asking your server to substitute another dressing option- perhaps a light vinaigrette on the side to not defile the crab cakes. We had leftover sauce from the calamari- may I suggest you try that? I did, it was tasty. My Boyfriend ordered Shrimp and Crawfish etoufee- the flavorful seafood was served on a bed of fluffy white rice with a rich, hearty spicy sauce- he loved it. in fact, as looked on the destruction we rendered on the table- we regretted arriving prior to the film time, as this means no doggie bag to go. So if you are looking for a post-film bite, this is your place. But remind them kindly, the refrain from cheese on the seafood, which is delicious and fresh enough to stand on it's own. Next time, I'll be there for lunch. Crab cakes? You are MINE.
(4)
Larz F.
Warning - do not eat here if: You are hungry and need to eat quickly Do not have half a day to wait Want a reasonably priced meal I find that Prairie Moon is a restaurant in search of itself. Food is pretty good but way overpriced, the space feels like a college bar got a Target makeover, and the service is SLOOOWWW! I think it took about 20 minutes to get our drink order, 10 minutes to get 2 beers, and then another 10 minutes before someone came back to take our order. We finished our beers and waited another 15 minutes for someone to notice. It took another 10 minutes for them to come back. We then waited another 20 minutes for our food to show up - and we ordered SALADS. Then we waited for the check forever. All in all it took 2 hours to get 2 beers and a salad. It would be one thing if this was a beautiful, comfy space, but we were sitting on lawn furniture on the patio. We go by this place about 6 times a week and always keep going.
(2)
Meagan H.
What an interesting place. As you walk in you see a room split down the middle. To the right is a bar bumping loud music, and on the left is a quaint restaurant. It was definitely not what I was expecting. The server led us to a back room that was considered the restaurant. The place needs a little remodeling and a decorator. The room is pretty bland looking. We order a new beer. It was pretty good. Their beer list was lengthy giving you some good options. I ordered fish tacos because I like to make comparisons. I love fish tacos of all kinds. I've really only had one bad fish taco in my life. But not here. The fish tacos were yummy! They serve the tilapia by itself so you can cut it up and create your own taco. I could put as much fish, chipotle, and toppings on it as I wanted. My dates meal was just ok. But he ordered a salad... The service is ok. Nothing special. Non conversational. Didn't smile. So, just ok. I guess I wasn't expecting much from this place. I wasn't displeased but I wasn't blown away. It's a good place to catch a quick lunch or dinner, but don't take your first date there. They won't be impressed.
(3)
Jessica J.
Of all the bars/resturants in the Evanston, P Moon is always my back up plan. Consistently good food and booze. We'll even have lunch meetings here! The BBQ chicken salad with dressing on the side is great. And those fries... always order something with fries. Desert is pretty awesome too. However, I was prompted to write a review because of my last visit. So, as we were ordering we mentioned to our waiter (a nice southern gentlemen - excellent service) that our lunch mate was picky and would send back his burger if it wasn't cooked correctly -- in fact, he had done just that on his last visit. When it arrived it was cooked perfect - medium, perfectly pink. BUT THEN, the chef came out to check on it AND apologized for the burger being less then perfect last time. I thought it was a nice touch! Way to be P Moon.
(4)
Dj Nightwolf ..
I came here with some other Yelpers to drink until last call because we felt that we weren't drunk enough from all the wine we drank at the elite event we had attended earlier in the evening and found out that we don't get drunk... we get AWESOME! We had a great time here. Of course an awesome group of people like us would have a great time anywhere, but we just so happened to sit at the coolest spot in the house. Our table was right next to this bookshelf with all sorts of randomness in it. It had books like, "Beer Is The Answer" and "You Should Have Babies", photo albums with some funny pictures that look like they're from the 80's, a creepy looking monkey, and some games. We played Taboo, and I must say, drunken Taboo is waaaaaayyyyy better than sober Taboo. Oh yeah, there was also a crown... and it had CRAB LEGS! I agree with Sean D., this was the coolest thing there. We all ended up taking pics of each of us rockin the crown. The Crab Leg Crown was definitely the highlight of our late night shenanigans! Overall, I'd have to say that I like this place. I may not be a beer expert, but I was with a bunch of beer connoisseurs and they were quite impressed with the selection of beer at this establishment. Our server was friendly and knew what to recommend based the types of beer I like. I didn't get to try the food, but I'll make sure to the next time I'm in the area because I will definitely be back to close this place down again! Holla!!!â„¢
(4)
Ann Marie B.
Great menu and beer selection...been numerous times, love it all
(5)
Ty F.
Good food, relaxed atmosphere, great beer menu. A couple different seating areas ranging from a bar to a patio to sit down restaurant. Only flaw with the patio is the L runs close by and makes a racket.
(4)
Paul L.
With a bar up front and large restaurant in the back, this is a fun place for a group outing in Evanston. We went for New Year's Eve and had a great time. I know others have had graduation parties (Northwestern Univ. is nearby) and holiday parties for work here. The menu is pan-American. Tons of options across all genres. I got the surf/turf with steak and lobster tail, which was good. Huge beer and cocktail list with a great selection from North America and Europe. For a place with the word "prairie" in its title, it has a lot of seafood and Gulf South faire. It's all higher quality than a chain restaurant. Not too formal or stuffy. Great place for a group or party.
(4)
Keith A.
This is always a solid option when going out in evanston. You can't really expect the massive or specialized selections from city bars, but one won't be disappointed with the selection either. I was in need of a drink after a bad week, and met up with a friend here. Its always nice to get here early on a friday night as you can get decent service and there isn't too much of a crowd. I ordered up a blackened chicken sandwich which was very good. It was massive though and was hard to finish and was also on the expensive side to boot. The beer prices are pretty solid, especially on the harder to find ones, so the bill never gets too bad.
(3)
Mari Y.
Prairie Moon surprised me. The times we've walked by on the way to Tommy Nevins, there are usually like 5 people sitting at the bar. This past Wednesday night though, between Bar Louie, Prairie Moon and Tommy Nevis, PM seemed like the place to be. I had no idea that it was HUGE. Lots of students and heavy looking backpacks. Guess grad students don't like to wheel around those newfangled wheelie backpacks. Although good for your back, definitely nerdy looking and something your mom would buy to prevent back injuries. Drinks are cheap and there are a few TVs above the bar. There's a big paper mache panda head above the bar that appeared to say, "I welcome random gifts from drunk patrons." We ordered one drink a piece as a nightcap and a key lime pie. It was a small piece and not too tart, both good things! It was fun to observe the students. I know the quarter/trimester started recently so there was a lot of mingling and smiling going on, which was hi-larious to watch. As we're no longer students, we paid the bill with our hard earned cash from our underpaying jobs and went to bed at a reasonable hour.
(4)
Matthew F.
My wife and I went there for lunch this past weekend. Their food was pretty good. In addition to the typical bar and grill options, they had a few other things. My wife went with the shrimp po boy and said the shrimp were perfect. I had a burger which was nothing to shout about. There beer menu is fairly extensive with plenty of local options as well as out of state varieties. We would go back again.
(4)
John K.
Best beer program north of the Hop Leaf, no question. Also love the shrimp po' boy and the mussels.
(4)
Patricia L.
I rarely ever give places 5 stars but Prairie Moon was quiet convincing. Been here a couple times now, usually for friends' gatherings and never stepped out of this place disappointed, nor incredibly drunk off cheap alcohol. You HAVE to order the North End Calamari. It's a little over $10 but definitely something worth sharing (or not). It's pretty amazing. Not your ordinary calamari because it's friend with a light parmesan crust then topped with balsamic, tomato-basil relish and cocktail sauce. I also highly recommend trying beers from their beer list. My personal faves are the Big Sky $3.50/pint and Witterkerke Belgian White $4.50/glass (can you tell what kind of beers I like?). Avoid the burger (nothing special) and the bruschetta (a little too soggy) though. Great place for groups. If it's summertime, try to get dibs on the patio. Patio seating tops off the perfection of good company, food and beer. CHEERS!
(5)
Jackie G.
I'm sad I only discovered "p moon's" value toward the end of college, a few months before moving out of Evanston. I went back yesterday and want to tell all of you to go here. When I was in Evanston, I wrote off Prairie Moon as another one of the bars in the area - like the Keg, Nevin's or Bar Louie. I now know that Prairie Moon is much better. In terms of being a bar, they have an extensive beer selection. There are a number of beers on tap (maybe 12?) and then a much much longer list of bottled and canned options. The front room is very bar-like. It's loud and full of TV's. You can eat there too, but there is also a dining room set farther back in the restaurant. The dining area is quieter, and that is where I last sat. I noticed that the window panes and lamps are done in the Frank Lloyd Wright prairie style. The art on the walls looks very American, and the divider between the eating area and walkway that goes along the whole restaurant is really big blue letters that spell Restaurant. I love all the details that do feel very American and slightly unexpected. Likewise, the food is definitely American, but not in a typical greasy bad-for-you diner way. For example, last night, my boyfriend enjoyed the trout with broccoli and wild rice, and I got the shrimp po boy. I think that every time I've eaten at Prairie Moon I've gotten the shrimp po boy. The tangy sauce is so good, even if the sandwich itself is a little messy. Last night we both started with soups too. He got the painted soup, which was both visually appealing and tasty. Get it if you like squash. I love mushrooms, so I got the cream of mushroom (soup of the day). I loved it. Each table gets loaves of bread, which are a bit yeast-y. I thought that complemented the two beers I had very well. Lastly, I should mention that our service was really good. The guy we had was friendly and attentive. I don't remember anything remarkable about the service during my other visits, but overall I think this is a great place.
(4)
Tricia D.
Wow, this place looks really different during the day and/or when you're not drunk. I just remember ordering chicken rockefellar every time I've come here in the past. I must have liked it if that's what I remember about this place... and that one horrible college night when I had one or three shots too many.......... Ordering the half sammich (went with Vermont cheddar roast beef), half soup combo on this trip was safe. And I wasn't expecting it to come with fries! Ooo la la. Easy parking in the garage across the street or the tiny lot next door.
Chubbie pastie bartender at back bar has to go. Just didn't care we were there.
(2)
Kelley B.
Great beer selection. Ate outside on the patio- very nice! Service was below average and waitress was not very attentive. Calamari was great!
(3)
David R.
I was brainstorming ideas for an early Friday-evening dinner and probably wouldn't have thought of this place if a friend hadn't planted it in my ear. I had originally intended to eat light, but in the meantime I suffered a slight medical trauma, and to make myself feel better, I decided to set myself up in a corner of the second dining room and eat like a king. My table was right by a large open window, so it sort of felt close to eating on a veranda rather than fully outside (the best of both worlds, is what I am trying to say). The beer list is impressive...really impressive. I'm sorry that I wasn't aware of this all these years. It's by far the best beer selection in Evanston; in fact, it might be a bigger variety than all the other bars put together. I was finally able to try the Stone Arrogant Bastard (meh) but they have a few other of my very favorites, such as Scrimshaw Pilsner (a great meal beer). Sadly, after I had eaten, I was informed that they have switched out the New Holland Dragon's Milk for Old Rasputin. POOR CHOICE. Honestly, the Dragon's Milk is half the reason that I ate there. The food was up and down. I ordered four dishes and asked to have them paired in two courses. First course: fish chowder and mushroom quesadillas. Both dishes very good. The fish chowder had potatoes and corn, some kind of fish and I think shrimp too, all in a lightish creamy broth with a low-level spicy heat. One of the best soups that I have eaten recently. Quesadillas are so pedestrian that I rarely order them, but these ones had some spinach and plenty of quality mushrooms. They tasted great on their own, but came with a salsa trio: fresh pico de gallo (by far the best), watery medium-heat salsa, and chipotle crema, of which I tasted a tiny it and then let sit. Second course: Guacamole and calamari. Letdown. The guacamole was smooth and fresh, but bland, lacking enough onion and jalapeno. The chips were those thick, flaky types, a little on the greasy side but generally good. The calamari was just a failure. I took one bite and thought, "Wha...KFC?!?" The breading was so heavy, dark, and seasoned that it has to be a deliberate invocation of the Colonel's original recipe. Homage? Ironic statement? Practical joke? Blech in any case. I could barely even tell what kind of meat was under that thick, cardiologist-enriching shell. Calamari cannot stand a heavy treatment. It needs a light batter and a quick pan-fry. This stuff looked, felt, and tasted as if it had been deep-fried within an inch of its squiggly little life. Then they threw some shredded parmesan on top! TOO HEAVY. I am keeping them at three stars because of the calamari and the Dragon's Milk. However, yesterday's dinner dissolved my years-long bias, so now I would be willing to return and explore more of their large menu and indulge in that wonderful beer list.
(3)
Robyn B.
This is my favorite place in Evanston to head for beer and a light dinner. Their dining garden is nothing really special but is a cozy nice place to wind down at the end of the day. I also love that you sometimes get free cookies after lunch, as the kitchen staff tries out different recipes.
(5)
Katrina R.
Best Key Lime Pie EVER. I'll repeat, in case that wasn't clear. BEST KEY LIME PIE EVAR. So the food is good here. I've had burgers, salads, the works. Everything is solid, delicious, no complaints. So since we've got that out of the way, we'll talk about what is exceptional, you know, the standouts: 1. The Key Lime Pie. This stuff is amazing. I'm something of a Key Lime Pie addict, and it's a dessert I *never* fail to order when it's on the menu and not out of a freezer. This is the best Key Lime pie I've had--ever. Better than the Key Lime Pie in Florida, better than any recipe that's ever been made for me, better than anything. Eat it. 2. The Painted Soup. This is also fantastic. It's pretty to look at, and the flavor is sublime. I order at least a cup every time I go now, if not a whole bowl. It's spicy, but not in that a-woogah spicy, in that slow-simmery spicy that doesn't linger too long or set you afire. It's flavorful and the texture is perfect. 3. The Lemonade. Fresh-squeezed. Not too much sugar, not too much water. It's a precarious balance-- and it works. 4. The Patio. It's pretty and on a nice night it's simply wonderful. So those are the strong points. GO TO THIS PLACE.
(5)
Michael D.
Good food, Beer selection, and atmosphere.
(4)
David Z.
The g/f and I stopped by this place after work, before heading over to Welsh-Ryan arena for the Northwestern vs. Butler basketball game (Northwestern lost....boooooo). I was very surprised by the extensive beer list, both on tap and in bottles. $5 for a Dragon's Milk is definitely ok in my book. Seems like you can get some pretty good beers and some high alcohol content for your buck here. I had a simple medium-well cheeseburger and my girlfriend had the wings. I was VERY happy with my burger. In fact, I think it was one of my favorite burgers in quite a long time. It was cooked just right, and the bun was lightly toasted and just the right size. I opted for the fruit instead of the fries, and I thought the fruit serving was a little small. I tried a couple of the wings, and I'll admit I didn't really like them that much. They were slightly more edible when using the provided barbecue sauce (the buffalo dipping sauce tasted nasty, like easter eggs). The barbecue sauce DID remind of a little too much of what McDonald's gives you with their chicken nuggets though. The service was very good. We got there at 5:30 and were out the door by 6:20 so we could still make it to the game. Granted, we didn't order anything that would take a long time to make, but I was still impressed with the speed of the food and the fact that the waiter was quick to bring out the check. I thoroughly enjoyed this place. If I am looking for a place to grab a drink before a future game, this will definitely be considered. I avoided 5 stars only because the price was a little high for the burger ($8.99) and the atmosphere in the dining room, although not terrible, left a little to be desired. Also, they should consider putting up some dividers in between the urinals in the men's bathroom. The bathroom does not live up to the standards of the rest of the restaurant. But now I'm just nitpicking. I still really liked this place, and will definitely be back.
(4)
Eric G.
Prairie Moon is one of the top stops in Evanston with both great food and a good selection of craft/import beers on tap as well as a large bottle list. The menu has some very interesting items which are pretty unique. The New Mexican Painted Soup is one of my favorites (may be hot for some), which I always get (says a lot since I rarely ever get soup anywhere). This is one of the few places I have been where I have gone enough time and been happy enough to experiment with a variety of menu items. Recently tried the Three Sisters, which is a vegetarian dish, but was pretty awesome! I have found the service to be consistently good from the wait staff and they seem to have a large amount of back staff so your food comes out in a timely manner and they are very attentive even when they are busy. The prices are also very fair for the portion size and quality. I have also attended special events here (New Years Eve), which were pretty good too. So I would recommend checking them out for special events as well. The bar area is not as big as Nevin's next door, but the beer list is better; it's also more of a chill/relax environment and a better date spot. There is also a small amount of outdoor seating and a private room is available.
(5)
Kristin W.
The food here is great, I haven't tried much of it though because I mainly go here when I wanna drink some amazing beer. If you know your beer, then this is the place to go. The beer list is extensive and impressive. They keep up with the seasonal beers, and have tons of rare beer for people to try. The beer prices range from about $4-$18 a pop. What I love about this place is the fact that the bartenders are very very knowledgeable about what they serve. Feel free to ask them any questions you have and they're always more than happy to educate you on everything they know. They make great suggestions. I feel that this place has so much charm, since we're so used to going to bars where the bartenders only care about making tips and are off to the next customer before you can even say 'thank you!' This place has a restaurant in the middle, and one bar in the front, one in the back. Plenty of space. Also an outdoor patio.
(5)
Courtney K.
Prairie Moon was excellent! Everything about this restaurant surprised me. The interior of the restaurant was beautiful. The food was moderately priced, but definitely worth it. I had the chimichurri steak which I would whole-heartedly recommend! The service was prompt and polite. I really enjoyed the aesthetics of the dishes, everything was very visually pleasing. I will definitely be going here again whenever I'm back in the area.
(4)
Karen C.
Working in Evanston offers up a plethora of lunch choices, so choosing where to go is always a royal pain in the ass. When sick of the typical Chipotle-Panera-Potbelly's lunches, my crew usually ends up deciding on Prairie Moon. As far as the food goes... it gets 4 stars. I've never had anything I didn't like. The cobb salad is delicious, the four sisters plate is tasty, and they do indeed have some amazing cheese fries. Rumor has it they have a quality beer selection, which many co-workers constantly point out, but I'm more of a Schlafly kinda girl, and until someone gets that on tap in Chicago, I'm unimpressed. A stupid complaint I have, but a complaint none-the-less, is the super small glasses they serve their drinks in... these glasses suck because when the waitress is missing for 30 minutes, so is my supply of diet coke. And a girl on her lunch break NEEDS that diet coke. We often have to ask the waitress/waiter to take our order, track them down for more drinks, and we almost always have to request our check. This gets really frustrating, as I'm not accustomed to begging people to take my money. Other than this whole lack-of-service issue, I dig it.
(3)
Amy L.
Nice, normal, 3pm lunch. Good service with a friendly waiter. Seating in the shade under tents outside were a plus. A little noisy, since it is by the train. The BBQ chicken salad was great.
(3)
Rob S.
TLDR: Good food, ok beer, poor service. I went here with a group of 8 for drinks and dinner on a Friday night. PRO: The food is great. We had sandwiches and guac with chips. Atmosphere is good, with sunny outdoor seating, but we chose inside. CON: The service was terrible. After taking our initial drink order, our server ignored us and served all of the surrounding smaller tables instead. (I'm assuming because he knew he would get the 18% gratuity for our large group regardless of his crappy service). That was enough to almost ruin the entire experience. It's hard to enjoy a meal when your glass is empty. After waving him down a few times, I was able to order the 4-beer sampler. I consider myself a beer snob, and like all types of beer, particularly IPAs. Each one of these beers was extremely bitter without much other taste to them. I finished with a bottle of Blue Moon to wash the taste out of my mouth.
(3)
Gspot H.
If you are in Evanston or go to NU, it is a great place to meet up with friends. There is a pool table. Occasionally a DJ. Never tried the food. TV's play espn.
(3)
Dinner T.
Some of the best cheese fries in the Chicago area. Just get them - just like I do every time I'm in town!
(4)
L. F.
Met a friend here for lunch on Sunday afternoon and place was dead. Definitely more of a bar feel than restaurant; it smelled like stale beer. We both ordered salads that were just ok and service was awful. Will not return for food but possibly drinks if in the neighborhood.
(2)
Dana G.
Walking into a bar and seeing a baby at 10:30 at night should mean run and don't look back, but we were far from home and the beer selection here was hard not to pass up. I'm glad we did too because I had a blast! They have an impressive ever changing beer list and a cool layout. Bar in the front with TVs and a quieter sit down restaurant section in the back. The waitress we had was nice and right on the mark when I told her to bring out shots at midnight for Candice G.'s celebratory wearing of the crab leg-crown birthday shot! The place to sit is by the bookshelf for sure. So many random goodies. If you like looking at old yearbooks and road trip photo albums you will not be disappointed. I am excited to see if more stuff gets added to it. I'm not sure how crowded it gets on the weekends because we were here on a Tuesday. Definitely a place to try out!
(4)
Mopsie B.
Went the other night and was not presented with a cocktail list. The wine list was really lacking, particularly for white wines by the glass. I couldn't remember what I'd had the last time but ordered the crab cake salad (which it turns out I loved in 2010). This time it tasted really weird and fishy- I didn't like it at all. And it came with this very heavy, thick and creamy dressing which I didn't want to touch. I will say that the broccoli soup was outstanding and the sourdough bread was also so good that we asked for second basket. I still love the ambiance- especially the bar area- and the service is very friendly and efficient. I want to love this place but I hope for a better entree experience overall.
(3)
Sean D.
Had a good time at this place. Friendly service. Good Beer selection! My favorite part about this place was the bookshelf with all the weird books, random photo albums, and best of all was the CRAB-LEG CROWN!!! I am a fan of places that have really bizarre accessories decorating the establishment, because I for one have a bizarre imagination, this place really satisfied my desires for sure.
(4)
Emily F.
I really like this restaurant/bar. One of the better places to go in Evanston for a dinner & drinks. They have a huge menu where anyone you are with will enjoy it. I've been many times and every time one of the people I am with gets the burger and absolutely loves it. I have had a few different shrimp small plates and their fish chowder... all very yummy! Oh! And their french fries are amazing! Great beer selection and the bartenders and servers are very knowledgeable. They have a few different areas you can eat in to suit your mood. The front area with high tops, the middle dining are that is brighter, the patio (when its warm), the back bar where they hold small groups and gets crowded during happy hours, and then the very back dining area which feels a little more upscale. Lets not forget the darts! It is so popular there they need to get more! Oh... and they pour your wine glass quite full :-) All in all I really like this place! Some people may think its a bit over priced but the portions are great and we've always left happy!
(4)
Keiko S.
UPDATE: I'm adding another star after several more visits, because (1) I like the back room, and (2) the food, whatever dish, has been very satisfying. My current favorite: Blackened Tilapia Breaux Bridge!! **************************************************Â************ Just had a very satisfying meal here. My friend, who's a regular here, ONLY orders the Blackened Salmon Club sandwich at this place, and I could understand why after taking a bite of it. It comes with rye bread, which is great. The Chicken Rockefeller has become my favorite; it's chicken, mushroom and rice topped with creamy mushroom sauce. Mmm...so yummy. The burgers are delicious, too. Another friend of mine really enjoys her Pico Pepperjack Moon Burger slammed with a chunck of advocado inside. (see pics) As for the drinks - you can't go wrong with their cold draught beers, especially the Summit Hefe Weizen. Nice bars, friendly staff (though not very responsive), over all clean and spacious. There is a pool table and a TV in the back, but it doesn't get that unbearably rowdy, even in the front room. All in all, great food and drinks at reasonable prices. The portions are just right, too. I'm inclined to give a five-star rating, but I'll wait till I try more dishes from the "big plates" menu. Note: They open everday for lunch at 11:30am, but on Sundays they serve breakfast starting at 10am.
(4)
Stephen H.
Beer selection is indeed fabulous and interior is laid back and colorful. Watch the purple line whiz by as you sip a beverage and chow on a hearty sandwich. The shrimp po boy is great with the side of muxed fruit as are the fish tacos and the burgers. The classic rock dinner music doesn't hurt t all either, tho not my first choice. 13 bucks out the door.
(4)
Chitown D.
Terrible service, surly management, sucky food, crummy parking, GROSS bathrooms...should I go on? There is really nothing redeeming about this place except for the dart boards and the beer selection. PM has been disappointing me for years and yet we continue to go back, as it seems to be the go-to place for my husband's coworkers. If I had my say, I'd never cross their dreadful threshold again. The last time we went was Fat Tuesday. We got there very early in the evening and they were already out of about half the items on their "special menu." How does a manager let that happen? Really, it's 5:30 on Fat Tuesday and you're out of red beans and rice? The whole evening was a total disaster. The food we eventually got (after hounding our server and waiting over an hour and a half) was stone cold. It was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. We had a guest in town and it was very embarrassing. It's pathetic what we settle for in Evanston. Do yourself a favor and go anywhere else. If you must go, just drink and eat elsewhere.
(2)
K J.
I finally got a chance to check this place out and I'm a fan. Here are the hits and misses. Hits: The outside patio section is a really nice addition to the restaurant. Great place to grab some food and a drink. The beer list rocks. I grabbed one of their draft beer specials at $4 and it was delicious... "trout something". The painted soup is unique, tasty, and healthy. They put bread on the table which is always welcome in my book. My cheeseburger was perfectly cooked, the bun was soft and fresh, and the smoked cheddar was AWESOME. Fries were fresh and hot. I have to say one of the best things about this place that will bring me back again and again, (other than the good cheap beer) funny enough was my daughter's meal. We ordered her the children's mac n cheese which came with a small dish of mac n cheese (not kraft) a dish of fresh steamed broccoli and a huge pile of fresh fruit. The total of her meal = $3.50. It is so hard as a parent to find restaurants that offer decent, healthy, and budget friendly options for children. Now the misses: the service was below average. Nothing horrible, just not on it. The girl was not very friendly, didnt explain the beer list with ease, and only checked in once ( I would have ordered another beer). Next, they dont have a printed children's menu nor did someone tell me what the options for children were, I had to ask. There were no crayons or paper available for children. THe veggie burger my other half ordered was "good" but bordered on looking and tasting like a Boca Burger. (slightly dry) It did have a ton of avocado on it though, which is a plus. All in all, this place won me over, I'll be back.
(4)
Jamie B.
Went here for a staff Christmas lunch and was very impressed. I haven't been too happy with most restaurants in Evanston, but Prairie Moon had a great menu, and really delivered a fantastic meal. I loved that they had a lot of seafood and veggie options, and I had a really hard time deciding what to get because it all sounded so good. I got one of their lunch specials for the day, a local whitefish with an herb crust, mashed potatoes and broccoli. The fish was a really good size for a lunch portion, perfectly cooked, and had the right amount of herbs (thyme, rosemary, etc.). The mashed potatoes were delicious...probably the best I've had in a restaurant. They used red potatoes with the skin on, and were creamy, but with still some small chunks of potato and really good flavor. The broccoli was still crispy, just the way I like it! I couldn't believe this was only $9.95. Their lunch prices seemed to be $5-7 less than most of their dinner menu. The space itself was cheery and clean, and we got seated in an area with a lot of natural light, which was really nice. Our waitress was attentive and friendly, and my entire group seemed to be happy with what they got. Looking forward to coming back and trying some of the other items on the menu!
(5)
Liz S.
Great bar/restaurant/event space. They have a long and varied menu which has something for everyone. I had one really bad experience with a waitress, though, so that's what I am basing this review on. I told her I was allergic to wheat at the beginning, and she got so excited, saying she had tried going gluten-free for a while (for some undoubtedly frivolous reason...she obviously didn't take it seriously). I ordered one of the small plates and it had fried shallots on top. As I'm eating them, I'm like "wow I can't believe this doesn't have wheat! It really tastes like it does!" Um, yeah. When I said something to this overly excited waitress, she was like "oh I forgot, that has wheat." ughh. When I told her "I'm having an allergic reaction!" she did NOTHING. You need to take people seriously when they say not only "I have an allergy," but more importantly, "I'm having an allergic reaction, from food you told me was SAFE." Shame on you prairie moon.
(1)
Danny W.
Prairie Moon is fine. They have a reasonably good beer selection, and a good number of bottles too. Probably the best in Evanston (although that is a contest that's a race to the bottom, let me tell you.) Their food is fine. Perhaps not quite the level of the gastro-pub they wish they were, but good enough to bring family. (Note: Prairie Moon is not the Hopleaf.) Price on food are reasonably steep, but I usually drink there, so I can't complain that much. Really, just get a burger and a beer and shut up about the entrees - if you want better food you're in Chicago, you can go find it. Edit: the calamari is out of control. Worth the extra star just for how good that shit it. Order it. Like two plates of it. I had no idea.
(4)
Lillian S.
A really great place to just chill at the end of the day with friends. The beer selection is fabulous and the atmosphere is very laid back. All the times I've been there the service has been wonderful. On my most current visit I had the New Mexican Painted Soup, which was a really nice, light dish and for desert, Triple Berry Crumble. Let me just say that the Triple Berry Crumble was phenomenal. The fruit was so fresh, sweet and perfect for summer. Even if you're just there for drinks, it's a great place to stay awhile.
(4)
Bridg G.
I am one sad gingy. This is the first time Yelp has ever let me down. This place was TERRIBLE. We went small plates; very chewy dried out shrimp skewers, mealy blue crab cakes complete with shells, mac and cheese tasted like frozen Stouffers, Salmon over mashed potato was ok, just ok, and then our final small plate never came. They forgot to put it in which was fine because we were ready to go. The place is dirty and smells bad when you walk in. Lousy wine list. The waitress was really nice, but everything else was just lousy. I forgive you Yelp, but please be more careful with my stomach.
(1)
Aurore L.
Saved my life when I wanted (needed?!?) beer on a hot Saturday. Enuff' said.
(3)
Angela H.
Eh, this place was all right. It took me forever to decide what to order, but I finally settled on the chicken tacos. They came out as build-your-own, kind of more like fajitas, but they were flavorful. The rice was mediocre, but the chicken was good. I ate the whole thing at least!
(3)
James B.
Great beer selection. Extensive menu. Service was extremely slow. The blackened salmon sandwich was delicious. A bit pricey. A sandwich, dinner salad, and 2 beers was $44 without tip.
(3)
Katherine L.
Good selection of beer and a laid-back place to go with friends for a drink. I tried this pizza, which was ok, but haven't had a chance to sample the other things on the menu.
(3)
Nathan J.
Great food. Great services. Great atmosphere. Big. Kid friendly. Easy going. Highly recommended.
(4)
Jenny T.
Um, YUM! While walking around Evanston I told Ryan I was in the mood for bar food, so we wandered to Prairie Moon to grab some lunch. We got 1 thing right, it's a bar. As far as a bar food, we were completely wrong. The bar is very open & has a nice lofty feel. I was excited to grab a burger & beer, but was brought to the back of the place in the actual dining area. It was nice with wooden floors, paintings on the walls, and a lovely back patio. We opened the menu to find very minimal bar food choices (4 I think), but were surprised by the upscale & affordable menu. Ryan settled on the corn crusted fish tacos & I got the "three sisters" vegetarian plate. Fresh, sourdough bread was delivered shortly after placing our order which we devoured within minutes. It was warm & super soft, so we couldn't help ourselves. Our meals came & we were both delightfully surprised. The fish tacos were not already assembled, so Ryan got to pick & choose how much fish & toppings went into the corn tortillas. The fish was delicious (huge helping!) & the pico de gallo was super fresh. Everything was really, really good besides the spanish rice. It was very bland & we both love tasty, sticky spanish rice. My lunch was the winner by far. A very large helping of white beans, roasted butternut squash, and peppers topped with sweet onions & sweet corn all tossed in this delicious homemade sauce on top of two pieces of grilled polenta. HEAVEN! There was just enough crunch left in the peppers & squash to not make it seem like total mush. The sauce was light, yet so flavorful & creamy. Almost like a super light alfredo, but not exactly. Argh, I can't put my finger on it. All I know is that I ate almost the entire thing...and it was big. I would definitely recommend this joint to grab a delicious lunch for anyone in the area. Lets just say upscale, casual dining for only $30.00 total sounds good to me almost any day.
(4)
Michael B.
I have NEVER been treated with such disrespect and terrible service in a restaurant. It is unfortunate that I will not return to Prairie Moon, as I legitimately think that their food was pretty good. However, based on the poor service I received on multiple levels, it is a matter of principle that I will never go back. Let's start with the hostess. Clearly, this young girl did NOT want to be there. When we walked in, she simply did not feel like seating us--I was greeted with a 'well, you can sit anywhere [in the bar area] if you'd like.' Cue awkward pause. My response, having been there once before, "Isn't there a main dining room?" Her seemingly irritated answer "Oh, I can show you there, too." ...Really? Fine. At least our service should be way better than that. Oh wait. No, it wasn't. Our server comes up to us, awkwardly I might add (notice a trend?), asking us if we'd like anything to drink. Being somewhat familiar with the menu, I order guacamole as a starter for us right away. She fumbles a bit, but I let it slide. Upon returning, we order some soup, a small plate and a large plate. I enjoyed this concept, but our server is confused by it. She took my menu and read it in front of me. I still have no idea why. Seriously, learn your menu. You have like...30 items...most of which repeat. It is really not that difficult. Our meal started to spiral out of control at this point: -Our guac comes out. It's great. Don't see our server. No big deal. I need water...I'll flag down a busser. -Finish our guac. Server? She's somewhere important I'm sure. Her two other tables looked really demanding. -Server is back! Clears guac plate! Inquire about whether the other guest with me will have his soup coming anytime soon. She shrugs and says "I put them all in at the same time. No idea. Sorry." Then walks away...Note: basket of bread is empty, refills always a plus when your guests look a bit hungry. -Food comes out. Quite good. Server is MIA. -Finish food. Awesome busser (no sarcasm--this guy was great and should have been serving. He knew his stuff!) clears our table. -Server? Is she still here? I have no idea. Oh. There she is. Check please? Well, we inquired about desserts. She frowns again. Recommends carrot cake and says nothing else about ANY other dessert. Interesting. -Equal pay on our bill. -As we leave, we walk within, and I kid you not, 3 feet of her ON HER PHONE TEXTING. She says nothing to us. No eye contact. No thank you. No goodbye. -I walk up to the host stand to get a mint. Host is talking to friend who visited her. She ignores us. I saw "wow.' to her face. I am never going to Prairie Moon again. The cooks and the bussers are amazing but I cannot go to a restaurant where I am ignored by the main staff. Where in God's name was a manager?
(1)
Conly D.
If you're a beer geek (and I almost am) then this is a great place to grab some great craft and micro brews. The ambiance is perfect and the prices aren't too high. The food there is fantastic too. I definitely recommend the mac & cheese. Holy canoli!
(5)
Sid P.
Too bad for the naysayers, because I had a great experience at the restaurant for the second time. Granted the service could have been better, but it was fine: no errors, the usual/customary pop-ins to make sure everything was ok. Food was served quickly and at the right temperature. But let's be clear: it was a Thursday night and it was 9 pm. My previous visit was on a Saturday night at 7:30 pm and was nothing remarkable, but in both cases, THE FOOD WAS. (was remarkable, I mean.) Some original flavors were invoked, but more importantly, everything tastes so fresh and so balanced. The menu is broad enough for even picky eaters like me. The painted soup looks great, tastes great. Highly recommended. It would've been nice to get some bread or crackers to go with it... but it was delicious enough I didn't really care. My date and I went with small plates and we both loved what we ordered. If the restaurant can maintain its concept, serve tasty, quality, locally-sourced food that satisfies, then I say keep on keepin' on.
(4)
Jeremy N.
Great beer selection, especially Belgians. I think their best items are the burgers and hot sandwiches, but the rest of the menu is very creative. The patio is nice, and the staff have always been accommodating for groups and special requests. Depending on your drink and food choices, it can start to get pricey.
(4)
Michelle W.
My only regret was this was a business lunch and I couldn't sample any beer! I had a salad but the menu was great and the seating/atmosphere perfect. I'll definitely return.
(4)
Leaht F.
Amazing beer selection, friendly waitstaff, and decent cuisine. Food ranges from more unique and exotic, such as shrimp stuffed with crab to more classic, such as cheeseburgers. Prices are fairly priced, especially if you eat a smaller meal and have one of their petite sized plates or sandwiches. They can be a bit packed, particularly with Northwestern students, but the food comes out in a timely manner and the waitstaff is very attentive. Bonus points for the free mints!
(4)
Mark I.
These guys do a great job. Arguably Evanston's best tap. Great beer selection, nice long, warm bar, and good eats to go with it. Good place to hang out and watch a game.
(5)
Stacey P.
I've been to prairie moon a few times now, starting shortly after they opened several years ago. I remember when my mom and I went, it must have been opening month, they had all these chocolate chip cookies they let us try for free! I think they were trying to perfect their recipe or something... but now I'm always a little dissapointed when I go and don't get a free chocolate chip cookie. Ha! Anyway, my coworkers and I went to Prairie Moon yesterday to celebrate a birthday. At lunch hour, it was busy but not crowded. The servers were really nice and everything got taken care of quickly. Everyone was RAVING about their food... Items ordered: Black and blue burger, Trout (daily special), Shrimp Polenta dish, and Chipotle chicken tacos (daily special). Everything was delicious. I got the shrimp and polenta dish and finished off the WHOLE THING. The shrimp were big and juicy and I loved the flavors. After we got back, I heard my coworker down the hall telling other coworkers how good it was, and that we should make it a regular lunch place for celebrating and/or hanging out with coworkers. Such excitment in her voice!!!
(4)
Molly S.
I'm a big fan. This is the kind of place I like - you can go drink and watch hockey in the front, or have a nice dinner in the back. OR, you can belly up to the bar, order some beers and some food, and chill with the bartenders and/or managers and/or owners. I believe they even have a second bar all the way in the back, and that's where they usually put groups and/or late-night bar spillover. The patio is really nice when the weather is good. They have the best beer list in Evanston, without a doubt. In fact, they have one of the best beer lists on the North side (they can totally play with Hopleaf and the Map Room). They have a really solid standards list, and they always have great stuff on the rotating taps. It's the only place I've been able to find 3 Floyds Zombie Dust other than the brewery itself (it's a seasonal beer from a very popular but small brewery...Zombie Dust is my holy grail). Bonus - you can check the daily beer specials on the website. The food is really good, and it's pretty reasonably priced. (Plus it helps that they give a 15% Northwestern discount on food). I love that they have small plates, because I often come here for drinks in that like 9pm time slot, when I'm not necessarily looking for a full dinner, but I'd like something to eat. I've had everything from their bar food to their salads to their big-girl dinners, and almost all of it has been great. I love the chimichurri steak (both the small plate on the dinner menu and the breakfast) and the hibachi tuna salad (like a salad with seared tuna...not mayonnaisey tuna salad). They also make a great burger, and their boardwalk fries with the cheese sauce are SO GOOD. A few times I have either not liked a dish, or the dish was prepared badly (overcooked pasta, etc.), and the service can be awkward sometimes. But, the place generally has good food and a good atmosphere. Maybe the best part? This place is very rarely full of undergrads. Most don't make the walk over here, so you can feel like you're in an adult bar for once in Evanston. (Plus I usually don't have to worry about running into my students.) I like!
(4)
Dawn G.
Being used to the large amount of sandwiches, gourmet burgers and craft beers in the city- when visiting a deer friend in Evanston we went to this little gem. It's menu is quite varied...small/large plates, burgers, great beer list etc...can't complain there. I arrived earlier than said companion and the host was not only nice, but joked w/me about being there early. I appreciate when a person seating you has some sense of humor, you hear that Kuma's? :) Anyway... regarding the food- the burger/fries and toppings quite good, but what's up with your grocery store bun? I may had one too many love affairs with pretzel buns as of late, but that bun was pretty craptastic...I was able to look over it because the burger and its taste was so filling I couldn't finish it. The fries are tasty, lightly seasoned and enjoyable. I was happy with the beer list too- I was able to get two hearted for 4 dollars a pour and it was on draft. The service was good- she was attentive, but lacked a large personality- however this is one of those lower key, we don't bother you restaurants without a lot of in your face server time, which I really do like. I'd go again, but probably not run up to Evanston from the WP.
(4)
Chris O.
Was looking for a place to eat and watch some football. While I didn't get my wish as far as watching football (I was a bit disappointed in that I thought this was a sports bar/grill from reading descriptions), I did have a good meal in a cool place for a good price. There is a bar/grill part to this place, which is the front. 2-4 tvs, a bar and some barroom type tables and booths. We were sat in the back dining area, which was nice and airy. There are outside seats on a private patio, as well, and a cool "back" room with a bar and a pool table and a couple of tvs. Didn't know if this was actually up and running, though. I had the fish chowder, which was really good. I'm from the gulf coast of Florida and it certainly competed with various chowders and soups you'd get in that area. Now, here's where it is really cool. They have "small" plates and "large" plates. This seems to be somewhat common in Chicago, which I really like. I went with the small plate of Gulf Shrimp Louise and it was delicious. I didn't have desert. The service from the waitress was OK, nothing great. She acted as if she was a bit perturbed with everyone, honestly. But she was hustling and getting around. The bus staff was great and the gentleman running bread, etc. was uber friendly and really on top of it. All in all, we really liked it and we will go back again.
(4)
Patrick B.
The food was adequate, but overpriced. The fish tacos are really nothing special, ditto for the fish po boy. The service was really poor too. There were not enough waitresses on hand and it took way too long to have our order taken and to get our food. The worst was that our waitress threw out the food we asked to have wrapped to have taken home. She politely apologized and offered to have the kitchen prepare new meals for us. Since the first round of food took so long, we declined. I know that a service staff gets busy, but that shouldn't happen. Probably won't be going back.
(2)
Colleen R.
My sister wanted to go to a college visit to Northwestern, so we drove from Columbus, OH to Evanston for the visit. We visited Prairie Moon the last night of our stay and I was so extremely pleased with our meal. We both got the pico veggie burger. she opted for the fruit side and I got the fries. This burger was literally the best thing I have ever eaten. It was spicy from the pepper jack cheese and the pico de gallo, but was cooled down by the sliced avocado on top. The bun was a little crispy on the outside and the burger alone was wonderful. If you haven't had this burger, I suggest you go NOW and get it. I'm no vegetarian. I like my meat and a lot of it, but this was honestly the best sandwich I've ever had. Seriously, go to Prairie Moon tonight and get this burger! It's wonderful.
(5)
Scott B.
Been here 5 or 6 times now. Things I like: Burgers-Awesome but occasionally cooked wrong. Fries are good too and you have a choice of veggie that is great. The back room-Pool table, darts, and it's quieter. Love the aura of this room. Beer selection-Wide variety with some decent specials. Fish Tacos-Electrically awesome but expensive (15 bucks) Things I dislike: Inconsistent service. It's never fast, but sometimes it seems like they don't expect to be as busy as they are.....and are understaffed and have one person or two people in the packed front area running around like chickens w/ their heads cut off. Meanwhile there are two bartenders up front casually talking to eachother and not helping them out (this has happened three times) Coke is flat: My fiancee is a badass and orders whisky and cokes. Every single time the coke is flat...I mean every. We tell them and then they find the magical tap w/ the crisp coke....we don't know how this happens...they must grab cans.
(3)
Dan P.
I just finished my 50th birthday party at Prairie Moon and they FAR exceeded my expectations. Planning was simple thanks to Mike, the manager. The service was incredible thanks to Nestor and the kitchen staff. Delicious food, fantastic space and great value. My friends raved about the experience and I'd host another event here in a heartbeat. I've enjoyed dining here for years but I'm completely hooked. Many thanks...you made my day.
(5)
Dimitry G.
This place is great, it has a very laid back atmosphere, the food happens to be amazing. I am not a big fan of huge menus I am more along the lines of offering a few options but having those options be amazing! However, Prairie Moon has a decently good size menu and every item that I tried was amazing (almost mind blowing good) their menu is very creative. Also...Huge beer selection, and the waitress Always knows what to recommend.
(5)
Jackie F.
I love this place. So many great beers to try, always new ones on the specials, great mixed drinks and fabulous food specials. I love the burgers and they're so big and juicy, but when I feel like something "lighter" there are plenty of great food choices. My boyfriend and I always come out for the purpose of trying something new and we've been there many times and they always have new beer choices. Now I feel like a beer snob. Just beware-don't come too late in the evening otherwise you'll be tripping over college students so you can make it to the dining area. When it's not very busy, I love to eat up by the bar.
(5)
Frank B.
The beer selection here is impressive. They have some adventurous beers on tap. I was very happy to order a Left Hand Milkstout off nitro tap, and a 16 oz can I've never seen before. The prices for beers are quite reasonable. For that reason, I probably blanched at paying more for food I consider to be pub food. Fortunately, my companions did order some. I can report that the burgers here are excellent, and that I was impressed with the fries (which seemed to be twice fried)--I don't normally care for fries, but these were flavorful. Was also happy with the raw tuna nachos. Their menu features many unusual combinations, and most of them work well. I ordered a painted soup myself, which I wasn't so excited about. I often have waitresses mix two or more varieties of soup, and tomato plus squash seemed like an ordinary composition, if not more artfully presented than at a random diner. I wished the bowl was larger. If I lived close by, I imagine that I would use Prairie Moon as more of a pub than a restaurant. But if you're looking for a midrange casual dinner, I don't think you'll be hurt by anything on the unusual menu.
(4)
Pete M.
Lost our reservation and the person up front didn't even try to help Won't be going back and I am certain that they could care less. Some places have so much business, they can afford to treat you like a jerk.
(1)
Shyam S.
The best thing about this place is the size - it is massive. If I lived in Chicago or went to Northwestern, this is probably where I would spend hours studying, drinking Diet Coke and nibbling on something. With that said, I only give this place 3-stars because the food I ate was good, but not great. I had the salmon and spinach omelette with toast and potatoes. A very satisfying meal, but the portion size was almost too much. I look forward to visiting it again and trying more dishes.
(3)
Lee R.
One of Evanston's best. Great beer selection, frequent rotation, excellent specials, new beers distant and local coming in every month. The food is wonderful. The chicken nachos are irresistible, the salmon club and blackened chicken/crawfish poor boys are amazing, they make a decent burger, and the calamari is great, too. They also have a very nice outdoor patio. The CTA Purple line runs right behind the back wall, which can cause halting conversations, but I think it's right at home with Evanston's urban suburb feel.
(5)
Gino D.
Good food and a nice atmosphere. Great location and I enjoyed their outdoor.
(4)
Martin Y.
I met friends there for catch-up drinks and a meal. It was my first time so didn't know what to expect. I'm not sure if its an Irish restaurant/bar but it had that feel to it. Maybe it was all those different Kraft beers they have on offer. Definitely the kind of place I would recommend if you fancy yourself a consummate beer connoisseur. It was a friendly atmosphere and our server was very nice. The food was great too(at least what I had) but everyone was happy with their meals. Took a pick at the back and noticed a spacious beer garden so I think I will be back to check it out in the summer for sure
(3)
Melissa F.
Prairie Moon is an interesting restaurant - it serves traditional American fare with a modern, local twist. There is also a good deal of international influence (although I'm not crazy enough to call its quesadillas authentic). I'm pretty tired, so I'm gonna break it down by bullet points. Woop woop. THE DECOR: Tall ceilings, lots of wood and warm colors, but it feels somewhat home-y. I'm from the Midwest and never really knew how somewhere can feel "Midwestern," but I'm pretty sure this place does. THE SERVICE: Above-average. We didn't see our waitress all the time, but she refilled my Diet Coke pretty consistently, and she was friendly enough. THE FOOD: I got a cup of painted soup, which was beautifully presented. Imagine a relatively unmixed cup of butternut squash and tomato soup, as well as green soup (arrgh! forgot which vegetable...it was too good to be pea soup, so maybe some green chile derivative?). There is a significant kick to it, which pleasantly surprised me. I then got the blackened salad with shrimp. It was a pretty simple salad - tortilla strips, pico de gallo, avocado, roasted corn, some ranch dressing...oh, and amazing blackened shrimp. I was hesitant to get blackened shrimp because, hey, who likes burnt anything? (Notable exception: my dad, who LOVES burnt toast. I don't get it.) But the shrimp was coated in spices and was bursting with flavor. Yes, please. The salad is around $16 or 17, which is ridiculous, but then again, the salad's pretty pretty pretty pretty good (thanks, Curb Your Enthusiasm!). I wouldn't come back here every day (hey prices), but it's good enough where I'd surely return!
(4)
Susan P.
Prairie Moon is my go to restaurant during the spring and summer because of their outdoor seating area. They have an extensive beer list and their food is always reliable. I love their large salads and sandwiches. They also don't rush you out when they are busy like other area restaurants.
(4)
Maureen P.
I had a nice Easter Brunch at PM. The wait staff was friendly. I enjoyed the cedar-planked salmon with a tasty barbeque butter glaze. The grilled sirloin steak with a garlic herb butter was tender. Although the dishes had great taste, they were not served warm enough for me. There were no burners under the meat plates. My favorite was the french toast with real maple syrup and bananas foster. The egg bake with vegetables and provolone cheese...yum. Mango mimosa was delicious and complimentary.
(3)
Katie C.
I'm not ashamed to admit it: I am not rolling in dough. My last money tree was struck by lightning (?) and this cash cow's moved on to greener pastures. That being said, I like taking advantage of any discount I can get...enter NPR's Membercard discount at Prairie Moon. I'd been to Prairie Moon once previously, but didn't remember the experience that well. The place is a LOT bigger than I remember--a large bar area with numerous tables greets you, and when you walk back to the dining room, you realize there are actually two large dining rooms...maybe even a third along the side of the building? Not sure about that one, as it might be a patio-like area reserved for warmer days... The menu and beer list are pretty impressive. I consider myself fairly well-versed in craft beer, and they had some I'd not heard of or read about before. The menu boasts multiple burger baskets--the Northwoods with horseradish sauce and bacon the most enticing of the bunch--and a large selection of American, Tex-Mex and even a couple reworked Italian favorites in there (read: California Chicken Marsala). I settled on the small plate of the chicken quesadillas, my date on the Northwoods burger, and seriously...our food must have come out 7 minutes after we ordered it. I was SHOCKED. Jaw open, bewildered...until I realized they were just efficient and accepted it. The food? Okay...2 out of the 3 salsas that came with my quesadillas were edible, and the quesadilla itself was fine, a little greasy, and definitely a smaller portion. Definitely nothing special...but hey, my meal was free! Northwoods burger was reportedly good...snuck a french fry, and it was crunchy but bland. Since I still had room in my tummy, we ordered the Texas sheet cake for dessert--again, nothing special, I probably could have made it out of a Betty Crocker box at home, but it hit the spot, considering it was rich, chocolatey, warm, and served with vanilla ice cream. Am I dying to go back? No. Am I super-excited about their menu items? Nope. Am I thrilled that our dinner cost less than it could have because as an establishment they generously provide discounts to Chicago NPR listeners? Definitely. So in that case, I'm grateful to Prairie Moon for cooking when I didn't want to.
(3)
Lindsay A.
This place came highly recommended by friends -- one who'd visited Evanston before, and some who went to school at Northwestern -- which is why I decided to check it out on a recent weekend visit to Evanston. Didn't have any food here -- just beers. Beer selection is good, which is the primary basis for my rating. Service was only okay, which is why the rating isn't higher. Would definitely want to come here for a meal and beers next time I'm in Evanston.
(4)
Jeanne H.
LOVE this place! Great beer selection and the seared tuna salad is delicious. It's my go-to place in Evanston. The first time I went there I had no idea how big it was. There is a second bar in the back by the pool and darts. Seems like it would be a great place for a private party. The music can be a little loud when you're at the front bar but there are plenty of tables further away from the speakers. Will be going back soon!!!
(5)
Sean C.
Looking for a college town bar, that maintains a neighborhood feeling? Then Prairie Moon is your place to go. Good food, (even on the late night menu), I applaud the painted soup!!! If you are coming to try out new "Craft" beers, then you are in luck. Touting an extensive beer "collection", the managers have worked hard to find the better beers that will appeal to all palates. They are also very friendly to the beer social scene. Phil "The Minister of Good Beer" will scour the distributors for cask aged beers and hosts Firkin Fridays!! Naturally aged beers in a cask that brings out the flavor and carbonation in a serving vessel as compared to forced carbonating techniques used by big beer companies. Additionally, they host the Evanston Homebrew Association's Thirsty Third Thursday every month which caters to local home brewers' bottles in the back bar, so if you brew and want to share/get critiques' from some good peeps, stop by.
(5)
Denise B.
If you can't get into Chicago and need a bar, Prairie Moon is your best option in the Evanston area. In a past review of a bar in Evanston I don't like nearly as much (Nevin's Pub), I mentioned the friend's boyfriend who looooves Nevins. He doesn't like Prairie Moon nearly as much, which shows his poor taste and why I haven't been here as much as I'd like when I'm in the area. When we can, we convince him to go to this bar instead of his favorite crutch. Anyway, this bar is fun. The front room can be loud and crowded in weekend nights, but all you need to do then is head to one of the back rooms or the back patio (if the weather's nice) to chill. This is a great place to hang out with your friends and is good for large groups. The crowd here is laid-back, fun, and young (20s and 30s). There's a great selection of reasonably priced beers and wine, as well as the standard mixed drinks. I don't usually eat the food here, but I seem to recall it being good for bar standards. I'd still probably go to a 5-star Chicago bar over Prairie Moon, but if I'm meeting up with people in the North Shore this bar is easily my top choice.
(5)
Richard G.
Great food, huge selection of beers especially specialty bottles like Dragons milk and Delirium. I had there shrimp Po" Boy sandwich which was excellent with fries, I have had their burgers and they were juicy.
(4)
John C.
If you love quality beer, like I do, you are going to love Prairie Moon. If I were to review them purely on beer alone? I'd give them six stars. They have an amazing selection and employ a group of bartenders who know their stuff. I seriously hope they read their Yelp reviews because you guys are absolute professionals. And service? A+++. I have been in PM about 3-4 times over the last two months, and these guys remember what I drank, and how much I liked it. Hell, I can't do that myself. The food is decent but not amazing. They do an equally solid job on service with the food, but there is simply nothing particularly creative to warrant that fifth star. PM is a place where adults go to have a few drinks, talk with their friends or to meet new people. I have never seen any of the frat boy kind of behavior at PM that so many people avoid at bars No doubt, this place is becoming 'my' bar. Thinking of throwing a Yelp Evanston event here. Hope to see you there.
(4)
Travis J.
Spent my first few hours treating it as a beer place(which it most certainly is), played some darts, then saddled up to the bar to buy an officemate a drink for kicking my ass at said dart game. We asked for a bourbon neat, and I'm pretty sure we got triples. I ordered the fresh fish chowder, it wasn't anything to write home about.
(3)
Andrea K.
Amazing beer list and great food. Have the Dark Side of the Moon Burger. Also, ask for Colin, he knows his stuff and will take care of you.
(5)
Lauren D.
Sorry, Praire Moon. You lost a star or two - actually two - in my book. I'm pretty sure from now on I'm only coming here for cheese fries at the bar - mostly because I've had consistently awful service the last 3-4 times I've eaten here. Most recently, upon ordering a grey goose on the rocks w/ a splash of tonic, and drinking it, and upon realizing that it either had some kind of poison in it or someone had coated the glass with a disgusting-flavored syrup, I asked the waitress if they could remake it and she told me: "Oh, I saw him pour it. It's grey goose." And that was that. (I'm pretty sure the customer is always right? At least those of us who have ever been in the food industry know that to be true.) Also, one time, sitting on the patio outside in the summer, I saw a rat.
(2)
Vivian Y.
I hate that I can only give you 3 stars because we didn't eat any food - but my guess is that you could easily be a 4 or 5 star if we ate, and if we had Kyle at the bar entertaining us! Walking into this place at this time of year is a bit of a trip. There are strands of Hawaiian decor coupled with Mardi Gras stuff all over the place. I wasn't sure if it was a tiki theme or mardi gras theme. it was a bit humorous! You'll be super surprised at their awesome beer list that is about $1-2 less than what you'd pay in the city. I could potentially spend an afternoon drinking around the world there. Food prices look awesome - they had a menu leftover from Valentine's day featuring a Surf and Turf that feeds two people for $34 - complete with a choice of twin lobster tails or alaskan king crab legs and a sirloin steak. That's enough to send me back to try it sometime!
(3)
Claire G.
Really great beer selection and a nice patio. I had the blue crab cake salad. Very nice crab with a creamy lemon chive dressing. Fresh sourdough bread was a nice touch. My husband didn't care for the little pieces of red pepper in the crabcakes but thought the fries were outstanding. The service was a little confusing. We had at least 3 different people helping us. They might have been a little short handed. The ladies at the table next to us had a few delays getting their food. The servers were trying very hard to keep up and we didn't have any problems. I definitely would recommend this place. It's very close to Northwestern University.
(4)
Marcos L.
How this place stays in business is beyond me. It looks like the kind of bar Borat would design after he'd been living in Evanston for a few years and learned to be hip. Evanston hip. Weird generic motel-room posters on the walls, echo-y space, and incongruous (but pretty) floral arrangements (for make the ladies thinking of sexytime?). And what an unfriendly vibe this place has! OK, you go in at night. The place has about a dozen tables of people sitting there socializing. So what do you do, Borat? You turn up groovy Europopdiscomusik reeaaallly loud on 1st-class Albanian stereo hi-fi, so people have to yell at each other! Yes! Sexytime! And about a half hour before closing, you turn up Europopdiscomusik even LOUDER, yell at fucking people, and start bashing glasses together at bar, and you send angry man to put chairs on top of tables. Loudly! Yes! Ladies almost ready for sexytime now! Be sure that while patrons leave you give them condescending look, so they know you are sexy bar owner and not some schmuck customer! Go home, schmucks! Seriously, wtf? Why would anyone go here? Oh, yeah. It's Evanston. The only alternatives are Mickey Mcgulligans on the one corner, and Francois McFrenchies on the other, and then an unbelievably intolerable bonehead bar around the corner. Yes, Prairie Patty is sounding pretty good now. Unless you have a way out of town.
(1)
Daphne L.
Thank you, PMC, for a wonderfully cozy and kick ass NYE!!! You are now in first place for favorite hang out EVER!!
(5)
Linda W.
I am a disappointed former Prairie Moon fan. We took friends from distant suburbs there for brunch this morning to celebrate an important event. The service was terrible. After quite a long wait, our waiter showed up ready to take our order.We had to ask for coffee/tea, then had to ask three times for sweetener for our coffee. As the only tea drinker at the table, I was never once offered a refill, after having to ask twice for my tea to begin with. Our reservation was for 12:30 . We received our food around 1:40 pm. The clincher was when I received two heels, turned upside down (perhaps thinking I wouldn't notice?) for my toast! I used to love Prairie Moon. This is the second time in a row I have received such mediocre service there, and will probably be the last time I dine there, I'm sad about this, but for the price point of their food, I expect better.
(2)
Stefanie P.
Love The salmon... great food fun place
(5)
Caroline A.
Prairie Moon never disappoints! I eat here quite often for both business lunches and for dinner with the family. Burgers are great, soups are awesome--but I especially love the New Orleans / Cajun dishes. Serving sizes are great, and prices are even better. My husband loves the beer list.
(4)
Allison S.
This was good, for the most part. Not exceptionally unique, but a huge menu and reasonably priced. I had the guacamole, which was fine. Very large drink menu, which was a good thing.
(3)
Jack P.
Searching for an after-movie dinner option, we made our way to Prairie Moon on a Saturday evening, around 7PM. The place was not particularly crowded, and with the exploding restaurant row there on Sherman Ave. And it would be unusual to see any of these filled to capacity. After passing through the front bar, we were seated in the center room. We were initially concerned about the noise level, primarily due to "Mr. Loud Guy" at the bar and the music there. But it was a non-issue. Both the drink and dinner menus were extensive, and creative, with appealing choices in every category. I especially liked the small plate offerings, as I often opt for a small plate and salad combo as dinner. But I ordered soup and a sandwich. The soup was a colorful (like a small color palate) puree of squash and poblano and red peppers. Nicely spiced, too. The blackened catfish club was a generous, deliciously sloppy mess, which I should have eaten with my knife and fork, but didn't. My dinner companion had an interesting veggie stew of squash, corn, white beans and peppers. He was quite pleased. We had pints of Half-Acre and Three Floyd's ales to wash those down. Priced at a reasonable $4-5.00, I had to have two. Service was really fast for such a large place, yet we didn't feel rushed. Prairie Moon is definitely a pleasant downtown dinner option in Evanston if you like big rooms, high ceilings and an extensive beer selection. Should be 3.5 stars, really.
(3)
Ann H.
Usually brunch doesn't do it for me because I eat a low carbohydrate diet and omelettes get boring. Nonetheless the North End omlette (fresh basil, roma tomatoes, & provolone cheese) was the best omelette I've had. The coffee was superb too. The only con was slow service, but when I'm eating with friends and having a good time, I don't care.
(5)
Jack M.
I think people sometimes misunderstand this place to be more of a restaurant than it actually is. If you are looking for a great sit down dinner in Evanston, this is not the place to go, BUT if it is 10 pm and you want great bear, REALLY good bar food (mac and cheese OMFGWTFNOREALLYICANTEVEN) with a fantastic (and rotating!) Beer selection, there is absolutely no other place worth going to in town. There is always something here beerwise that I will find and love to drink and then get depressed when I can't find it anywhere else in the area. Also there are lots of smart Northwestern types hanging out here if you're in the mood for bagging a soft-spoken but deep thinking nerdish type. Anywhere else in Evanston after 9 pm is not comparable to Pmoon.
(4)
april j.
I had the Cactus Hugger combo but substituted the recommended soup for the Cajun lentil and andouille sausage soup and it was to die for! The restaurant is beautiful with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The staff was accommodating and friendly. I will definitely go back and recommend this restaurant to others.
(5)
Carl S.
Always great!
(4)
Scott H.
THE place for beer north of Hopleaf and am so glad to have this place in my town! Knowledgeable barkeeps like Phil make the experience all the better. Food used to be mediocre, but has come a long, long way. My favorites are the Martha's Vineyard Salad (light food for heavy beers) and the wife loves the Shrimp Po Boy. Back bar is tons of fun when with a group too.
(4)
Sarah C.
Yum! Me and the boy have eaten at Prairie Moon a few times now and have always had a great meal. The beer selection is great, the menu is varied and we always find something new to enjoy. The corn soup which was a special was amazing, very simply prepared and fresh. The dining room can get a bit loud, which could be an issue if you're part of a larger party. The service has always been great whenever we've been there. And if you're a member of NPR, they take the member card which entitles you to a free entree!
(4)
Drew S.
The beer selection is top-notch. The food is good but too pricey for bar food, yet tragically not upscale enough for upscale bar food. Unless being tasty and not dripping grease counts as upscale. It kinda looked like the cast of a Gap commercial got drunk and stole a bar from somewhere in Naperville and planted it in Evanston so it wouldn't feel like it had changed locations. If you have strong opinions about that description you'll probably know if it's worth making the trip out or not.
(3)
Bekah D.
This is my husband and I's "go to" bar in Evanston since there aren't many to choose from... Overall I like it here, however reasoning for three stars is because of the following: 1.Diet coke is ALWAYS flat when I order beam and coke, 2.My husband usually gets a burger and orders it medium rare- always comes back as completely well done...and then we have to wait for the kitchen to make another one 3.The bartender usually working is just meh. 4.Service can be pretty slow which is annoying... Reasons we like going here: 1. The back bar is small and cute and usually quiet...there is also a pool table and darts which is fun, 2.The blackened fish tacos are deeelicious, 3.close walking distance from our place, 4.Great beer selection, 5.Outdoor seating area in the summer.
(3)
Joshua N.
Prairie Moon has decent beer selection compared to other bars in the area. They have a gigantic space - like 4 huge rooms and long, narrow patio outside. Really good veggie burger. Agonizingly slow service. Not a bad place to grab a beer if you have some time to kill.
(3)
Jacob T.
The burgers were really nice... well-prepared and flavorful. I had the Mexican style burger which was great and the I love the pretzel roll. The fries were ok (I'm really picky with fries). The atmosphere was warm and the service attentive. I want to go back and try some of the beer another time.
(3)
Jessica R.
The service was incredibly mediocre, but the beer selection was fantastic. My favorite was the Colessi Imper Ale Biondi. It was a like a cross between a great Italian beer and prosecco.
(4)
Andrew P.
Really bad service. As in: Our coffee came with one stirrer; the busser rather than the waitress brought out our food . . which was a problem because one of the orders was wrong; another waitress took over the table halfway through while ours was gabbing in the other room. And the coffee was undrinkable, bitter, horrible sludge. My hash and eggs was pretty good, but really not worth the hassle.
(1)
Gillian R.
Disclaimer: This review is only for the back room and PM's private party hosting abilities. I've now been to three parties in the back room for both ends of the party spectrum - we're talking funerals and weddings here. The food selection has been amazing! The garlic chicken rocked my world. Actually, the salmon did too. They have a nice little assortment for the dessert tray as well. The staff was incredibly accomodating for the times that I have been there (as a guest, and partial host). I would highly recommend them if you're looking for somewhere in Evanston to host a party. I couldn't say how many the back room holds but I'd guess we got about 50 folks back there at one time...
(5)
Kate S.
I've never had the food here, so I can't judge it, but I have been here quite a few times for student group parties. They're complete jerks, at least the bouncers are. My friend last night got kicked out because she used her hand to take out one piece of ice from our other friend's empty glass that at one time had an alcoholic drink in it, so the bouncer threw her out. I understand not wanting to get fined for underaged drinking, but last time I checked eating a piece of ice and taking it out of an empty glass with your hand was drinking. She had to get her purse and jacket from the other side of the room, and he freaked out on her for that too, and when she tried to tell her other friend she had to leave. Seriously, they need to chill just a little. If they're that afraid of underaged drinking, then they need to stop having 18+ events for student groups and just limit it to 21+. Also, the drinks are much more expensive here than anywhere else in the area, and not nearly as good. My friend had a screwdriver here for $5 (as opposed to Hundo's $3 later in the night) and she said it wasn't good at all.
(2)
Bridget C.
Best place for burgers in Evanston! Skip the Bar Louie specials and just go eat here. Service is always prompt and friendly, and they have an awesome selection of beers. It's also great because it's never super crowded, so you can come with a group of friends and actually hear each other talk.
(5)
Sarah K.
Dogfish Head 90 min IPA on tap. I am in heaven!!!! I really enjoy the poyboy here as well as the vege burger. The food comes in large portions and is resonably priced. What makes it even cheaper is the 15% Wildcard discount during the week. Woo hoo!
(5)
Jesse S.
I've been here once for dinner and several times for happy-hour type nonsense on Friday evenings with some colleagues. The burgers and fries are decent, but nothing to really get excited about. They have a decent beer selection, but I typically just get a 312 or whatever's on special. The bartenders are attentive, friendly, and willing to recommend things to you based on what you like. The table service, however, is kinda crummy--there have been a ton of times when I've tried to will the server over to the table only to not see her for 15 to 20 minutes. I mean, I just want a beer. you know? Where you at, b? Not worth going out of the way for, by a long shot, but it's not a bad post-work spot once in a while.
(3)
Sasha R.
Prairie Moon is pretty much the only bar in Evanston I will consider going to. But beware- during the summer, fall, and winter breaks it is runneth over with ETHS alumni. Being an alum myself, this can be fun at times and extremely annoying at others. Still, at night their back patio is nice and there is even a space to dance, though it is rarely used. I actually like this place better as a restaurant though. The food is very good and not expensive, the atmosphere is very pleasant. I also recommend coming here on Easter, they have a nice buffet that is much cheaper than anywhere else I've been. The service ranges from mediocre to very good.
(4)
Dennis L.
This is by far my favorite establishment in Evanston. Good food, great beer selection, full bar with an OK selection of whiskey, and one of the best bartenders I've ever had, Phil. People - I haven't read every review, but why are you not eating the Blackened Salmon Club! It's labeled "The Moon's #1" for a reason - easily their best menu item. Crap, just thinking about it makes me want one right now - it's practically an entire salmon fillet, blackened, with spices, on marbled rye bread, with sauteed spinach, onions, and some sort of mayo with chives. The hand-cut fries are also winners. The beer list isn't as extensive as say, the Hopleaf Bar, but they do a good job of rotating in new beers, and they always have something interesting. I've not had brekkies/brunch there, but did go for a late afternoon lunch once in the late spring - lovely, especially if you can get a table in the sun and lazily have a beer with your meal. As far as the ambiance goes, it's a little more upscale than I usually do - I prefer dive bars, and hole in the wall eats. But the Moon manages to still feel comfortable to me (although when the bar really fills up on the weekends I do get a little irritated), mainly due to the great service (and great beer) I've always had. I do tend to go there in slightly off-peak hours, so that might account for the better service. The only negatives for me boil down to the fact that the place can get really crowded on weekend nights, making it difficult to carry on a conversation and find a space to sit.
(4)
Matt B.
This has become our regular after-work stop once a week. Good food, great beer selection, and a really nice staff. I wish they had slightly less focus on the Belgian beers, but that's really my issue, not theirs. Burgers are good, nice diverse food choices, and a decent beer garden when the weather is good.
(4)
Paul U.
Awesome beer list. Food is pretty good but the plating could be greatly improved. For me, grab a barstool and order the salmon sandwich on dark rye.
(4)
Colleen R.
While I've never had a sit-down meal at Prairie Moon before, I've spent many nights in the bar, and I appreciate having a place nearby with an ambiance that's a few steps up from, say, the Keg. And I was really happy to hear my favorite Mountain Goats song on the stereo there once. I wish the service could be a little better. My main gripe, though, is with the bar menu, which is way too pricey for what you get. P.S. The Pork Tenderloin "Oppolusas"? It's actually spelled "Opelousas."
(3)
Ngoc H.
Fish Tacos and stuffed calamari FTW.
(4)
M R.
I have been to this place two times thus far. Food is okay. It gets loud, that is, lively. Prices are decent as well. Last night, however, I saw small mouse running around the tables on the back outdoor area. I don't know what to think about that, I guess you should decide.
(2)
Angela H.
A go-to lunch place for me, when I'm looking for a casual, sit-down lunch - delicious fish tacos and blackened shrimp salad. Service is not always quick but generally friendly.
(4)
Virginia T.
Another review I wished I could give half stars for (3.5)... Went out to Prairie Moon for dinner and drinks with friends. I had heard amazing things about the painted soup so I tried it, but was underwhelmed at best. The poblano pepper really overpowered any hint of butternut squash and the texture was a little less creamy than I would have liked. I moved on to the Pico Pepperjack Moon Burge while the others had the stinking rose combo, the caesar salad and the Dixie Chicken Po' Boy (blackened). Everyone was happy with their entrees but no one was blown out of the water. I was, however, loving the service (very attentive!) and the beer list....we sampled a lot of good beers and some old standbys (fat tire, magners, delirium). We ended up being some of the last people in the dining room and our waiter gave us each a free shot! I'll be back, but likely only for drinks and appetizers....
(3)
Bernard B.
Stopped in mid-afternoon just to kill an hour. Didn't order any food, but i was impressed by the extensive craft beer list. Proper glassware, knowledgable staff, sampling allowed. I used to frequent this place when it first opened, but I'm not in Evanston much anymore, for shame. I will definitely be back next time I'm on the North Shore.
(4)
Sandy N.
Solid group outing place for anyone looking for a night out in Evanston. The back room has a pool table and two dartboards, as well as a bar. I've been here a few times, never really for dinner, but what I've had never really stuck out in my head. The cheese fries, though -- yum!
(3)
Jade T.
I went back to Prairie Moon for lunch again. I didn't order much besides the Hibachi Tofu and Veggie Pico Burger. The tofu was listed under appetizers. It's large enough for one person! The teriyaki sauce was sour, not overly so. The fried wonton crisps adds texture to the soft tofu and vegetables (bean sprouts, lettuce, broccoli, et cetera). Not bad for less than $8. The veggie burger was your standard burger, but with avocados and pico de gallo instead of the usual lettuce and tomato. Fries was served with it (though there is a fruit option).
(4)
Lauren H.
went here on a Sat nite with a large party and they accomodated us well. Drinks were affordable ($7 for a French martini) and food was also a good deal and tasty (I had the tilapia with crawfish etouffee, $16). Food was good, but no "wow" factor for me. I probably would go back if I was in the neighborhood.
(3)
Brian K.
This is my local bar - the beer selection is what keeps me coming back. Granted, it's not the Map Room or Hopleaf, but it is definitely not one of those places that rotates between Blue Moon, Hoegaarden, and Goose Island as their "craft" beer selection. If you sound like know what the hell you're talking about (or maybe not), the bartenders will even give you a free taste of a new beer without making you feel like a tool for asking. Draft and bottle lists seem to update regularly and the bartenders are knowledgeable and provide good service. The wait-staff is hit and miss in terms of consistent service. Given that it's a suburban neighborhood sports bar, the menu items are relatively adventurous and interesting but they also have the standard compliment of bar fare. The Dark Side of the Moon burger is excellent and they make the tasty spiced and baked fries. It's a big enough venue to handle the "crowds" (for suburbia) on the weekend without feeling packed owing to the second bar they open in the back. The TVs above the bars are a bit small and non-HD which is not a total buzz kill, but I wouldn't go here to watch the game either. The atmosphere is much more relaxed over the summer when the undergraduates and Kellogg-tards have dispersed and you can actually get a seat out on the patio. It also makes for a nice informal date spot.
(4)
Laura S.
We just had a large party there and the staff was amazing. Everyone enjoyed their food and nothing was compromised. This place is a hidden gem. My husband and I went there while dating for drinks, then drinks and dinner while married and now can go there with an infant for lunch. They are GREAT. I have to say I wish I knew our waiter's name because he handled a party of 17 and didn't miss a beat. We really enjoy their food and atmosphere!
(5)
Barry J.
I usually have a good time here. They introduce different beers from god knows where. Totally pro service last visit. They let me violate the smoking ban last winter. I don't mean that in a legally admissible way, more metaphoric. whut. . . Just trying to say my orig. review sounds kind of dickwad. This place is a-ok.
(3)
John G.
Worst service in months and gratuity was included.
(1)
andrew z.
I suppose there isn't all that much competition, but I think this is my favorite bar in Evanston. I've been there on a busy Thursday night, happy hour on Friday, and late Saturday night. On all of these occasions, the service was good. I had food all three times, and it was always good. The menu is elaborate for a bar, with some fairly expensive meals. I stuck to typical "bar food" and I thought the price was good for the amount and quality of the food.
(4)
Dan B.
I hadn't been to Prairie Moon in over 2 years since I moved out of Evanston but upon opening the menu I immediately remembered how much I loved the blackened salmon club with garlic spinach and the mashed potatoes. I think they have the best garlic mashed potatoes I have ever had, seriously those alone are worth the trip. I also love the decor of this place, I can't explain what it is...very Colorado to me for some reason. They also have a fantastic back patio in the summer AND a parking lot.
(4)
Jason P.
Good food and a ton of random beer can't be a bad combination and that is what Prairie Moon does. They have a seasonal menu, or at least one that has changed between visits. They used to have this tofu app that had peppers, something that resembled tortilla strips and a great sauce that I loved, but I think it was on the summer menu so it is (temporarily?) not on the menu anymore. Not to worry because they were replaced with the Fulton St bruschetta, which is pretty much Lou's bruschetta enhanced with goat cheese! If you enjoy goat cheese as much as I do, you really need to just order about 3 portions of this and make it your meal. I also had a dish called 3 sisters which was white beans, corn and vegetables with some polenta. It was ok though a little short on flavor, but still satisfying. This place has a million different beers too, so it's not only a place to eat.
(4)
Kristen S.
Atmosphere, food, and service were just mediocre. The menu is eclectic, as is the ambiance. Prairie Moon is part bar/part restaurant and is very popular for large groups (you can rent out the back of the restaurant, some nice rooms). I had the salad, and my husband had the bruschetta and some beef of sorts. Both were kind of forgettable. A nice stop but nothing particularly special.
(3)
A.J. M.
Coming just for a drink? Prairie moon will do for me every once in a while when I'm back in Evanston. Great beer selection. The food? Actually really good. I love the sandwiches they offer, and the guacamole and chips was awesome. The food experiences can vary, as you can get a good waiter, like the last time I was there, or a bad one, like the time i went with pals to celebrate my friends 21st birthday. We were only getting drinks, but our server was unfriendly, and never could be found. It took about 20 minutes for her to get any of us a drink. But that has been my one negative experience at Prairie moon. Every other time, I've enjoyed it.
(4)
Pam S.
Awesome appetizers, delicious and large sized mains, and an atmosphere that echos -- college town. I got a cup of fish chowder which had large chunks of salmon in it, yum! The shrimp and sashimi ceviche (aka. seafood salsa) was delicious with slices of guac and the fresh-fried chips.. too bad I'm allergic to shrimp so I braved a couple of mouthfuls before my throat started itching. Bummer dude. And then my main of Nick's sirloin steak was pretty well prepared, served with great sides of homestyle mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and asparagus. The tuna steak my mom got (medium rare) was delicious and well worth the price. Sis-in-law Kake S. got a big shrimp/ little shrimp dish over rice and although I couldn't taste anything apart from a small bit of rice and sauce, it looked delicious. Great for families and bigger groups, with a large front bar, back dining area, and an outdoor patio -- a great place to chow down and chill.
(5)
TC S.
Four stars for stellar beer selection (best in Evanston, by far), killer fish tacos, and a candlelit summer patio. Seriously- get the fish tacos.
(4)
Terri S.
OUTSTANDING! Yes, I am shouting. The food was fresh and delicious, reasonably priced and the menu is delightfully eclectic. Everytime I go to an NU sporting event, this is where I land before or after the game. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In my best Govenator voice "I'll be back".
(5)
Charles T.
Best beer selection in Evanston and the food is pretty good too. I go here often.
(4)
Heather C.
This has quickly become a favorite Evanston restaurant. Between the great beer list (front-runner for the best in Evanston), affordable wines, and nice patio, it's our go-to spot. Service is always friendly, food is good (the Cactus Hugger and the Salmon sandwich are faves). It's always easy to walk in and grab a table.
(5)
Balam M.
I stop by infrequently, but always enjoy myself. The selection of Belgian and "Belgian-style" ales compliments their menu nicely. Good eats, great beers, and only a few blocks west of the lakefront. Prairie Moon is perfect for daytime snackin' or mellow evening hanging out.
(4)
Cory A.
Stopped in for a quick lunch and thought this place was rather nice. I'm not sure how to categorize this place, but the food was pretty good. I might even come back for another bite if I'm in the neighborhood.
(3)
Chris D.
I live in Evanston and have been to Prairie Moon many times. It is a very good experience. Usually quite crowded and energetic, especially in the front room. Highly recommend it, but be careful on Friday nights during the grade school year---a large group of teachers descends on the front room every other week, I believe, and they are annoying. Why is it that so many teachers' can't tone down the volume of their voices once they get out of the classroom? Go to the middle or back room on those Fridays. :)
(4)
Retired B.
It's nice to sit out in the back patio when it gets dark. Service is a bit on the slow side. Dishes, I thought, were on the small side. I tried the: chimichurri steak- slightly disappointing because it didnt have enough meat coconut panko shrimp- probably my fave dish of the night wild mushroom quesillada- ok mac & cheese- unimpressive other dish with shrimp on top of greens- just so-so
(3)
Carolyn G.
Did you know that Prairie Moon serves breakfast/ brunch? Neither did I until a friend mentioned it yesterday. We checked it out this morning and found that there were very few people in the restaurant. We were seated immediately. This morning, my husband had the Chef's Special omelet and he enjoyed it a lot. I had the Hash and Eggs..except, there wasn't any hash? Maybe I just didn't really understand what I was ordering. The sausage was good, the "basted eggs" were over-cooked, and the coffee was too strong. I would definitely order something different next time, and I would ask them to use less oil in the preparation. Everything was very greasy. I would definitely give it another try to see if I just experienced an "off" day. I'm really interested in trying their burgers.
(3)
Sarah N.
I would like to give them 2.5 stars but that's just because I'm pissed about the service - which I will explain later. I've been here three times, all on week nights/days... having drinks or a meal with co-workers/friends. I liked that it wasn't crowded or dead. The first time was lunch - I had whatever their horseradish burger is. The burger itself was good and was cooked to my specifications. However, being a horseradish fan, I hardly tasted ANY horseradish in this dish and was somewhat disappointed.... but whatevs. I like the random art on the walls. Next visit was just a drink - not much to say about it. Third time was sort of so-so. My friend arrived before me and was seated (by our waiter, I might add). When I got there we ordered drinks. He made a beer recommendation to my friend which was nice, but she didn't like it. However... I think her taste in beer might be a little immature... so I thought drinks were fine. As we began to peruse the menu we realized that there were not many choices for dinner... how strange. So I ordered the salmon salad ($8.95). It came and it was so delicious. I should have noticed that the vegetables were not "asian" and the dressing was not "sesame soy vinagrette'.... in my defense I was drinking :) When we got the bill my salad was $15.95!!!! It turns out that the waiter had given us lunch menus, which explains why the selection was the pits, and why I thought I had ordered a salmon salad that was half the price. I was pretty miffed to say the least. On their online menu this $16 dollar salad is listed as $12.95.... I don't know if I would ever eat here again. It just rubbed me the wrong way.
(3)
steve l.
Great beer selection, great wait staff and atmosphere. Burgers and fries are really good, entrees are OK---never weak, but I've never had an entree here where I wondered how they made it or how I could duplicate the taste at home. To be clear, I'm a fan of the place. It is a great bar with good food. If you are in the mood for a burger or sandwich, I'd say it is a great bar with really good food.
(3)
Lois A.
A huge array of beers to pick from is always a good starting point. I guess we went on a slow night because it wasn't crowded at all. I had a burger with avocado and my boyfriend had the fresh fish po-boy. Both sandwiches were HUGE and soooo good. I guess the only reason to give three stars instead of four was that given how few people were eating in the restaurant compared to how many people were working it kind of sucked that we had to wait for about 10 minutes staring at our finished plates debating if we should get up and go get our waitress who was having a conversation with some other servers to get our check.
(3)
Pam G.
This place is a fun place to go with a group that is looking to have a great time together! We had a 30+ group that was asked to leave the Irish Pub just south of here (because we were making to much noise in their "dinning area" ...they obviously have not heard of the recession and restaurants having business problems) and came over to Prairie Moon and had a great time! Great service and bar selection!
(4)
Justin G.
This is another establishment that makes me wish Yelp allowed you to rate with half stars. It's better than 3 stars, but it's not as good as four. But, I will give it four, because I can see why people like it, and it's my high standards that make me think less of it. I got lunch here the other day. San Francisco Cobb Salad. Now, I love cobb salad as the deserts love the rain. It sounded very good. And it looked very good. The plate was so full of food, I was honestly afraid that I would not be able to finish a salad, and would have to bring it home in a box (along with my last remainingi masculinity). The taste was not what I was expecting. The chicken was freshly grilled and excellent. Too little avocado, too much...corn? Yes, I was also confused by the corn. The ranch was okay, if somewhat bland. I had to ask for 2 extra tiny portions of it to get even close to full coverage. It was decently priced. The atmosphere was clean, somewhat modern, but somewhat nondescript. I'd have a very hard time saying much either good or bad about this place. I'd go back if someone really wanted to go, but I'd not suggest it to anyone either.
(3)
Nicole S.
This place is fabulous! The three sisters and the squash soup are to die for. The prices are reasonable and the beer selection amazing. I have been here multiple times now and the service has been great each time.
(4)
YerMah L.
College bar. I've been overserved here. I've blown it from both ends here.
(2)
Jared N.
The draw here is the beer which is quite good. The food is ok. My burger, ordered medium rare, arrived rare. The meat itself was quite greasy and the fries were not as crisp as they should be. But the service was very fast and welcoming and the tab was quite modest. The restaurant is quite loud, even when only half full. So this is a night out with your buddies kind of place, not somewhere for a romantic dinner.
(3)
Erin J.
How much do I like a bar/restaurant that I can walk home from? A lot! The food is good although not always consistent. The wasabi mashed potatoes were way too salty the last time I was there. I like the outdoor seating in the summer. The beer selection is great and the back bar is well-equipped with a pool table. This is where I would hang out if I had any friends in Evanston and still "went out." I like the fact that they have large and small plates so if you don't feel like eating to capacity, you can order a small plate and be fully satisfied.
(4)
Megan W.
We had excellent service at Prairie Moon on a very busy Friday evening. The chips that came with the gucamole were awesome. My boyfriend had the fish tacos and he really enjoyed them. The portions were pretty large. I had the steak sandiwch and it was very tasty. Our server did a great job of making sure that we had everything that we needed and came back to check on us frequently. One of the best parts of Prairie Moon was the beer selection. The bottle and draft list is quite extensive. Overall we had a great experience here.
(4)
Brent J.
Why isn't this place packed - on weekend nights at least? I've been half a dozen times over a year and a half. The food is straightforward. It may not be subtle or succulent, but some dishes are scrumptious. (My favorite: the fish tacos blackened.) The menu is broad enough to be interesting, but narrow enough that the kitchen can do a good job. Almost every item has some flair, like a regional twist. But you don't come here just for the food. The beer and wine selections are great on a middling budget. Prairie Moon always has a nice range of brews on tap ranging for Belgian styles to pale ales. Microbrews dominate, although you can always get an Anchor Steam if you don't feel like experimenting. Other Evanston restaurants have better wine selections, but none better for the money. (The menu promises they'll never mark up a wine more than 2 times retail, and more expensive wines are supposedly marked up less.) But you don't go just for the wine and beer either. You go for the gestalt. This is a great college town restaurant. It's casual, without being cheap or dumpy. They've got soaring ceilings and big windows and glass doors (with prairie motif elements). In the summer the doors open on to open-air dining in the back. There are some student types and some professor types and some townies. The tables are spaced comfortably. Even the artwork on the wall adds to the charm because it's tasteful but -- how should one say? -- unselfconscious. The main drawback to the place is the very ordinary-looking bar, with pool table and TVs, which you see as soon as you walk in. And even the bar, if your in the right frame of mind, adds to the comfortable-with-itself sophistication of the place. So, go. Often.
(5)
Chrissy F.
Umm...I know that I've been here before...but I think the amount of alcohol I had impairs me to review it... Just kidding. I've never had PM's food, so I'm no help there. It's an oddly set up bar with three separate rooms (2 of which have bars in them) -- one of which being just a dance floor. Sadly I wasn't a fan of their [very loud] music, no one seemed to be dancing (except for one creepy couple who didn't understand the difference between a dance floor and a hotel room), and in order to get from one bar to another, you have to pass through the Noise Room. But, the drinks are good...and strong. The outdoor patio is nice, but the seating is sparse. If you plan on going in a big group: 1) get there early, 2) fight off the rest of the clientele and hoard all the tables, or 3) pick your favorite friends and knock the group down a few.
(3)
David B.
This is a great place to kickback and get a drink. I come here usually when in the mood for a beer because they easily have the best beer selection in Evanston. I like their secluded outdoor seating too!
(4)
Jonathan K.
this place has a bar up front, a couple dining areas, one with booths, and one with tables...and in the back theyres another bar with a pool table (free on wednesdays), and a private room in the back corner. its really a lot bigger than it looks out front. once it was really busy, once really dead. tame evanston crowd.
(3)
B. L.
The outdoor patio is what attracted me first. With this great weather we have been having I enjoy taking my meals or drinks outside. I think they will find their nitch, kinda of a cross between a rest. and sports bar and an All American diner. Good selection of imported and domestic beers.
(4)
Emma C.
Inconsistent, overpriced, but when it's good it's very good. Really loved the sauce on the chicken marsala, delicious! But hey, when someone's ordering a grown-up dish that's about $16, maybe serve it on a whole chicken breast and not a few chicken tenders? Good fresh-cut fries, good mushroom quesadilla, good crab cakes, half-assed sheet cake, some of the fish tasted frozen instead of fresh (which is a fail at these prices), and the food is sometimes plated and unseasoned like someone's sad bachelor uncle is working in back, but that's not a deal-breaker. If you stay toward the lower end of the price point, or sample their nice small plates, you won't be disappointed; think of it as really excellent and high-end bar food for after work or lunch instead of a fancy night out, and any resentment will be curbed. I think the Prairie-style back rooms are very lovely and the food is definitely decent.
(3)
Mike M.
Consistently great food at very reasonable prices. I've eaten here several times and each time I do, they always deliver. Definitely a great place to go to.
(4)
Emma O.
Another great spot to go out in Evanston. Really wide beer selection that's decently priced. Service leaves a little to be desired, but the chill atmosphere makes up for it. It's a nice place to go and unwind after the week.
(4)
Isabel Y.
Decent spot to go out in Evanston. I came here for my 21st birthday and everyone was more than happy to a) buy me drinks and b) participate on the photo scavenger hunt my girlfriends sent me on (sample challenge: have some guy sign an upper body part currently under clothes). Always fun, drinks aren't too expensive, and people pack the place so it's entertaining. I didn't even know you could eat in here. But it's good for a Thursday night out in town.
(3)
Jason P.
I enjoyed the atmosphere at this place. It's pretty hard to miss this spot but if you're able to catch it on your way out of evanston, stop immediatley. The painted soup is totally worth the trip. They have a bunch of types of inventive fare on theri menu. The mexican sampler platter was grea the first time, and the second time I went here I had a steak. The beer list is pretty extensive. My fiancee also had the tortilla soup which she really enjoyed.
(4)
Ross W.
We love Prairie Moon!! Great sandwiches and salads. Good draught selections and service.
(5)
George D.
Go for the beer list. It's large and interesting. Stay for the burger. It's pretty good. Marvel at how a restaurant's atmosphere can color your impression of it no matter how much you enjoy what you're eating. Maybe this is my snobby anti-suburban bias again, but overnight I've changed my rating for Prairie Moon. Last night I thought the sports bar atmosphere merited a one star deduction. But thinking back this morning, I'm going with two. It just had that worse-than-blah "chain restaurant" feel. It reminded me of a lot of places I went to in college. But maybe that's not surprising... it's down the street from Nevin's and I'm sure it's on the NU beer crawl circuit. Anyway, I suppose the best advice would be: go on a nice summer night so you can enjoy the food and the beer outside on the patio.
(3)
Katherine R.
Went here on Friday for a pre-Sex and the City meal. We all got martinis and there were no complaints! We ordered the ceviche as an appetizer and it was pretty good, the chips were super greasy though. A friend and I ordered fish tacos and they were really good. I was expecting them to be pre-made, like a standard chicken or beef taco, but the fish comes on a plate with rice,etc and it's kind of make it yourself. There were a lot of different flavors going on, the fish was fresh but I wasn't really feeling this dish. It seemed more as though it would have been good as an entree without the tortillas. It's a pretty big piece of tilapia so the tortillas seem unnecessary in way. Our waitress was not good either. She came up once for the drink order and again to drop the check. I'm assuming it was the manager/owner who we had to track down anytime we needed a refill. They have an impressive beer list though, and despite my poor judgement on dish I might like, I would definitely go back. They have a huge menu that is not disappointing.
(4)
Molly T.
I've heard people complain a lot about Evanston bars. I'm not that knowledgeable on the subject since I've spent very little of my post-21 life in the area. But I went to Prairie Moon this week and was pleasantly surprised. Now, I'm ignoring the fact that this place is about 5 times the size it should be with that whole back dining area and that it's kind of overpriced. My friend and I sat at one of the high tables near the bar. She ordered some sort of mango-themed cocktail involving peach schnapps. They had a list of cocktails but a far more impressive list of beers. I tried a Dragon's Milk and when they didn't have the second one I ordered, I went for an Ommegang. We also split some guacamole, which they bring out in a martini glass surrounded by chips. It was spicy and good. Our server was a bit too attentive--coming by to ask how I liked the beer and checking up on us a little too frequently. It was a slow night, clearly, but I kind of like being able to get my drinks at the bar w/o being pestered. But Prairie Moon is definitely a good option if you happen to be in Evanston and you want interesting beer choices and an extensive food menu.
(4)
Marion P.
I'm not a big bar kind of person, and so I'm no huge fan of the noise, the crowds, or of getting carded when I just want dinner, but taking that into account it's not that bad a place. I've had the veggie mexican burger and the mac & cheese here before, and both were very good. Really. Beer selection is fine and prices are ok.
(3)
Becky S.
Another one of my "if I could give it 3.5 stars i would" type of places. Prairie Moon has a great beer selection and bartenders who make good recommendations too. I love the French Quarter Martini- for that the place deserves 5 stars! I've only eaten there once but the painted soup is very good. My only complaint is that the place can be somewhat dead even on weekend nights. This could be because I close the place out on many nights that i'm there. Who knows.
(3)
Patrick W.
For some reason, I always figured this place was some kind of hippie haven, so I never checked it out. We finally gave it a try last night and I loved it. This could be a serious contender for my favorite restaurant in Evanston. They had the best burgers I've had in quite some time- be sure to try the Dark Side of the Moon, which is blackened on one side and includes caramelized onions and a thick slice of cheddar. Top notch. Fantastic beer selection, including the new to Chicago but old comrad of my liver, Shiner Bock. Mmm mmm good. I liked the place a great deal just reading the menu, but their serving Shiner sealed the deal. I'm anxious to go back and try more of their menu. Our only disappointment was the girlfriend's crab cake salad, which didn't have a lot of food considering the salad runs $13. It was good but a bit light. No worries, we'll be back.
(5)
Becky P.
The man and I went to this place after discovering it on our WBEZ membercard list. We've definitely been back since then. The food has always been good and my beer snob husband approves of the list if you're into that sort of thing. There is a patio out back, but it's a little cramped and right next to the purple line so it gets a little noisy back there. As others have said, some of the plates can be expensive, but the "small plates" on the menu could actually be a whole meal if you're looking to save some money. I know I'll be back again sometime soon.
(4)
Ellen P.
We found Prairie Moon on a lark, and have been back a handful of times. Great beer and wine selection, and they do fish - particularly cedar plank salmon and pan fried trout - particularly well. The Painted Soup was tasty and spicy, desserts tried include Key Lime Pie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae - both excellent. Atmosphere is nice, staff is very friendly, service attentive. And for joining the mailing list, I receive a $10 off coupon for a meal $50 and up each year for my birthday. What more can you ask for?
(4)
Molly B.
The first time I came here, it was because I have the Chicago Public Radio MemberCard and this place offers a buy one, get one free meal for members. I have to admit, the food is decent. The service was unexceptional. I had cheese quesadillas and squash soup and my beau had some sort of fish. We both thought our dishes were adequate. Based on my first experience, I came back later with a friend. Big mistake. While I was in the bathroom, I had my friend order the veggie burger we were sharing. When the food came, I took a big bite of my 1/2 of the veggie burger and promptly ran to the bathroom to vomit. It was beef. Ick. It was my first bite of red meat in nine years and I was absolutely disgusted. I won't get all preachy, but surely even you carnivores can imagine my displeasure. Think of your least favorite food ever, pig brains or something, and imagine taking a huge bite of it when you're expecting your favorite comfort food. So I came back to the table from throwing up, determined not to make a huge deal of it (everyone makes mistakes, right?) and the waiter is there to take away the flesh. He argued that my friend had not ordered meat, though it was a very close friend and NOT someone who would forget I'm a vegetarian (he makes fun of me for it all the time!). The waiter was not very polite about the whole thing and seemed quite miffed that we were bothering him with this. Anyway, he took away the flesh and brought back a veggie burger a bit later, but the fries were cold. It was clear that they just took the fries from the other plate and switched them over to the new one, even though this was 15 minutes later. Even if my friend had ordered the beef burger, which I absolutely don't believe he did, that's no way to treat patrons of the establishment, in my humble opinion. I was surprised he didn't charge us for the beef! So I had a relatively good experience and one pretty awful one. I reasoned that the bad one could have been an anomaly, so I agreed to meet my roommates there for a drink last Saturday. We got our beers, some sort of tasty hefeweizen pint special for 3 bucks. I was satisfied with my beer, so I sat back for some good conversation. When I went to pick up the glass again, I noticed something floating in the middle of the cup. It was a huge shard of glass! I flagged down the waitress and quietly asked her for another glass of beer sans glass and she went to get it without acting surprised at all or even apologizing! Of course, I wasn't charged for that drink, but I didn't even get a free one out of the whole thing. I didn't really think much of it then, but the next day, upon reflection, I thought about how badly I could have hurt myself and it was quite unsettling. I feel that the least they could have done would have been to offer me my replacement beer for free. And an apology would have been nice...I'm not expecting her to fall to the ground and grovel and weep, but c'mon, it was sharp, potentially tongue-slicing glass A couple of hours later, last call came around (an hour early, due to the lack of crowd) and my roommate ordered another drink. A couple of minutes later, some guy comes back and starts yelling at all of us to get inside. The patio section is rather small and there were three tables of people, probably totaling about a dozen folks. I understand that sometimes you have to holler for the drunks to git a hitch in their giddyup, but this guy was really rude. So we herd ourselves inside to sit at the bar to finish our drinks. Literally ten minutes had gone by since last call was announced and my roommate is trying to finish her drink, but who wants to chug a mojito? She asked the bartender about the rapidity between the announcement of last call and the herding of people out and he started yelling in her face that they've got to close. She was just trying to be conversational! She got there later than the rest of our group, so she was only on her second drink. It's not like she was being a loud, obnoxious, raving drunk! The rest of us were on round three, so we weren't out of control either. It was ridiculous! Then, to top it all off, he made her walk to the door and stand next to it while she was finishing her drink while there were still other patrons sitting and sipping. I know I sound like a huge complainer who is making a mountain out of a molehill here, but these combined experiences really ruined Prairie Moon for me. Any positive impression that was left by my first visit to this place was completely wiped out by the combination of the beef burger, the shard of glass and the overall service, especially by the bartender. Read my other reviews; I'm really not too picky. I worked as a waitress for a couple of years part time and I do understand that sometimes it is stressful and not a whole lot of fun. However, due to these recent events, I am going to try to never set foot in this place again!
(1)
David B.
Great Americana. They work hard to hit regional cuisines throughout the year, and for the most part do it well. I give them high marks for the variety of offerings. The beer selection and atmosphere is solid. Pool and a few big TVs do not overwhelm the space. They have a small outdoor space, which is not a highpoint. It could be defined as a refined neighborhood bar. A bit too clean for Miller High Life.
(4)
Terry G.
Prairie Moon got it right. They give you better than good food and a fantastic drink selection at a price that totally works. The environment is top notch as well in terms of dining rooms and multiple bars as well as a great out door seating area. I love the back bar and if you need to host a large event, this is the place to hit up for sure.
(5)
Jon S.
Decent spot. Staff is either really rude and cocky or really nice. Kinda all over the place. Pricey beers, decent food for the money. Somewhat impartial about the moon
(3)
Simone K.
The food is not bad but I sent my parents there for dinner and my mom accidently left her wrap there. She called within 30 min of leaving and they told her that they had it for her. She went back as soon as they opened the following morning and someone had stolen it. They tried to give her something that was the wrong color and cheap. Then the manager told her that everyone who worked there was trustworthy and they didn't care about her as a customer. Totally put me off the place!
(1)
Beth G.
This place is off the hook! I used to go there just to drink and then started partaking in their menu selects. They have Painted Soup which is a combination of butternut squash, poblano pepper, and roasted tomato puree soups that come splashed in the same bowl. Delicious! Their shrimp caesar is fabulous, their dressing has a bit of jalapeno in it so it's got a kick. Also good is the key lime margarita chicken, rubbed with tequila and key limes. Don't miss the crab cakes either, served alone or in a salad. Fish tacos are not to be missed either. No matter what, you must try the house drink: a key lime margarita!! OOOH yeah!
(5)
David K.
Its a large space, but its partitioned off in a really effective way. excellent vibe, excellent beer selection, and good food.
(4)
Bev B.
Nice food, especially the sea food. The chowder isn't the best, but the burgers rock and that pan-fried trout is wonderful. Save your money on desserts. Spend it on the beer instead. :)
(4)
Nick B.
Good american style cuisane. They also have a pool table and bar in the front if you're just in the mood to hang out and have a drink in a laid back atmosphere. Good selection of beers.
(4)
Jaclyn C.
I've yet to eat at Pmoon, but it's one of the 5 - wait, now 4, Evanston bars walkable from the Northwestern campus. Their minimum credit card charge is something outrageous like $15-20. Late night, drunken dancing and in the summer, the "patio" is open. Darts and a busy pool table. Lots of space with 2 bars - a sportier one in the back.
(3)
penny h.
The food in this restaurant was suprisingly good. I must admit that I was not expecting the food to be so good because of the way that the restaurant was laid out. I would recommend for you to give it a shot.. try to go there on a nice day and ask to sit at their patio .. :)
(4)
Devin H.
A good downtown Evanston spot to hang out, get good eats, drinks, and listen to music. The ciderday salmon is the best! Plus, they have live music and DJs.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Robert M.
Visiting Evanston this weekend and found the Prarie Moon on Yelp. Looking for something different than burger and fries for lunch. Had the crabcake salad. Some of the best crab cakes I've ever had! Crunchy exterior and nicely seasoned meat. Rest of the crew liked their turkey sandwich and salads. Will visit again when in the area.
(4)Rachel O.
Beer was warm, waitress was inappropriate, food was mediocre, service was bad. The atmosphere is cool, outside area is nice. The menu is all over the place, unsure how they call it "all American cuisine". Probably won't come back.
(3)Jo Ann F.
Trying out new places since our move to Evanston. My husband ordered the shrimp po-boy which he quite enjoyed. My son had the mac-and-cheese off the children's menu. He also enjoyed the broccoli and fruit that accompanied the meal. I basically had French toast with praline walnuts and strawberries. The French toast was cold (should it have been?) and the strawberries were cut with a knife that had previously been cut with an onion... So that's what they tasted like. I would like to give them another chance. Maybe it's what I ordered or that we got there right as they opened. :-/
(3)Michael V.
Went to Prairie Moon with two friends on a pleasant Saturday night. We got seated right away in their outdoor patio section which was great! I was impressed with their beer list and ended up getting Revolution's Coffee Eugene. The guys kept up with the water refills pretty well and we were given bread to start which was nice. I ordered the Howl at the Moon burger while my friends both got the Black and Blue Burger (it's not on the menu but they still make it). The burgers and sweet potato fries were really good! I definitely recommend getting a burger if that's your thing. Only reason I have to give 4/5 starts is service was rather slow, although our server was very nice. Good place in Evanston to go for dinner, especially this time of year!
(4)Deborah H.
Service good, food ok but terrible dj w horrible music choices and way too loud. It was clear the few clients did not enjoy it and they kept it going. They need a better model for entertainment.
(2)Scott W.
Great place for beer lovers. They always have a terrific selection of interesting local and smaller national craft brews. Prairie Moon plays host to tap takeovers, too. You're sure to find something to whet your whistle. The space is deceptively huge -- which makes it perfect for larger groups. But the front bar is an intimate, yet fun room. The small outdoor patio is perfect to day drink an afternoon away as the Purple Line whirrs by. Its also a good spot for kids. Food-wise, you could do worse than the shrimp po' boy, the mussels or the fish tacos. Most items on the menu are solid and priced fairly.
(4)Kevin C.
This was a really hit and miss experience for me. We arrived and there were some folks in front of us talking to the hostess. She left to seat them and didn't acknowledge us. That's fine, I guess, I mean... I know she'll be right back. But she wasn't. We waited, several of the other employees sort of looked at us. Finally one came over, I'm sorry for the wait, I'm sure she'll be right back. Another group came in behind us. Hostess still MIA. More looks from the rest of the staff. Finally, after several minutes, a different employee comes over and says "She's clearing a table for you. That's what's taking so long. Sorry for the wait." A few minutes later, the hostess reappears. "Hi. She says, Two? Ok. Well there's no tables so it'll be at least a 15 minute wait." OK. What now? That lady just said you were cleaning our table. Is this the kind of place where the staff lies to the customers for literally no reason? This is not a big deal, but it's weird that the previous staff member saw fit to make up a story rather than just help us, or even simply ask us to continue to wait. Having to wait for hostess that's abandoned you is annoying, but being lied to is really, really, really weird and made me uncomfortable. "You can sit at the bar if you want." she said and gestured to several tables in the bar area. OK. Sure. Fine. A basket of bread was brought to our table with a bunch of butter packets in the basket. The bread was hot and delicious. "I'll put some butter on this." I thought, that'll make it even better. The moment I opened the butter is was immediately on my tie. Apparently, the hot bread sits in the basket with the butter long enough to belt the butter completely. The butter was absolutely liquid and unmanageable. Goodbye, tie. I really don't like staying at a restaurant when I'm so uncomfortable, it's sort of a bad scene for everyone. I wanted to leave at this point, but we'd heard the food was good and my partner was dead set on staying. Our sever came and she was sooooo delightful. Throughout the meal she was friendly and attentive. Unfortunately, there were lots of high maintenance tables around us, and she left us alone for longer than was desirable... but when she was with us, she was so great this was easy-ish to overlook and it didn't contribute to the weird vibes from earlier. However, our food came out moments after our appetizers did. I know YELP is where hyberbole goes to die, but our food honestly came out two bites into our appetizers. Our server was super apologetic, but it didn't change the fact our food was cold by the time we got to it. Then the prices. Is this serious? 7$ for soup? The soup was delicious, but even for delicious soup, 7$ seems high for food served in a bar. 10$ for vegetarian nachos? 20$ for etouffee? Everything was good, but I don't know man... a little too much. The portion sizes were average, and didn't compensate for the very high prices. My burger was 12$ and it was super great, served with delicious cole slaw, and appropriately priced. I really don't know what to think. I think we'll come back one more time in hopes that this was a fluke, but a place that charges so much for "comfort food" should probably put a stronger emphasis on the overall customer experience.
(2)Jordan H.
Was there,first thing server told us was "You know our kitchen is closed." We were only there for drinks. Other than the first bad step, service was quick and friendly. Drinks were stiff. Atmosphere was missing the target as was the DJ. If I lived here I would definitely be back to give the menu a shot. Always up for southern cuisine
(3)Mandy J.
A colleague introduced me to this place for lunch last week. It might be my new favorite Evanston spot! The lunch menu was extensive and it all sounded so good. A real battle to decide which of the five you've narrowed it down to. I opted for the crab cake salad. I was not disappointed! The portion was generous, the crab cakes cooked perfectly, and the price very reasonable. We sat near the patio, so we had a great view and were able to enjoy the weather. I was trying to be responsible and not drink on my lunch hour, but there were plenty of people who were making me jealous! The beer menu looked great! Also, the chocolate chip cookies they offer on the way out are w nice change from your boring after-meal mints. I'll definitely be back...for the cookies and a beer!
(5)Kacie Starr L.
Ate here for a graduation party. The hosts ordered heavy appetizers and everything was served hot, tasty and well seasoned. Serving staff seemed efficient and were diligent about cleaning plates. The bartender was super friendly and sweet. As a visitor to Chicago, I enjoyed my time at this restaurant.
(5)Kennen M.
The major pro to this place is that the kitchen stays open late. Everything else about this place is forgettable. The bar area is spacious with lots of tables and the back dining room has the decor of a family breakfast restaurant. At first look, the menu appears to be large and filled with all sort of varieties but upon closer review, the menu was all over the place with Mexican, burgers, BBQ, Italian, American dishes. It gave me the impression that they don't do one thing well but instead just do a bunch of other things with mediocrity. The food came out very fast. The mussels were on special and gave them a go. They were ok and not worthy of slurping up the rest of the broth. I ordered the BBQ combo and it came out lukewarm. Again, it was ok. I don't see myself running back to this place soon unless it is late night and my options were limited.
(3)Charles J.
Excellent service from Mallory and the food was fantastic! We will definitely be back! Thank you so much Mallory!
(5)Elizabeth F.
Great beer selection and a casual vibe. We went on a Thursday night and got a table right away. It was a little quiet, but perfect for post-date drinks. It's a great alternative to places like Bar Louie and Bat 17, which seem to always be over-crowded.
(4)Michelle M.
We have been here 4 times since we moved to Evanston in October. The food is consistently very good as is the service. An excellent craft beer selection and the atmosphere is fun but low key. A great place to take guests when in town.
(5)Dawn C.
Our appetites were tantalized by the menu descriptions online. Unfortunately, our taste buds were left wanting: the food was wholly average, with the asparagus & goat cheese being beyond disappointing. My daughter and I casually dined on five of the 'small plates' as we traversed the cocktail menu, where we were not let down. Our server, Matthew was capable but nothing more. When my daughter's fork was removed and not replaced we did have fun sharing mine. Can't imagine why I'd return.
(2)Peter O.
Good. A solid good based on many visits during the past couple years, which is disappointing to report as their decor and menu suggest better, make us expect more: more warmth, charm and better prepared, higher grade home-style comfort foods. We've had mediocre special occasion brunches with extended family, just okay lunches and completely ordinary dinners as a couple and with friends. We keep wanting it to be better and can not fool ourselves into believing it is so. Their wine and craft beer selection can be satisfying and their bar and bartenders are their high point. Prairie Moon's kitchen is open late, a definite plus, especially in Evanston. We would return to eat if invited or if perhaps we needed fortification for driving purposes after drinking here at their pleasant bar or elsewhere. As we all know, in certain chemically altered frames of mind quality of food is less important than just having something actual and solid that is not McAnything and has neither King nor Castle in its name. Bluestone, not far away in Evanston, is better in every conceivable way and similar in atmosphere and feel, with a very pleasant outdoor area. Truly, Peter O. and S.
(3)mary b.
Nice venue, with a nice outdoor space. Maybe for a cocktail and appetizer. A group of four, went with the recommendation of two who had been previously. The food was uneven. The calamari appetizer was good, and a steak sandwich was enjoyed. But the pulled pork was dry, not much sauce. The crab cakes were flavorless, too much breading. They were on the nightly specials menu but the rice underneath was cold, likely because cold pico de gallo was put on top. The whole thing was a big, kind of expensive, miss. My cocktail, while not weak, wasn't strong as others have suggested. Water glasses not refilled until we asked. Not very busy so come on..... The big fail was the lack of personality of our waiter. Yikes. He truly seemed like he wished he was elsewhere. The hostess was bland,not rude, but not welcoming as one's first impression on a not busy night. A member of the group tried to give her a contest card on the way out that had been included with our bill.....she didn't know what it was!!! Think I'm on to something here....communication and staff training. There is a reason it's called the HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY!!
(2)Temple S.
Wow. this place really went down hill from my last visit a year ago. I will not be back. Food was sub-par and service was really slow. We were in a big group. Waitress did not even take our kids' order so when our food came, they had none. I guess she thinks kids are invisible. Kids got their food after we had finished ours and the management didn't even offer to discount their food. Terrible customer service.
(2)Matt Z.
Excellent food, great beer list, great service, and very pleasant and welcoming to all guests. A must stop for all beer fans in the area.
(5)Judith M.
Great food and service. The Tilamook chowder and small plate Ciderday Salmon were delicious. My sister had the triple berry crumble was excellent.
(5)Bob R.
After visiting the Luthier (see other review), we stopped here on a recommendation. It was late afternoon, we were hungry and thirsty. We had pretty much the whole restaurant to ourselves. (There were a few others, but not many.) For some reason, they put us at a awkward table that sat between two dining rooms. I say awkward because they added a seat so four of us could sit there, and the seat blocked entry into the other room. We ordered beer - the menu was extensive, and the beers on tap were very good. But, I am not a daytime drinker and I'm afraid the beer made me tired. It was quite tasty though. For my lunch, I ordered their Prairie Moon burger. I comes on a bun with lettuce, tomato and onion and is served with fries. The burger is a mix up of various cuts of meat. I ordered it medium, and it came rare but I really didn't want to send it back. The server was nice. The beer was good, but I would say that overall, it was an average pub without anything that really made it stand out. Would I go back? Sure, but I think the overall experience (of course late afternoon) could have been more special.
(3)arpan s.
Love the beer selection here. I make sure I get the tillamook fish chowder every time I go foods always been great too. Service can be hit or miss sometimes seems people take longer and there's also that courtesy factor. They're always changing up the beer menu.
(5)Andrew G.
I still have heartburn from the crab cakes...who puts tartar sauce right in the cake. The fish taco were a joke. I never saw a plate like that served it looked like slop with tortillas on the side. The fish was battered with cornmeal....yuck. The wings were fatty and not crispy. STAY AWAY
(1)George B.
Good food, good party room. I've been here more often for events than for dinner, but it has always been satisfying. The appetizers served at a few work events were actually above average. That said, I think it's a bit generic, and you can have a better, more adventurous meal in Evanston.
(3)Candice G.
$4 Founders dry-hopped pale ale. Can't beat that. On my second visit ever to Prairie Moon I discovered that there's more than just the front bar and dining area- this place is hidden huge. With an additional dining room behind the obvious dining and bar area and then another bar in back with enormous vintage light-up signs and a second smaller with and equally as impressive beer and spirits list and a pool table. From there, you can head to an outdoor patio to the left or to the dart room on the right and then into an even larger dining room. HUGE. Not quite a Target, but bigger than a Walgreens and better, obviously, because there's way more booze at Prairie Moon and a great place to meet up with a cornucopia's worth of friends. Also, they have a crab hat. Oh, and service is friendly and the food, while I've yet to have it, smells delicious. I want those mussels and frites... but mostly that crab hat. That I need.
(4)Angela S.
I agree with Dee W about the back room space being a great venue for a private event. This weekend I attended a Bar Mitzvah party on Saturday night. This was my first visit to the restaurant/bar, and I liked that it was smidgen off the beaten path because street parking was a breeze, and overall restaurant did a great job of making sure all palates and those with dietary restrictions were attended to. The menu was specially designed for parties and started off with Salsa Suprema: Homemade tortilla chips with pico de gallo, chipotle cream, salsa roja & Haas Guacamole (delicious chunky guac. BTW) and cheesy flat bread. The main course consisted of a the Farmers Garden Salad: Seasonal vegetables on mixed babygreens, served with your choice of balsamic vinaigrette & garlic ranch; Grilled Seasonal Vegetables & Polenta: Zucchini, yellow squash, sweet peppers, crimini mushrooms & sweet onions grilled with a balsamic glaze over grilled fresh herb polenta squares (loaded with beyond flavorful veggies); Roma Basil Penne Fresh penne pasta tossed with a Roma tomato-basil pan sauce, wild mushrooms and baby spinach, topped with Vermont goat cheese; and Cedar-Planked Salmon: Baked Atlantic fillet with Annecortes barbecue butter glaze. Side note: The best part about this salmon is the fact that it was so delicious that my kids tried salmon for the first time ever and LOVED it! Major big win. Here we had vegans, those with soy allergies, adults and kids, and everyone left with the ability to try most everything! The space was nicely sized for a large party with lots of seating, a media screen for presentations, just the right amount of lighting to make the evening intimate and the backdrop of train lights from the nearby tracks you can watch as they go by. This was my favorite part of the atmosphere. A great urban feel. Along the hallways leading to the room there were coat racks everywhere for winter gear, and the restaurant in general is large. The servers were friendly, and overall when I walked in with my kids I didn't get weird stares from non-kid folks.
(4)Dylan M.
Visited for the first time and enjoyed the atmosphere. The front of the restaurant has a lot of character with a large older bar and tables and high-tops with TVs for watching sports etc. They also have a great patio (too cold for that). Further back it has a large dining room area well suited for groups or families. The menu offers a lot of choices and the food was nicely prepared. I would come back again if I were in the area.
(4)AJ M.
Came here for the second time. This spot is a hidden gem for craft beers. Located right by Tommy Nevins and Bar louie, this is a perfect median between those two palces. A more laid back environment , with a large beer menu. The food is pretty good. Service can be hit or miss but i dont hold it against them as i feel they might be understaffed. Currently under construction, wonder whats going to be different about this place, will definetly come back !!
(4)Miles G.
Today's service was nothing short of what you'd receive at a DPRK prison camp. The bald man that I guess one would surmise was our waiter had no idea how to do his job. He was both incompetent and rude. Twice, he found it necessary to raise his voice at our party for misunderstanding the ambiguous payment system. After a long night out for NYE, today's experience was the exact wrong way to start the year. Althought the food was good as was the music, I won't be going back. It's a real shame because the last time I was here, we had a very cute and charming young lady as our waitress and the overall experience then was 5 star worthy. I suggest that no one visit Prarie Moon until things are changed with the service. -New Years Blues
(1)Moni K.
Waited 55 minutes to get a pretty simple breakfast of scramble eggs. Definitely not acceptable wait time. When the meal arrived it was just placed in front of me by the kitchen help and they just walked away. What about butter, ketchup, hot sauce and jelly for the bread. Service was non-existent. Waiter brought me sugar that did not have regular sugar packets and the packets that were in there were used.
(1)Travis B.
Pretty much everything was disappointing. We didn't have a waiter until we flagged someone down who adopted us but turned out to be an inattentive condescending ass. The Cobb salad was missing about half the ingredients I'd consider essential for a Cobb salad, lettuce was strangely warm, and the dressing was on the side after I was specifically asked if I wanted it on the side and said no. The fish po-boy was better, but bland, and we had to ask for slaw even though we'd just discussed it with the waiter. The beer selection is smallish but interesting enough (and the only thing this place has going for it).
(1)Megan D.
Overall place was OK not great. I can see it being a good place for grabbing a drink after work. Food was average as well. Waitress seemed to disappear as more tables filled up and didn't seem pleased when we asked the split the bill....and it was just two couples and a kid. Not exactly difficult. I'd go back but probably try somewhere else first.
(3)David R.
I wish I could review the bar and restaurant separately. So I'm going to. Prairie Moon is a fixture (maybe THE fixture) in the Evanston craft brew scene. They have a solid rotating tap, a fine bottle list, and a good relationship with the burgeoning Evanston craft brew community. Also a hangout for the local homebrew club. A great place to grab a pint and a snack. 4 stars. As far as a dinner spot, the food is a little overpriced and a little underwhelming. Generally a little bland. A few good dishes, but pretty forgettable overall. 2 stars.
(3)T D.
I eat here quite often as I work in the neighborhood. I always have the blackened salmon salad, and always leave with an elated sense of satisfaction. I'm surprised the review ratings are not higher.
(4)Melissa B.
I came here as a visitor from Indy with a large group of people that the restaurant was not at all thrilled to accommodate. We called ahead of time and gave them an estimate of forty people. They refused to welcome us. When we realized that fewer people would be going, we called back and asked for 15-25. They were still reluctant to seat us but did so anyway. It was strange to me that they wanted to refuse what would certainly be a larger than normal check. When we got there, one server had to suffer through the ordering of what turned out to be around 25 people. She was flustered for obvious reasons and let that affect her attitude. OK, fair enough, but we made it clear that she had no reason to rush. We ordered a shot of Maker's Mark for each person in attendance and several people ordered beer-a huge bar tab-and the bartender was pissy that she had to carry around a huge tray of it. Seriously? As for the food, it was just so-so. I had a Wild Turkey sandwich that came out with gummy cheese as if someone else had ordered it and sent it back, and then it was given to me. The fries that came with it were basically crumbs. Everyone else seemed to have OK food, but I was personally disappointed. I could see how this could be a much better experience with a smaller group, but I'm still perplexed why they were so frustrated with us when they clearly have the space to accommodate several large groups. And given that we gave them several hundred dollars in business, I just can't get over how rude they were to us.
(2)Jeff O.
GREAT food, and always such a wonderful revolving beer section!
(5)Kelly R.
This palace has wonderful burgers and is probably me and hub's favorite place to go for a quick bite to eat!
(4)Steve R.
We tried this place for Brunch. The menu is very limited to choices and a little pricy for a bar. The atmosphere is nice. Our waitress took our order and we never saw her again until she came around and asked if we wanted the check. The waitress looked like she rolled out of bed and had a hangover. Had to get busboy attention for another cup of coffee. They do not have Splenda or real cream. As a diabetic I can not stand sweet and low or equal. Not sure about lunch or dinner. But for brunch breakfast we will not come back. Good portion was good. Food was just ok.
(2)Debbie S.
This place is a solid Evanston option -- especially with kids. Is the food going to blow your mind? No. But on the whole, the service tends to be good and there are multiple options for people with all different food interests. They have a nice outdoor patio and as long as the back rooms aren't in use by private parties, we have never had a problem getting a table. I happen to love the Three Sisters and this is what I typically order when I go here. Decent beer list and an overall good atmosphere makes this an always solid option. If I didn't live in Evanston, not sure how frequently I would make a special trip, but given that this is less than a mile from my house, I'm here often.
(3)Catherine W.
Three and a half stars. Enjoyed the trout entree very much; the surf and turf was okay (steak smaller than expected). Service was excellent despite it being noisy and crowded.
(3)Karen T.
I had lunch there yesterday and my experience was not good. I have never had a problem with the food or service but not sure if I will be going back or recommending them. I ordered a Shrimp Po'Boy to go for a co-worker after eating lunch. I had a issue with the order and my server Shane was very short and rude with me. At on point he said "So what do you want because I have to keep it moving" The shrimp were cut up and it also had crawfish in it. I spoke to the manager and he checked with the kitchen and came back and said that's they way they make it. I left and when my co-worker opened it the bread was burned on the bottom. I checked the menu today and it says nothing about crawfish being included on the Po'Boy sandwich. Make sure if you go you don't get carry out
(2)Steve B.
Delightful lunch experience. Top marks to the man who seated us; it was sunny and hot, most of the outdoor tables were taken, but after investigating he suggested, correctly, that my elderly mother and I would be comfortable at a partially shaded table near the back. We were quickly provided ice water, and our server, though quite busy, promptly and smilingly delivered my frosty pint of hefeweizen (his recommendation, and perfect for the weather--even if he did not know where specifically in Germany the beer was brewed). My mother was very pleased with the Blue Crabcakes and fruit; our server was most helpful in bringing her fries unsalted. (She's had appetite loss since recent heart trouble, but relished the food here!) Unlike her I'd eaten a full late breakfast, and so ordered a small plate: Wild Mushroom Quesadillas. It was, I have to say, exquisite! Exclamation mark-worthy--delicious to the point I found myself reminiscing about San Diego/Baja hybrid high points. The El was intermittently audible, but by no means loud. To my ears pleasant.
(5)Shawn I.
I often take the kids here. The food is good but definitely not great. The service and beer list are excellent though. We always have a good time there. Bluestone has better food. Prairie Moon has a better beer list. Both are really good for families.
(4)Justin B.
Great beer selection and the large piece of Texas sheet cake that I had this week was great. Perfect location to hit in Evanston if you want a large space to hang with older friends (like 25 and up, as opposed to college kids) in the neighborhood and still watch a game on the big screen.
(4)Stacy O.
In full disclosure, Prairie Moon is owned by the same people as Wheatberry (see previous review), which is located near my former home in Indiana. I was near destined to love this place. And I do. Prairie Moon features a strong selection of craft beer, including some that are harder to find (Three Floyd's Apocalypse Cow, Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu). They also showcase the breadth of some regional breweries, like Tyranena out of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, by devoting several taps at once to their beers. We sat at the bar - as we do - and I immediately ordered a flight of four beers. My husband ordered a dry-hopped pale ale from Founders. As we browsed the food menu, I was pleased to see some of my favorites from Wheatberry on this menu, but also plenty of other options to try. I settled on the Redbud barbecue chicken salad - with big chunks of avocado and topped with fresh tortilla strips, it was perfect. They served our meals with a small loaf of fresh bread. Service was great - they checked in frequently to see if we need more beer or water. A fun fact about Praire Moon is that they play host to the Evanston Home Brew Club on the third Thursday of each month. If you like local, craft beer or are a homebrewer, it's worth learning more about.
(4)Vince G.
This place is the greatest thing about working in Evanston. I've yet to have a bad meal here. From fish tacos to Chimichurri steak, there isn't a bad option on this menu. Friendly wait staff, solid beer and wine selection and free cookies! How the hell can you wrong here? You can't, solid place for lunch or dinner.
(5)Andrew L.
Nice atmosphere. Etouffe, yum. Acoustics are a bit harsh, especially with a loud drinking group in the room. Sports bar. Great menu and desserts. Convenient public parking across the street. I'd go back.
(4)Alexis K.
Yep, my first 1 star review. One star because the bathrooms have interesting decor. Our server was more than awful (I'd do details, but it's too much), the fries came out as though they'd been fried for a second time and left to sit, the bread (prior to the meal and on the sandwich) was dry, the Cobb salad lacked essential elements of a Cobb salad (for just one: boiled egg), etc. The guy who sat us, have us menus, water, bread, and tried to score us a waiter deserves a huge raise.
(1)Kate M.
Him "You want drinks or food? When do you want to do this?" Me "I always want food. I have plans Thursday then I'm free for...ever" Him "Oh man you're lame. Now I have to take you out for food" Yes, I'm quite lame. Prairie Moon isn't though. Met an old friend for dinner, we had about 18 years of catching up to do, and needed some good food and beer while we did so. I had a burger with bacon and horseradish sauce (it should've had horseradish cheese too but I'm trying to be good). It was really good, the fries were really good too. I'm not a huge fan of beer, it's not that I dislike it, but like so many things too many choices and I get confused and wander off. Prairie Moon has a big craft beer list and I, as always, got confused and wandered off. The waiter was kind enough to pick something for me, then I switched to cider. (I do love cider). The service was good, the server was attentive but not annoying. A fine line to walk. The dining room was nice, pretty big, but not too loud. I'd go back to Prairie Moon if I was in the area. Not sure I'd go out of my way to eat there, but if I were in Evanston and hungry it'd be at the top of my list.
(4)NB K.
We chose a table on the patio, under the stars and super harvest moon. The staff was attentive and friendly. The menu was broad with many choices. Many small plates and salads, two soups, plus sandwiches and "large plates" (entrees). We started with the 3-chili wings. They were meaty and tasty. I had the blackened fish po' boy and my husband had the harvest moon burger. Each sandwich came with a choice of potato and cole slaw. The portions were most generous. My fish was delicious and piled high with chopped lettuce and tomato. His burger was, as well. The only down side is that my fries were not hot. The beer choices were broad (we didn't even check out the wine list). The prices were reasonable. If I lived here, I'd definitely come back.
(4)Sarah P.
This is a nice place to eat outside when the weather is nice on their back patio. The food is pretty good and there is a nice selection to choose from. It has been a nice spot to meet up with a few friends for dinner and drinks.
(3)Marla R.
Really amazing food. Had the salmon and my mom had a chicken sandwich she said it was the best she's ever had. For stars because the service was meh
(4)Kristine W.
We came here because Ward Eight was a bit pretentious for my tastes, especially when the bartender smiles at us twice without stopping to offer a seat or anything. I like the selection of beer here, but the food was just okay. The gumbo looked nothing like New Orleans style gumbo, but was quite meaty, just on the drier side considering it's supposed to be soupy. I ordered a chimichurri steak tips and my food was cold. After she took it back and came out with what looked like a fresher dish, the food was fine but I wasn't hungry anymore at that point. My fiance ordered the chicken and andouille sausage, but they were out of sausage so it wasn't a dish at its full potential. We probably wouldn't come back unless we were just in the area for drinks.
(3)Matt R.
I think I've been here twice now, maybe more. I like it...to a point. This is arguably a bar slash restaurant. Not just bar, not just restaurant. Which means: a: the food selection is nice (you have some good vegetarian options in that native food thing) and b: the place is NOISY indoors. I am talking "I'd remove a star" noisy. It may be a bar, and that's fine, but it was so loud that it was almost painful at plenty of times. I do like their beer selection and the food selection was good/of good quality, but I don't think I could tolerate such noise unless I was already drunk enough to not care. So I'm sorry, but I'm not coming back here, unless it's in the summer, outdoors, away from the biggest crowds.
(3)Paul S.
Had a special of blackens tilapia with red beans and rice and spinach that was perfectly cooked and delicious. Was there for a late lunch (after 1 pm) and waiter was very attentive.
(4)Chris C.
Great atmosphere, great service, fantastic food, and a stellar beer list all add up to a wonderful dining experience. The staff is friendly and efficient, and the menu is creative, with daily specials rounding out the unique experience.
(5)Mandy K.
I absolutely love this restaurant. You can not go wrong with just about anything you order. I have heard the brunch is off the charts and to top it off it has one of the most amazing beer lists I have seen anywhere in the Chicagoland area. Since I work in the area we often choose this restaurant for our lunches out, but also for any special events we have (ie: baby showers) and they are always accommodating and provide great service. Also, when I got married a few years back we chose this restaurant for our rehearsal dinner spot. It won the vote with my husband and I due to the unique and delicious menu items, but to be honest mostly because of the stellar beer list. This is an Evanston staple and honestly wish there was a location near my home so I could enjoy it more regularly.
(5)Joel W.
One of the best beer lists around and great food to back it up. Entree highlights are salmon and étouffée
(4)Mike M.
A decently curated beer selection and interesting taps! I wasn't particularly enamored with the food, but it might have been an off day. The drink selection is really the standout here, and the servers did a good job keeping it all in check. Service could have been a tad bit faster, but all in all it was great.
(4)Nikki C.
thanks to some new laws I'm no longer allowed in Evanston at night. So at least during the day, there are options for me to find some tasty fish tacos and savory beers to complement the moment. Nice bar staff and free motherluvin chocolate chip cookies at the bar! Stick my pinky toe in a pigs belly button! FREE COOKIES!!!!!
(4)Dee W.
I have now returned back to Prairie Moon consistently as my workplace has thrown past events there using the back room space, come as dinner/brunch options for the family, and then, again, most recently last month as part of our board's annual dinner where we had fantastic customer service and the food was delicious. Overall, you can find something for everyone considering that our group had pregnant women, gluten allergies, pescatarians, and vegetarians where finding an option for everyone isn't always the easiest thing to do but Prairie Moon came through for us. They still have a great selection of beer and wine to boot.
(4)Iryna Z.
Great tastying food! Variety to fit anyones taste! Service, not so much.
(4)Heather L.
We came to Prairie Moon for their great selection of craft beer but to our surprise, the service was excellent and we loved everything we tasted! Painter's soup was artistically presented and delicious; Grilled Trout was crispy outside, flavorful and moist inside. Three Sisters: roasted butternut squash, toasted corn and white beans were sumptuously blanketed with Gilroy garlic sauce. Chimichurri Steak was tender and juicy, the garlic mashed potatoes decadent. Loved the Key Lime Pie with coconut crust. Our favorite restaurant in Evanston!
(5)Andy S.
Just wasn't crazy about this restaurant following my visit. I'm a big fan of a place with an extensive craft brew list but this felt very pricey. Service was very poor and we in fact complained about the length of time it took to get the food and were more or less told our food wasn't slow in coming out. Food itself was ok but, again, not worth the price. All things considered, I'm going down the street for a bar/restuarant with nice outdoor patio.
(2)Yanyao N.
The service is far better now. The server I had tonight was an absolute doll. We were not neglected or did not have to wait forever for anything. This makes me happy! The food is still not spectacular (but totally decent) and wouldn't be my first option if I wanted a nicer dinner. But tonight? One of those nights where I just needed to indulge in awful-for-you but goes-down-so-easy bar food ala fried calamari, fries, and mac & cheese. I was a grouchy zombie before I ate, and after I huffed my food, I felt human again. Thanks, Prairie Moon! I will be back to explore the rest of your extensive food and beer menus!
(4)Caitlin B.
I really like this place! Extensive beer and wine menu, and a variety of different food items. It looks MUCH nicer than Tommy Nevin's, but the prices are pretty on par, and the food is much better. Many items have a southwestern flair, and I've tried a lot of different items here (burgers, sandwiches, salads, fish), and have always been happy with my order. The service can be dicey, but hey, this is Evanston...the land of abysmal service.
(4)Andrew S.
This place has me on the fence... theyve been rude, theyve been cordial. Theyve had great food and that which has been subpar. Things that you can count on are a selection of great beer, and that the New Mexican Painted Soup will be to die for. The 15% wildcard discount on dine in (excludes alc /: ) Is nice and id steer a friend towards the burgers and away from the more interesting sounding fare, minus the chimichurri steak which hits the spot for $9.99 As for the ambiance if youre looking for a bar to watch tv n pound em back at, slip over to Nevins a door south, but if your pants are slighlty higher up your waist and you think you know more about beer than most and are willing to spend to prove it, this spot will do just fine.
(4)Mike S.
Excellent burgers. Even better craft beer selection. Good for a large group or a date night.
(5)Adi S.
Went here for lunch with a friend after having passed this place on the way to Nevin's many many times and never having gone in for the food, although I have been in for drinks quite a few times. I am a big fan of the open space towards the back of this place...it really creates a nice feel and I can see this as a good restaurant to bring a first date. I had the three sisters skillet and my friend had the moon burger. Although our food was quite good, I have to say that the menu came off a bit confusing...perhaps through the organization or the lack of some details? The skillet was fairly unique in my experience with the butternut squash and garlic sauce... the entire combination went together quite well. However, somehow I missed the memo that this would be completely vegetarian. In addition, my friend's burger didn't taste as expected based on the menu...a combination of cuts, but rather tasted like a normal burger.
(3)Dee J.
Great Service and amazing food. Kid friendly too. I had the "Three Sisters" which was fantastic! Also tried the Carrot Cake which was fresh and delish! Highly recommend you check it out.
(4)Gwynneth V.
We just held my best friend's baby shower here yesterday, and it was wonderful. The room was beautiful and set up perfectly, the food was delicious, and our server, Mallory, was as attentive, thoughtful, and helpful as could be. We all declared it a great success, and it was because of Prairie Moon that it was so pleasant, smooth, and easy. A special thanks to Mike, who arranged everything for us, and was welcoming, generous, and on top of it all.
(5)Kyle H.
I've been to Prairie Moon a bunch (don't let the one sole check-in fool ya') and have always enjoyed drinking beer there. Prairie's beer list is unsurpassed in Evanston, and the bartenders are only too happy to let you sample whatever you like. This is a huge place, and the rooms sometimes don't fit together. I dig the big iron letters in the middle dining room that spell RESTAURANT. The back bar is very relaxed and small, with kind of a Margaritaville vibe. It leads to the patio, and has a pool table and dart board as well. The space for me, is a bit "off", so this is more like 3.5 stars rounded up because I'm sooooooo glad it's not some lame chain "Irish" bar.
(4)Emily Y.
Friends. The kitchen is open until midnight on weeknights, or at least Thursday (the only weeknight I've tested). Annnd, the food at 11pm is delicious.* I've been here before and I remember it being good, but have no idea what I ordered. This time around I'm a vegetarian (flexitarian, technically), but vegan for this particular month (roll your eyes, I know - stupid self-challenges - but, hey!, I've lost 4 pounds this month and heifers and hens have been sending me Thank You cards on the regular). Point being: The menu is pretty limited if you're trying to avoid cheese, but I managed to order the Veggie Pico de Gallo Pepperjack Burger minus the pepperjack... and the pepperjack must've been a complete luxury because the burger without pepperjack was amazing. My date had the Shrimp Po'Boy which he claims was good albeit messy. Ordinarily, I'd just introduce myself to his plate (let's be honest, this is the fate of anyone willing to eat with me), but my diet-restrictions subdued me and I had to take his word for it. Wah-waaah. They have Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake (TCSC) on the dessert menu, which is one of my favorite things in the whole wide world ever - but I know for a fact that it's half-sour cream and half-butter. I can't recommend Prairie Moon's TCSC, but I can recommend the state of Texas's TCSC - and seeing as this is the only place where I've EVER seen it on the menu EVER (even in Texas your mama has to bake it for you), I'm tempted to tell you to roll that dice. Worst case scenario, you'll get a cinnamony-chocolate cake with fudgy chocolate frosting that doesn't taste as good as some girl from Texas with very high TCSC standards says it should. Chicagoans barely have taste buds anyway. * I was STARVING, but I wasn't drunk - so I stand by this assessment.
(4)Chet K.
Feb 2014. Prairie Moon fit my expectation of upscale good looking and tasty bar food. It fills this niche well. There is a market for this social intensive type of restaurant, especially back in my college days. But it's easy to make tasty, good looking food. With all the other quality restaurants, Prairie Moon is not my choice for a dining experience destination. It is now also no longer a destination for meeting socially, even for a drink or two for the simple reason I think so many restaurants loose repeat customers. The overwhelming scented timed 'air freshner' products in the men's bathroom. These products mask odors and as with me, make any food and even a social drink smell and taste like institutional cleaning products. At this point, it makes no difference how many different specialty beers are available. My strong suggestion is to instead rely on a daily thorough cleaning of the bathrooms (including a wiping of the outside bottom of the urinals) and working exhaust fans. The use of splash quards instead of the paradichlorizine pucks is appreciated, but it made no difference when I walked through a mist from the timed wall-mount dispenser.
(2)Frank T.
Place is pretty huge. They have a restaurant area but even their the music is blasting. Bouncers are nowhere near friendly and rude from what I was observing. Its also kinda pricey as if they thought they were located downtown Chicago. 12oz draft of Two Brothers was $6. I still have to try it during the day though. They appear to have really good dishes and I have not tried any yet.
(3)Brook E.
Went to a wedding reception here--so that's the context of my review. I was very impressed with how good the food was, even though it was made for a large group of people. The set-up is nice for a reception, there's plenty of room for dancing in the backroom. It was great for a smaller wedding like the one I attended, while I could see if you're having a larger event the rooms might break it up a bit more.
(4)Ian B.
Good location amongst the bars and restaurants of kaneston. Quick service. Nice spot.
(2)Katarina X.
It is a bar, it is unpretentious and they can really bring good food and the beer! I have a secret shhhh.... I have never cared for beer myself. That's okay- really it is- they have a full bar rarin' to go. The server was cute and fast and very helpful- Boyfriend could not decide which beer so she recommended a tremendous, unexpected but welcome flight of FIVE beer options in honor of Belgian Independence (and yes I sipped from two without complaint, so I can definitely say with certainty they were delicious). We were about to go see a fun summer action movie (Pacific Rim!) and the pictures on yelp convinced us try everything- yes everything, all of it: At the waitress' kind suggestion we ordered the chips and guacamole- the chips are fresh, house-made, light, airy and just the right crispness- the guacamole served in a generous martini glass, convenient for passing back and forth to share. The Calamari are delicious, crisp on the surface and not overwhelmed by breading. THe sauce it was served with was satisfyingly chunky however I am opposed to cheese on fish- luckily the Parmesan handler went easy on this dish, leaving unsullied crispy perfect bites for me and cheesy for my less discriminating Boyfriend. I love crab cakes, it is an obsession. I will go and order crab cakes from just about any menu as many ways as it can be served yummy so long as cheese is not involved. The lunch menu features a crab cake entree with fries, fruit and I am ever-so-devastated we arrived too late to order that- I got the dinner crab cake salad option. Oh, The crab cakes were spicy, not overwhelmed with breading, not falling apart from too little breading and were the perfect portion for two. My sad, complaint: They come with a nearly solid, heavy, thick, dense, cheesy, cream-based dressing that did little for the crab cake. This is sad, nearly tragic- cheese and seafood are not a good combination. So if you order this, consider asking your server to substitute another dressing option- perhaps a light vinaigrette on the side to not defile the crab cakes. We had leftover sauce from the calamari- may I suggest you try that? I did, it was tasty. My Boyfriend ordered Shrimp and Crawfish etoufee- the flavorful seafood was served on a bed of fluffy white rice with a rich, hearty spicy sauce- he loved it. in fact, as looked on the destruction we rendered on the table- we regretted arriving prior to the film time, as this means no doggie bag to go. So if you are looking for a post-film bite, this is your place. But remind them kindly, the refrain from cheese on the seafood, which is delicious and fresh enough to stand on it's own. Next time, I'll be there for lunch. Crab cakes? You are MINE.
(4)Larz F.
Warning - do not eat here if: You are hungry and need to eat quickly Do not have half a day to wait Want a reasonably priced meal I find that Prairie Moon is a restaurant in search of itself. Food is pretty good but way overpriced, the space feels like a college bar got a Target makeover, and the service is SLOOOWWW! I think it took about 20 minutes to get our drink order, 10 minutes to get 2 beers, and then another 10 minutes before someone came back to take our order. We finished our beers and waited another 15 minutes for someone to notice. It took another 10 minutes for them to come back. We then waited another 20 minutes for our food to show up - and we ordered SALADS. Then we waited for the check forever. All in all it took 2 hours to get 2 beers and a salad. It would be one thing if this was a beautiful, comfy space, but we were sitting on lawn furniture on the patio. We go by this place about 6 times a week and always keep going.
(2)Meagan H.
What an interesting place. As you walk in you see a room split down the middle. To the right is a bar bumping loud music, and on the left is a quaint restaurant. It was definitely not what I was expecting. The server led us to a back room that was considered the restaurant. The place needs a little remodeling and a decorator. The room is pretty bland looking. We order a new beer. It was pretty good. Their beer list was lengthy giving you some good options. I ordered fish tacos because I like to make comparisons. I love fish tacos of all kinds. I've really only had one bad fish taco in my life. But not here. The fish tacos were yummy! They serve the tilapia by itself so you can cut it up and create your own taco. I could put as much fish, chipotle, and toppings on it as I wanted. My dates meal was just ok. But he ordered a salad... The service is ok. Nothing special. Non conversational. Didn't smile. So, just ok. I guess I wasn't expecting much from this place. I wasn't displeased but I wasn't blown away. It's a good place to catch a quick lunch or dinner, but don't take your first date there. They won't be impressed.
(3)Jessica J.
Of all the bars/resturants in the Evanston, P Moon is always my back up plan. Consistently good food and booze. We'll even have lunch meetings here! The BBQ chicken salad with dressing on the side is great. And those fries... always order something with fries. Desert is pretty awesome too. However, I was prompted to write a review because of my last visit. So, as we were ordering we mentioned to our waiter (a nice southern gentlemen - excellent service) that our lunch mate was picky and would send back his burger if it wasn't cooked correctly -- in fact, he had done just that on his last visit. When it arrived it was cooked perfect - medium, perfectly pink. BUT THEN, the chef came out to check on it AND apologized for the burger being less then perfect last time. I thought it was a nice touch! Way to be P Moon.
(4)Dj Nightwolf ..
I came here with some other Yelpers to drink until last call because we felt that we weren't drunk enough from all the wine we drank at the elite event we had attended earlier in the evening and found out that we don't get drunk... we get AWESOME! We had a great time here. Of course an awesome group of people like us would have a great time anywhere, but we just so happened to sit at the coolest spot in the house. Our table was right next to this bookshelf with all sorts of randomness in it. It had books like, "Beer Is The Answer" and "You Should Have Babies", photo albums with some funny pictures that look like they're from the 80's, a creepy looking monkey, and some games. We played Taboo, and I must say, drunken Taboo is waaaaaayyyyy better than sober Taboo. Oh yeah, there was also a crown... and it had CRAB LEGS! I agree with Sean D., this was the coolest thing there. We all ended up taking pics of each of us rockin the crown. The Crab Leg Crown was definitely the highlight of our late night shenanigans! Overall, I'd have to say that I like this place. I may not be a beer expert, but I was with a bunch of beer connoisseurs and they were quite impressed with the selection of beer at this establishment. Our server was friendly and knew what to recommend based the types of beer I like. I didn't get to try the food, but I'll make sure to the next time I'm in the area because I will definitely be back to close this place down again! Holla!!!â„¢
(4)Ann Marie B.
Great menu and beer selection...been numerous times, love it all
(5)Ty F.
Good food, relaxed atmosphere, great beer menu. A couple different seating areas ranging from a bar to a patio to sit down restaurant. Only flaw with the patio is the L runs close by and makes a racket.
(4)Paul L.
With a bar up front and large restaurant in the back, this is a fun place for a group outing in Evanston. We went for New Year's Eve and had a great time. I know others have had graduation parties (Northwestern Univ. is nearby) and holiday parties for work here. The menu is pan-American. Tons of options across all genres. I got the surf/turf with steak and lobster tail, which was good. Huge beer and cocktail list with a great selection from North America and Europe. For a place with the word "prairie" in its title, it has a lot of seafood and Gulf South faire. It's all higher quality than a chain restaurant. Not too formal or stuffy. Great place for a group or party.
(4)Keith A.
This is always a solid option when going out in evanston. You can't really expect the massive or specialized selections from city bars, but one won't be disappointed with the selection either. I was in need of a drink after a bad week, and met up with a friend here. Its always nice to get here early on a friday night as you can get decent service and there isn't too much of a crowd. I ordered up a blackened chicken sandwich which was very good. It was massive though and was hard to finish and was also on the expensive side to boot. The beer prices are pretty solid, especially on the harder to find ones, so the bill never gets too bad.
(3)Mari Y.
Prairie Moon surprised me. The times we've walked by on the way to Tommy Nevins, there are usually like 5 people sitting at the bar. This past Wednesday night though, between Bar Louie, Prairie Moon and Tommy Nevis, PM seemed like the place to be. I had no idea that it was HUGE. Lots of students and heavy looking backpacks. Guess grad students don't like to wheel around those newfangled wheelie backpacks. Although good for your back, definitely nerdy looking and something your mom would buy to prevent back injuries. Drinks are cheap and there are a few TVs above the bar. There's a big paper mache panda head above the bar that appeared to say, "I welcome random gifts from drunk patrons." We ordered one drink a piece as a nightcap and a key lime pie. It was a small piece and not too tart, both good things! It was fun to observe the students. I know the quarter/trimester started recently so there was a lot of mingling and smiling going on, which was hi-larious to watch. As we're no longer students, we paid the bill with our hard earned cash from our underpaying jobs and went to bed at a reasonable hour.
(4)Matthew F.
My wife and I went there for lunch this past weekend. Their food was pretty good. In addition to the typical bar and grill options, they had a few other things. My wife went with the shrimp po boy and said the shrimp were perfect. I had a burger which was nothing to shout about. There beer menu is fairly extensive with plenty of local options as well as out of state varieties. We would go back again.
(4)John K.
Best beer program north of the Hop Leaf, no question. Also love the shrimp po' boy and the mussels.
(4)Patricia L.
I rarely ever give places 5 stars but Prairie Moon was quiet convincing. Been here a couple times now, usually for friends' gatherings and never stepped out of this place disappointed, nor incredibly drunk off cheap alcohol. You HAVE to order the North End Calamari. It's a little over $10 but definitely something worth sharing (or not). It's pretty amazing. Not your ordinary calamari because it's friend with a light parmesan crust then topped with balsamic, tomato-basil relish and cocktail sauce. I also highly recommend trying beers from their beer list. My personal faves are the Big Sky $3.50/pint and Witterkerke Belgian White $4.50/glass (can you tell what kind of beers I like?). Avoid the burger (nothing special) and the bruschetta (a little too soggy) though. Great place for groups. If it's summertime, try to get dibs on the patio. Patio seating tops off the perfection of good company, food and beer. CHEERS!
(5)Jackie G.
I'm sad I only discovered "p moon's" value toward the end of college, a few months before moving out of Evanston. I went back yesterday and want to tell all of you to go here. When I was in Evanston, I wrote off Prairie Moon as another one of the bars in the area - like the Keg, Nevin's or Bar Louie. I now know that Prairie Moon is much better. In terms of being a bar, they have an extensive beer selection. There are a number of beers on tap (maybe 12?) and then a much much longer list of bottled and canned options. The front room is very bar-like. It's loud and full of TV's. You can eat there too, but there is also a dining room set farther back in the restaurant. The dining area is quieter, and that is where I last sat. I noticed that the window panes and lamps are done in the Frank Lloyd Wright prairie style. The art on the walls looks very American, and the divider between the eating area and walkway that goes along the whole restaurant is really big blue letters that spell Restaurant. I love all the details that do feel very American and slightly unexpected. Likewise, the food is definitely American, but not in a typical greasy bad-for-you diner way. For example, last night, my boyfriend enjoyed the trout with broccoli and wild rice, and I got the shrimp po boy. I think that every time I've eaten at Prairie Moon I've gotten the shrimp po boy. The tangy sauce is so good, even if the sandwich itself is a little messy. Last night we both started with soups too. He got the painted soup, which was both visually appealing and tasty. Get it if you like squash. I love mushrooms, so I got the cream of mushroom (soup of the day). I loved it. Each table gets loaves of bread, which are a bit yeast-y. I thought that complemented the two beers I had very well. Lastly, I should mention that our service was really good. The guy we had was friendly and attentive. I don't remember anything remarkable about the service during my other visits, but overall I think this is a great place.
(4)Tricia D.
Wow, this place looks really different during the day and/or when you're not drunk. I just remember ordering chicken rockefellar every time I've come here in the past. I must have liked it if that's what I remember about this place... and that one horrible college night when I had one or three shots too many.......... Ordering the half sammich (went with Vermont cheddar roast beef), half soup combo on this trip was safe. And I wasn't expecting it to come with fries! Ooo la la. Easy parking in the garage across the street or the tiny lot next door.
(3)William B.
Meals can be between great and "what was that". But the restaurant continues to improve year to year. Sunday Brunch is almost always a real enjoyable experience. Their Bloody Mary's are great. Their Cajun offerings are often of real bayou quality. Their étouffée can compete with any served outside the central Gulf Coast area, as well as some served there. Their Bienville steak was a very enjoyable surprise.
(3)Otto A.
Chubbie pastie bartender at back bar has to go. Just didn't care we were there.
(2)Kelley B.
Great beer selection. Ate outside on the patio- very nice! Service was below average and waitress was not very attentive. Calamari was great!
(3)David R.
I was brainstorming ideas for an early Friday-evening dinner and probably wouldn't have thought of this place if a friend hadn't planted it in my ear. I had originally intended to eat light, but in the meantime I suffered a slight medical trauma, and to make myself feel better, I decided to set myself up in a corner of the second dining room and eat like a king. My table was right by a large open window, so it sort of felt close to eating on a veranda rather than fully outside (the best of both worlds, is what I am trying to say). The beer list is impressive...really impressive. I'm sorry that I wasn't aware of this all these years. It's by far the best beer selection in Evanston; in fact, it might be a bigger variety than all the other bars put together. I was finally able to try the Stone Arrogant Bastard (meh) but they have a few other of my very favorites, such as Scrimshaw Pilsner (a great meal beer). Sadly, after I had eaten, I was informed that they have switched out the New Holland Dragon's Milk for Old Rasputin. POOR CHOICE. Honestly, the Dragon's Milk is half the reason that I ate there. The food was up and down. I ordered four dishes and asked to have them paired in two courses. First course: fish chowder and mushroom quesadillas. Both dishes very good. The fish chowder had potatoes and corn, some kind of fish and I think shrimp too, all in a lightish creamy broth with a low-level spicy heat. One of the best soups that I have eaten recently. Quesadillas are so pedestrian that I rarely order them, but these ones had some spinach and plenty of quality mushrooms. They tasted great on their own, but came with a salsa trio: fresh pico de gallo (by far the best), watery medium-heat salsa, and chipotle crema, of which I tasted a tiny it and then let sit. Second course: Guacamole and calamari. Letdown. The guacamole was smooth and fresh, but bland, lacking enough onion and jalapeno. The chips were those thick, flaky types, a little on the greasy side but generally good. The calamari was just a failure. I took one bite and thought, "Wha...KFC?!?" The breading was so heavy, dark, and seasoned that it has to be a deliberate invocation of the Colonel's original recipe. Homage? Ironic statement? Practical joke? Blech in any case. I could barely even tell what kind of meat was under that thick, cardiologist-enriching shell. Calamari cannot stand a heavy treatment. It needs a light batter and a quick pan-fry. This stuff looked, felt, and tasted as if it had been deep-fried within an inch of its squiggly little life. Then they threw some shredded parmesan on top! TOO HEAVY. I am keeping them at three stars because of the calamari and the Dragon's Milk. However, yesterday's dinner dissolved my years-long bias, so now I would be willing to return and explore more of their large menu and indulge in that wonderful beer list.
(3)Robyn B.
This is my favorite place in Evanston to head for beer and a light dinner. Their dining garden is nothing really special but is a cozy nice place to wind down at the end of the day. I also love that you sometimes get free cookies after lunch, as the kitchen staff tries out different recipes.
(5)Katrina R.
Best Key Lime Pie EVER. I'll repeat, in case that wasn't clear. BEST KEY LIME PIE EVAR. So the food is good here. I've had burgers, salads, the works. Everything is solid, delicious, no complaints. So since we've got that out of the way, we'll talk about what is exceptional, you know, the standouts: 1. The Key Lime Pie. This stuff is amazing. I'm something of a Key Lime Pie addict, and it's a dessert I *never* fail to order when it's on the menu and not out of a freezer. This is the best Key Lime pie I've had--ever. Better than the Key Lime Pie in Florida, better than any recipe that's ever been made for me, better than anything. Eat it. 2. The Painted Soup. This is also fantastic. It's pretty to look at, and the flavor is sublime. I order at least a cup every time I go now, if not a whole bowl. It's spicy, but not in that a-woogah spicy, in that slow-simmery spicy that doesn't linger too long or set you afire. It's flavorful and the texture is perfect. 3. The Lemonade. Fresh-squeezed. Not too much sugar, not too much water. It's a precarious balance-- and it works. 4. The Patio. It's pretty and on a nice night it's simply wonderful. So those are the strong points. GO TO THIS PLACE.
(5)Michael D.
Good food, Beer selection, and atmosphere.
(4)David Z.
The g/f and I stopped by this place after work, before heading over to Welsh-Ryan arena for the Northwestern vs. Butler basketball game (Northwestern lost....boooooo). I was very surprised by the extensive beer list, both on tap and in bottles. $5 for a Dragon's Milk is definitely ok in my book. Seems like you can get some pretty good beers and some high alcohol content for your buck here. I had a simple medium-well cheeseburger and my girlfriend had the wings. I was VERY happy with my burger. In fact, I think it was one of my favorite burgers in quite a long time. It was cooked just right, and the bun was lightly toasted and just the right size. I opted for the fruit instead of the fries, and I thought the fruit serving was a little small. I tried a couple of the wings, and I'll admit I didn't really like them that much. They were slightly more edible when using the provided barbecue sauce (the buffalo dipping sauce tasted nasty, like easter eggs). The barbecue sauce DID remind of a little too much of what McDonald's gives you with their chicken nuggets though. The service was very good. We got there at 5:30 and were out the door by 6:20 so we could still make it to the game. Granted, we didn't order anything that would take a long time to make, but I was still impressed with the speed of the food and the fact that the waiter was quick to bring out the check. I thoroughly enjoyed this place. If I am looking for a place to grab a drink before a future game, this will definitely be considered. I avoided 5 stars only because the price was a little high for the burger ($8.99) and the atmosphere in the dining room, although not terrible, left a little to be desired. Also, they should consider putting up some dividers in between the urinals in the men's bathroom. The bathroom does not live up to the standards of the rest of the restaurant. But now I'm just nitpicking. I still really liked this place, and will definitely be back.
(4)Eric G.
Prairie Moon is one of the top stops in Evanston with both great food and a good selection of craft/import beers on tap as well as a large bottle list. The menu has some very interesting items which are pretty unique. The New Mexican Painted Soup is one of my favorites (may be hot for some), which I always get (says a lot since I rarely ever get soup anywhere). This is one of the few places I have been where I have gone enough time and been happy enough to experiment with a variety of menu items. Recently tried the Three Sisters, which is a vegetarian dish, but was pretty awesome! I have found the service to be consistently good from the wait staff and they seem to have a large amount of back staff so your food comes out in a timely manner and they are very attentive even when they are busy. The prices are also very fair for the portion size and quality. I have also attended special events here (New Years Eve), which were pretty good too. So I would recommend checking them out for special events as well. The bar area is not as big as Nevin's next door, but the beer list is better; it's also more of a chill/relax environment and a better date spot. There is also a small amount of outdoor seating and a private room is available.
(5)Kristin W.
The food here is great, I haven't tried much of it though because I mainly go here when I wanna drink some amazing beer. If you know your beer, then this is the place to go. The beer list is extensive and impressive. They keep up with the seasonal beers, and have tons of rare beer for people to try. The beer prices range from about $4-$18 a pop. What I love about this place is the fact that the bartenders are very very knowledgeable about what they serve. Feel free to ask them any questions you have and they're always more than happy to educate you on everything they know. They make great suggestions. I feel that this place has so much charm, since we're so used to going to bars where the bartenders only care about making tips and are off to the next customer before you can even say 'thank you!' This place has a restaurant in the middle, and one bar in the front, one in the back. Plenty of space. Also an outdoor patio.
(5)Courtney K.
Prairie Moon was excellent! Everything about this restaurant surprised me. The interior of the restaurant was beautiful. The food was moderately priced, but definitely worth it. I had the chimichurri steak which I would whole-heartedly recommend! The service was prompt and polite. I really enjoyed the aesthetics of the dishes, everything was very visually pleasing. I will definitely be going here again whenever I'm back in the area.
(4)Karen C.
Working in Evanston offers up a plethora of lunch choices, so choosing where to go is always a royal pain in the ass. When sick of the typical Chipotle-Panera-Potbelly's lunches, my crew usually ends up deciding on Prairie Moon. As far as the food goes... it gets 4 stars. I've never had anything I didn't like. The cobb salad is delicious, the four sisters plate is tasty, and they do indeed have some amazing cheese fries. Rumor has it they have a quality beer selection, which many co-workers constantly point out, but I'm more of a Schlafly kinda girl, and until someone gets that on tap in Chicago, I'm unimpressed. A stupid complaint I have, but a complaint none-the-less, is the super small glasses they serve their drinks in... these glasses suck because when the waitress is missing for 30 minutes, so is my supply of diet coke. And a girl on her lunch break NEEDS that diet coke. We often have to ask the waitress/waiter to take our order, track them down for more drinks, and we almost always have to request our check. This gets really frustrating, as I'm not accustomed to begging people to take my money. Other than this whole lack-of-service issue, I dig it.
(3)Amy L.
Nice, normal, 3pm lunch. Good service with a friendly waiter. Seating in the shade under tents outside were a plus. A little noisy, since it is by the train. The BBQ chicken salad was great.
(3)Rob S.
TLDR: Good food, ok beer, poor service. I went here with a group of 8 for drinks and dinner on a Friday night. PRO: The food is great. We had sandwiches and guac with chips. Atmosphere is good, with sunny outdoor seating, but we chose inside. CON: The service was terrible. After taking our initial drink order, our server ignored us and served all of the surrounding smaller tables instead. (I'm assuming because he knew he would get the 18% gratuity for our large group regardless of his crappy service). That was enough to almost ruin the entire experience. It's hard to enjoy a meal when your glass is empty. After waving him down a few times, I was able to order the 4-beer sampler. I consider myself a beer snob, and like all types of beer, particularly IPAs. Each one of these beers was extremely bitter without much other taste to them. I finished with a bottle of Blue Moon to wash the taste out of my mouth.
(3)Gspot H.
If you are in Evanston or go to NU, it is a great place to meet up with friends. There is a pool table. Occasionally a DJ. Never tried the food. TV's play espn.
(3)Dinner T.
Some of the best cheese fries in the Chicago area. Just get them - just like I do every time I'm in town!
(4)L. F.
Met a friend here for lunch on Sunday afternoon and place was dead. Definitely more of a bar feel than restaurant; it smelled like stale beer. We both ordered salads that were just ok and service was awful. Will not return for food but possibly drinks if in the neighborhood.
(2)Dana G.
Walking into a bar and seeing a baby at 10:30 at night should mean run and don't look back, but we were far from home and the beer selection here was hard not to pass up. I'm glad we did too because I had a blast! They have an impressive ever changing beer list and a cool layout. Bar in the front with TVs and a quieter sit down restaurant section in the back. The waitress we had was nice and right on the mark when I told her to bring out shots at midnight for Candice G.'s celebratory wearing of the crab leg-crown birthday shot! The place to sit is by the bookshelf for sure. So many random goodies. If you like looking at old yearbooks and road trip photo albums you will not be disappointed. I am excited to see if more stuff gets added to it. I'm not sure how crowded it gets on the weekends because we were here on a Tuesday. Definitely a place to try out!
(4)Mopsie B.
Went the other night and was not presented with a cocktail list. The wine list was really lacking, particularly for white wines by the glass. I couldn't remember what I'd had the last time but ordered the crab cake salad (which it turns out I loved in 2010). This time it tasted really weird and fishy- I didn't like it at all. And it came with this very heavy, thick and creamy dressing which I didn't want to touch. I will say that the broccoli soup was outstanding and the sourdough bread was also so good that we asked for second basket. I still love the ambiance- especially the bar area- and the service is very friendly and efficient. I want to love this place but I hope for a better entree experience overall.
(3)Sean D.
Had a good time at this place. Friendly service. Good Beer selection! My favorite part about this place was the bookshelf with all the weird books, random photo albums, and best of all was the CRAB-LEG CROWN!!! I am a fan of places that have really bizarre accessories decorating the establishment, because I for one have a bizarre imagination, this place really satisfied my desires for sure.
(4)Emily F.
I really like this restaurant/bar. One of the better places to go in Evanston for a dinner & drinks. They have a huge menu where anyone you are with will enjoy it. I've been many times and every time one of the people I am with gets the burger and absolutely loves it. I have had a few different shrimp small plates and their fish chowder... all very yummy! Oh! And their french fries are amazing! Great beer selection and the bartenders and servers are very knowledgeable. They have a few different areas you can eat in to suit your mood. The front area with high tops, the middle dining are that is brighter, the patio (when its warm), the back bar where they hold small groups and gets crowded during happy hours, and then the very back dining area which feels a little more upscale. Lets not forget the darts! It is so popular there they need to get more! Oh... and they pour your wine glass quite full :-) All in all I really like this place! Some people may think its a bit over priced but the portions are great and we've always left happy!
(4)Keiko S.
UPDATE: I'm adding another star after several more visits, because (1) I like the back room, and (2) the food, whatever dish, has been very satisfying. My current favorite: Blackened Tilapia Breaux Bridge!! **************************************************Â************ Just had a very satisfying meal here. My friend, who's a regular here, ONLY orders the Blackened Salmon Club sandwich at this place, and I could understand why after taking a bite of it. It comes with rye bread, which is great. The Chicken Rockefeller has become my favorite; it's chicken, mushroom and rice topped with creamy mushroom sauce. Mmm...so yummy. The burgers are delicious, too. Another friend of mine really enjoys her Pico Pepperjack Moon Burger slammed with a chunck of advocado inside. (see pics) As for the drinks - you can't go wrong with their cold draught beers, especially the Summit Hefe Weizen. Nice bars, friendly staff (though not very responsive), over all clean and spacious. There is a pool table and a TV in the back, but it doesn't get that unbearably rowdy, even in the front room. All in all, great food and drinks at reasonable prices. The portions are just right, too. I'm inclined to give a five-star rating, but I'll wait till I try more dishes from the "big plates" menu. Note: They open everday for lunch at 11:30am, but on Sundays they serve breakfast starting at 10am.
(4)Stephen H.
Beer selection is indeed fabulous and interior is laid back and colorful. Watch the purple line whiz by as you sip a beverage and chow on a hearty sandwich. The shrimp po boy is great with the side of muxed fruit as are the fish tacos and the burgers. The classic rock dinner music doesn't hurt t all either, tho not my first choice. 13 bucks out the door.
(4)Chitown D.
Terrible service, surly management, sucky food, crummy parking, GROSS bathrooms...should I go on? There is really nothing redeeming about this place except for the dart boards and the beer selection. PM has been disappointing me for years and yet we continue to go back, as it seems to be the go-to place for my husband's coworkers. If I had my say, I'd never cross their dreadful threshold again. The last time we went was Fat Tuesday. We got there very early in the evening and they were already out of about half the items on their "special menu." How does a manager let that happen? Really, it's 5:30 on Fat Tuesday and you're out of red beans and rice? The whole evening was a total disaster. The food we eventually got (after hounding our server and waiting over an hour and a half) was stone cold. It was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. We had a guest in town and it was very embarrassing. It's pathetic what we settle for in Evanston. Do yourself a favor and go anywhere else. If you must go, just drink and eat elsewhere.
(2)K J.
I finally got a chance to check this place out and I'm a fan. Here are the hits and misses. Hits: The outside patio section is a really nice addition to the restaurant. Great place to grab some food and a drink. The beer list rocks. I grabbed one of their draft beer specials at $4 and it was delicious... "trout something". The painted soup is unique, tasty, and healthy. They put bread on the table which is always welcome in my book. My cheeseburger was perfectly cooked, the bun was soft and fresh, and the smoked cheddar was AWESOME. Fries were fresh and hot. I have to say one of the best things about this place that will bring me back again and again, (other than the good cheap beer) funny enough was my daughter's meal. We ordered her the children's mac n cheese which came with a small dish of mac n cheese (not kraft) a dish of fresh steamed broccoli and a huge pile of fresh fruit. The total of her meal = $3.50. It is so hard as a parent to find restaurants that offer decent, healthy, and budget friendly options for children. Now the misses: the service was below average. Nothing horrible, just not on it. The girl was not very friendly, didnt explain the beer list with ease, and only checked in once ( I would have ordered another beer). Next, they dont have a printed children's menu nor did someone tell me what the options for children were, I had to ask. There were no crayons or paper available for children. THe veggie burger my other half ordered was "good" but bordered on looking and tasting like a Boca Burger. (slightly dry) It did have a ton of avocado on it though, which is a plus. All in all, this place won me over, I'll be back.
(4)Jamie B.
Went here for a staff Christmas lunch and was very impressed. I haven't been too happy with most restaurants in Evanston, but Prairie Moon had a great menu, and really delivered a fantastic meal. I loved that they had a lot of seafood and veggie options, and I had a really hard time deciding what to get because it all sounded so good. I got one of their lunch specials for the day, a local whitefish with an herb crust, mashed potatoes and broccoli. The fish was a really good size for a lunch portion, perfectly cooked, and had the right amount of herbs (thyme, rosemary, etc.). The mashed potatoes were delicious...probably the best I've had in a restaurant. They used red potatoes with the skin on, and were creamy, but with still some small chunks of potato and really good flavor. The broccoli was still crispy, just the way I like it! I couldn't believe this was only $9.95. Their lunch prices seemed to be $5-7 less than most of their dinner menu. The space itself was cheery and clean, and we got seated in an area with a lot of natural light, which was really nice. Our waitress was attentive and friendly, and my entire group seemed to be happy with what they got. Looking forward to coming back and trying some of the other items on the menu!
(5)Liz S.
Great bar/restaurant/event space. They have a long and varied menu which has something for everyone. I had one really bad experience with a waitress, though, so that's what I am basing this review on. I told her I was allergic to wheat at the beginning, and she got so excited, saying she had tried going gluten-free for a while (for some undoubtedly frivolous reason...she obviously didn't take it seriously). I ordered one of the small plates and it had fried shallots on top. As I'm eating them, I'm like "wow I can't believe this doesn't have wheat! It really tastes like it does!" Um, yeah. When I said something to this overly excited waitress, she was like "oh I forgot, that has wheat." ughh. When I told her "I'm having an allergic reaction!" she did NOTHING. You need to take people seriously when they say not only "I have an allergy," but more importantly, "I'm having an allergic reaction, from food you told me was SAFE." Shame on you prairie moon.
(1)Danny W.
Prairie Moon is fine. They have a reasonably good beer selection, and a good number of bottles too. Probably the best in Evanston (although that is a contest that's a race to the bottom, let me tell you.) Their food is fine. Perhaps not quite the level of the gastro-pub they wish they were, but good enough to bring family. (Note: Prairie Moon is not the Hopleaf.) Price on food are reasonably steep, but I usually drink there, so I can't complain that much. Really, just get a burger and a beer and shut up about the entrees - if you want better food you're in Chicago, you can go find it. Edit: the calamari is out of control. Worth the extra star just for how good that shit it. Order it. Like two plates of it. I had no idea.
(4)Lillian S.
A really great place to just chill at the end of the day with friends. The beer selection is fabulous and the atmosphere is very laid back. All the times I've been there the service has been wonderful. On my most current visit I had the New Mexican Painted Soup, which was a really nice, light dish and for desert, Triple Berry Crumble. Let me just say that the Triple Berry Crumble was phenomenal. The fruit was so fresh, sweet and perfect for summer. Even if you're just there for drinks, it's a great place to stay awhile.
(4)Bridg G.
I am one sad gingy. This is the first time Yelp has ever let me down. This place was TERRIBLE. We went small plates; very chewy dried out shrimp skewers, mealy blue crab cakes complete with shells, mac and cheese tasted like frozen Stouffers, Salmon over mashed potato was ok, just ok, and then our final small plate never came. They forgot to put it in which was fine because we were ready to go. The place is dirty and smells bad when you walk in. Lousy wine list. The waitress was really nice, but everything else was just lousy. I forgive you Yelp, but please be more careful with my stomach.
(1)Aurore L.
Saved my life when I wanted (needed?!?) beer on a hot Saturday. Enuff' said.
(3)Angela H.
Eh, this place was all right. It took me forever to decide what to order, but I finally settled on the chicken tacos. They came out as build-your-own, kind of more like fajitas, but they were flavorful. The rice was mediocre, but the chicken was good. I ate the whole thing at least!
(3)James B.
Great beer selection. Extensive menu. Service was extremely slow. The blackened salmon sandwich was delicious. A bit pricey. A sandwich, dinner salad, and 2 beers was $44 without tip.
(3)Katherine L.
Good selection of beer and a laid-back place to go with friends for a drink. I tried this pizza, which was ok, but haven't had a chance to sample the other things on the menu.
(3)Nathan J.
Great food. Great services. Great atmosphere. Big. Kid friendly. Easy going. Highly recommended.
(4)Jenny T.
Um, YUM! While walking around Evanston I told Ryan I was in the mood for bar food, so we wandered to Prairie Moon to grab some lunch. We got 1 thing right, it's a bar. As far as a bar food, we were completely wrong. The bar is very open & has a nice lofty feel. I was excited to grab a burger & beer, but was brought to the back of the place in the actual dining area. It was nice with wooden floors, paintings on the walls, and a lovely back patio. We opened the menu to find very minimal bar food choices (4 I think), but were surprised by the upscale & affordable menu. Ryan settled on the corn crusted fish tacos & I got the "three sisters" vegetarian plate. Fresh, sourdough bread was delivered shortly after placing our order which we devoured within minutes. It was warm & super soft, so we couldn't help ourselves. Our meals came & we were both delightfully surprised. The fish tacos were not already assembled, so Ryan got to pick & choose how much fish & toppings went into the corn tortillas. The fish was delicious (huge helping!) & the pico de gallo was super fresh. Everything was really, really good besides the spanish rice. It was very bland & we both love tasty, sticky spanish rice. My lunch was the winner by far. A very large helping of white beans, roasted butternut squash, and peppers topped with sweet onions & sweet corn all tossed in this delicious homemade sauce on top of two pieces of grilled polenta. HEAVEN! There was just enough crunch left in the peppers & squash to not make it seem like total mush. The sauce was light, yet so flavorful & creamy. Almost like a super light alfredo, but not exactly. Argh, I can't put my finger on it. All I know is that I ate almost the entire thing...and it was big. I would definitely recommend this joint to grab a delicious lunch for anyone in the area. Lets just say upscale, casual dining for only $30.00 total sounds good to me almost any day.
(4)Michael B.
I have NEVER been treated with such disrespect and terrible service in a restaurant. It is unfortunate that I will not return to Prairie Moon, as I legitimately think that their food was pretty good. However, based on the poor service I received on multiple levels, it is a matter of principle that I will never go back. Let's start with the hostess. Clearly, this young girl did NOT want to be there. When we walked in, she simply did not feel like seating us--I was greeted with a 'well, you can sit anywhere [in the bar area] if you'd like.' Cue awkward pause. My response, having been there once before, "Isn't there a main dining room?" Her seemingly irritated answer "Oh, I can show you there, too." ...Really? Fine. At least our service should be way better than that. Oh wait. No, it wasn't. Our server comes up to us, awkwardly I might add (notice a trend?), asking us if we'd like anything to drink. Being somewhat familiar with the menu, I order guacamole as a starter for us right away. She fumbles a bit, but I let it slide. Upon returning, we order some soup, a small plate and a large plate. I enjoyed this concept, but our server is confused by it. She took my menu and read it in front of me. I still have no idea why. Seriously, learn your menu. You have like...30 items...most of which repeat. It is really not that difficult. Our meal started to spiral out of control at this point: -Our guac comes out. It's great. Don't see our server. No big deal. I need water...I'll flag down a busser. -Finish our guac. Server? She's somewhere important I'm sure. Her two other tables looked really demanding. -Server is back! Clears guac plate! Inquire about whether the other guest with me will have his soup coming anytime soon. She shrugs and says "I put them all in at the same time. No idea. Sorry." Then walks away...Note: basket of bread is empty, refills always a plus when your guests look a bit hungry. -Food comes out. Quite good. Server is MIA. -Finish food. Awesome busser (no sarcasm--this guy was great and should have been serving. He knew his stuff!) clears our table. -Server? Is she still here? I have no idea. Oh. There she is. Check please? Well, we inquired about desserts. She frowns again. Recommends carrot cake and says nothing else about ANY other dessert. Interesting. -Equal pay on our bill. -As we leave, we walk within, and I kid you not, 3 feet of her ON HER PHONE TEXTING. She says nothing to us. No eye contact. No thank you. No goodbye. -I walk up to the host stand to get a mint. Host is talking to friend who visited her. She ignores us. I saw "wow.' to her face. I am never going to Prairie Moon again. The cooks and the bussers are amazing but I cannot go to a restaurant where I am ignored by the main staff. Where in God's name was a manager?
(1)Conly D.
If you're a beer geek (and I almost am) then this is a great place to grab some great craft and micro brews. The ambiance is perfect and the prices aren't too high. The food there is fantastic too. I definitely recommend the mac & cheese. Holy canoli!
(5)Sid P.
Too bad for the naysayers, because I had a great experience at the restaurant for the second time. Granted the service could have been better, but it was fine: no errors, the usual/customary pop-ins to make sure everything was ok. Food was served quickly and at the right temperature. But let's be clear: it was a Thursday night and it was 9 pm. My previous visit was on a Saturday night at 7:30 pm and was nothing remarkable, but in both cases, THE FOOD WAS. (was remarkable, I mean.) Some original flavors were invoked, but more importantly, everything tastes so fresh and so balanced. The menu is broad enough for even picky eaters like me. The painted soup looks great, tastes great. Highly recommended. It would've been nice to get some bread or crackers to go with it... but it was delicious enough I didn't really care. My date and I went with small plates and we both loved what we ordered. If the restaurant can maintain its concept, serve tasty, quality, locally-sourced food that satisfies, then I say keep on keepin' on.
(4)Jeremy N.
Great beer selection, especially Belgians. I think their best items are the burgers and hot sandwiches, but the rest of the menu is very creative. The patio is nice, and the staff have always been accommodating for groups and special requests. Depending on your drink and food choices, it can start to get pricey.
(4)Michelle W.
My only regret was this was a business lunch and I couldn't sample any beer! I had a salad but the menu was great and the seating/atmosphere perfect. I'll definitely return.
(4)Leaht F.
Amazing beer selection, friendly waitstaff, and decent cuisine. Food ranges from more unique and exotic, such as shrimp stuffed with crab to more classic, such as cheeseburgers. Prices are fairly priced, especially if you eat a smaller meal and have one of their petite sized plates or sandwiches. They can be a bit packed, particularly with Northwestern students, but the food comes out in a timely manner and the waitstaff is very attentive. Bonus points for the free mints!
(4)Mark I.
These guys do a great job. Arguably Evanston's best tap. Great beer selection, nice long, warm bar, and good eats to go with it. Good place to hang out and watch a game.
(5)Stacey P.
I've been to prairie moon a few times now, starting shortly after they opened several years ago. I remember when my mom and I went, it must have been opening month, they had all these chocolate chip cookies they let us try for free! I think they were trying to perfect their recipe or something... but now I'm always a little dissapointed when I go and don't get a free chocolate chip cookie. Ha! Anyway, my coworkers and I went to Prairie Moon yesterday to celebrate a birthday. At lunch hour, it was busy but not crowded. The servers were really nice and everything got taken care of quickly. Everyone was RAVING about their food... Items ordered: Black and blue burger, Trout (daily special), Shrimp Polenta dish, and Chipotle chicken tacos (daily special). Everything was delicious. I got the shrimp and polenta dish and finished off the WHOLE THING. The shrimp were big and juicy and I loved the flavors. After we got back, I heard my coworker down the hall telling other coworkers how good it was, and that we should make it a regular lunch place for celebrating and/or hanging out with coworkers. Such excitment in her voice!!!
(4)Molly S.
I'm a big fan. This is the kind of place I like - you can go drink and watch hockey in the front, or have a nice dinner in the back. OR, you can belly up to the bar, order some beers and some food, and chill with the bartenders and/or managers and/or owners. I believe they even have a second bar all the way in the back, and that's where they usually put groups and/or late-night bar spillover. The patio is really nice when the weather is good. They have the best beer list in Evanston, without a doubt. In fact, they have one of the best beer lists on the North side (they can totally play with Hopleaf and the Map Room). They have a really solid standards list, and they always have great stuff on the rotating taps. It's the only place I've been able to find 3 Floyds Zombie Dust other than the brewery itself (it's a seasonal beer from a very popular but small brewery...Zombie Dust is my holy grail). Bonus - you can check the daily beer specials on the website. The food is really good, and it's pretty reasonably priced. (Plus it helps that they give a 15% Northwestern discount on food). I love that they have small plates, because I often come here for drinks in that like 9pm time slot, when I'm not necessarily looking for a full dinner, but I'd like something to eat. I've had everything from their bar food to their salads to their big-girl dinners, and almost all of it has been great. I love the chimichurri steak (both the small plate on the dinner menu and the breakfast) and the hibachi tuna salad (like a salad with seared tuna...not mayonnaisey tuna salad). They also make a great burger, and their boardwalk fries with the cheese sauce are SO GOOD. A few times I have either not liked a dish, or the dish was prepared badly (overcooked pasta, etc.), and the service can be awkward sometimes. But, the place generally has good food and a good atmosphere. Maybe the best part? This place is very rarely full of undergrads. Most don't make the walk over here, so you can feel like you're in an adult bar for once in Evanston. (Plus I usually don't have to worry about running into my students.) I like!
(4)Dawn G.
Being used to the large amount of sandwiches, gourmet burgers and craft beers in the city- when visiting a deer friend in Evanston we went to this little gem. It's menu is quite varied...small/large plates, burgers, great beer list etc...can't complain there. I arrived earlier than said companion and the host was not only nice, but joked w/me about being there early. I appreciate when a person seating you has some sense of humor, you hear that Kuma's? :) Anyway... regarding the food- the burger/fries and toppings quite good, but what's up with your grocery store bun? I may had one too many love affairs with pretzel buns as of late, but that bun was pretty craptastic...I was able to look over it because the burger and its taste was so filling I couldn't finish it. The fries are tasty, lightly seasoned and enjoyable. I was happy with the beer list too- I was able to get two hearted for 4 dollars a pour and it was on draft. The service was good- she was attentive, but lacked a large personality- however this is one of those lower key, we don't bother you restaurants without a lot of in your face server time, which I really do like. I'd go again, but probably not run up to Evanston from the WP.
(4)Chris O.
Was looking for a place to eat and watch some football. While I didn't get my wish as far as watching football (I was a bit disappointed in that I thought this was a sports bar/grill from reading descriptions), I did have a good meal in a cool place for a good price. There is a bar/grill part to this place, which is the front. 2-4 tvs, a bar and some barroom type tables and booths. We were sat in the back dining area, which was nice and airy. There are outside seats on a private patio, as well, and a cool "back" room with a bar and a pool table and a couple of tvs. Didn't know if this was actually up and running, though. I had the fish chowder, which was really good. I'm from the gulf coast of Florida and it certainly competed with various chowders and soups you'd get in that area. Now, here's where it is really cool. They have "small" plates and "large" plates. This seems to be somewhat common in Chicago, which I really like. I went with the small plate of Gulf Shrimp Louise and it was delicious. I didn't have desert. The service from the waitress was OK, nothing great. She acted as if she was a bit perturbed with everyone, honestly. But she was hustling and getting around. The bus staff was great and the gentleman running bread, etc. was uber friendly and really on top of it. All in all, we really liked it and we will go back again.
(4)Patrick B.
The food was adequate, but overpriced. The fish tacos are really nothing special, ditto for the fish po boy. The service was really poor too. There were not enough waitresses on hand and it took way too long to have our order taken and to get our food. The worst was that our waitress threw out the food we asked to have wrapped to have taken home. She politely apologized and offered to have the kitchen prepare new meals for us. Since the first round of food took so long, we declined. I know that a service staff gets busy, but that shouldn't happen. Probably won't be going back.
(2)Colleen R.
My sister wanted to go to a college visit to Northwestern, so we drove from Columbus, OH to Evanston for the visit. We visited Prairie Moon the last night of our stay and I was so extremely pleased with our meal. We both got the pico veggie burger. she opted for the fruit side and I got the fries. This burger was literally the best thing I have ever eaten. It was spicy from the pepper jack cheese and the pico de gallo, but was cooled down by the sliced avocado on top. The bun was a little crispy on the outside and the burger alone was wonderful. If you haven't had this burger, I suggest you go NOW and get it. I'm no vegetarian. I like my meat and a lot of it, but this was honestly the best sandwich I've ever had. Seriously, go to Prairie Moon tonight and get this burger! It's wonderful.
(5)Scott B.
Been here 5 or 6 times now. Things I like: Burgers-Awesome but occasionally cooked wrong. Fries are good too and you have a choice of veggie that is great. The back room-Pool table, darts, and it's quieter. Love the aura of this room. Beer selection-Wide variety with some decent specials. Fish Tacos-Electrically awesome but expensive (15 bucks) Things I dislike: Inconsistent service. It's never fast, but sometimes it seems like they don't expect to be as busy as they are.....and are understaffed and have one person or two people in the packed front area running around like chickens w/ their heads cut off. Meanwhile there are two bartenders up front casually talking to eachother and not helping them out (this has happened three times) Coke is flat: My fiancee is a badass and orders whisky and cokes. Every single time the coke is flat...I mean every. We tell them and then they find the magical tap w/ the crisp coke....we don't know how this happens...they must grab cans.
(3)Dan P.
I just finished my 50th birthday party at Prairie Moon and they FAR exceeded my expectations. Planning was simple thanks to Mike, the manager. The service was incredible thanks to Nestor and the kitchen staff. Delicious food, fantastic space and great value. My friends raved about the experience and I'd host another event here in a heartbeat. I've enjoyed dining here for years but I'm completely hooked. Many thanks...you made my day.
(5)Dimitry G.
This place is great, it has a very laid back atmosphere, the food happens to be amazing. I am not a big fan of huge menus I am more along the lines of offering a few options but having those options be amazing! However, Prairie Moon has a decently good size menu and every item that I tried was amazing (almost mind blowing good) their menu is very creative. Also...Huge beer selection, and the waitress Always knows what to recommend.
(5)Jackie F.
I love this place. So many great beers to try, always new ones on the specials, great mixed drinks and fabulous food specials. I love the burgers and they're so big and juicy, but when I feel like something "lighter" there are plenty of great food choices. My boyfriend and I always come out for the purpose of trying something new and we've been there many times and they always have new beer choices. Now I feel like a beer snob. Just beware-don't come too late in the evening otherwise you'll be tripping over college students so you can make it to the dining area. When it's not very busy, I love to eat up by the bar.
(5)Frank B.
The beer selection here is impressive. They have some adventurous beers on tap. I was very happy to order a Left Hand Milkstout off nitro tap, and a 16 oz can I've never seen before. The prices for beers are quite reasonable. For that reason, I probably blanched at paying more for food I consider to be pub food. Fortunately, my companions did order some. I can report that the burgers here are excellent, and that I was impressed with the fries (which seemed to be twice fried)--I don't normally care for fries, but these were flavorful. Was also happy with the raw tuna nachos. Their menu features many unusual combinations, and most of them work well. I ordered a painted soup myself, which I wasn't so excited about. I often have waitresses mix two or more varieties of soup, and tomato plus squash seemed like an ordinary composition, if not more artfully presented than at a random diner. I wished the bowl was larger. If I lived close by, I imagine that I would use Prairie Moon as more of a pub than a restaurant. But if you're looking for a midrange casual dinner, I don't think you'll be hurt by anything on the unusual menu.
(4)Pete M.
Lost our reservation and the person up front didn't even try to help Won't be going back and I am certain that they could care less. Some places have so much business, they can afford to treat you like a jerk.
(1)Shyam S.
The best thing about this place is the size - it is massive. If I lived in Chicago or went to Northwestern, this is probably where I would spend hours studying, drinking Diet Coke and nibbling on something. With that said, I only give this place 3-stars because the food I ate was good, but not great. I had the salmon and spinach omelette with toast and potatoes. A very satisfying meal, but the portion size was almost too much. I look forward to visiting it again and trying more dishes.
(3)Lee R.
One of Evanston's best. Great beer selection, frequent rotation, excellent specials, new beers distant and local coming in every month. The food is wonderful. The chicken nachos are irresistible, the salmon club and blackened chicken/crawfish poor boys are amazing, they make a decent burger, and the calamari is great, too. They also have a very nice outdoor patio. The CTA Purple line runs right behind the back wall, which can cause halting conversations, but I think it's right at home with Evanston's urban suburb feel.
(5)Gino D.
Good food and a nice atmosphere. Great location and I enjoyed their outdoor.
(4)Martin Y.
I met friends there for catch-up drinks and a meal. It was my first time so didn't know what to expect. I'm not sure if its an Irish restaurant/bar but it had that feel to it. Maybe it was all those different Kraft beers they have on offer. Definitely the kind of place I would recommend if you fancy yourself a consummate beer connoisseur. It was a friendly atmosphere and our server was very nice. The food was great too(at least what I had) but everyone was happy with their meals. Took a pick at the back and noticed a spacious beer garden so I think I will be back to check it out in the summer for sure
(3)Melissa F.
Prairie Moon is an interesting restaurant - it serves traditional American fare with a modern, local twist. There is also a good deal of international influence (although I'm not crazy enough to call its quesadillas authentic). I'm pretty tired, so I'm gonna break it down by bullet points. Woop woop. THE DECOR: Tall ceilings, lots of wood and warm colors, but it feels somewhat home-y. I'm from the Midwest and never really knew how somewhere can feel "Midwestern," but I'm pretty sure this place does. THE SERVICE: Above-average. We didn't see our waitress all the time, but she refilled my Diet Coke pretty consistently, and she was friendly enough. THE FOOD: I got a cup of painted soup, which was beautifully presented. Imagine a relatively unmixed cup of butternut squash and tomato soup, as well as green soup (arrgh! forgot which vegetable...it was too good to be pea soup, so maybe some green chile derivative?). There is a significant kick to it, which pleasantly surprised me. I then got the blackened salad with shrimp. It was a pretty simple salad - tortilla strips, pico de gallo, avocado, roasted corn, some ranch dressing...oh, and amazing blackened shrimp. I was hesitant to get blackened shrimp because, hey, who likes burnt anything? (Notable exception: my dad, who LOVES burnt toast. I don't get it.) But the shrimp was coated in spices and was bursting with flavor. Yes, please. The salad is around $16 or 17, which is ridiculous, but then again, the salad's pretty pretty pretty pretty good (thanks, Curb Your Enthusiasm!). I wouldn't come back here every day (hey prices), but it's good enough where I'd surely return!
(4)Susan P.
Prairie Moon is my go to restaurant during the spring and summer because of their outdoor seating area. They have an extensive beer list and their food is always reliable. I love their large salads and sandwiches. They also don't rush you out when they are busy like other area restaurants.
(4)Maureen P.
I had a nice Easter Brunch at PM. The wait staff was friendly. I enjoyed the cedar-planked salmon with a tasty barbeque butter glaze. The grilled sirloin steak with a garlic herb butter was tender. Although the dishes had great taste, they were not served warm enough for me. There were no burners under the meat plates. My favorite was the french toast with real maple syrup and bananas foster. The egg bake with vegetables and provolone cheese...yum. Mango mimosa was delicious and complimentary.
(3)Katie C.
I'm not ashamed to admit it: I am not rolling in dough. My last money tree was struck by lightning (?) and this cash cow's moved on to greener pastures. That being said, I like taking advantage of any discount I can get...enter NPR's Membercard discount at Prairie Moon. I'd been to Prairie Moon once previously, but didn't remember the experience that well. The place is a LOT bigger than I remember--a large bar area with numerous tables greets you, and when you walk back to the dining room, you realize there are actually two large dining rooms...maybe even a third along the side of the building? Not sure about that one, as it might be a patio-like area reserved for warmer days... The menu and beer list are pretty impressive. I consider myself fairly well-versed in craft beer, and they had some I'd not heard of or read about before. The menu boasts multiple burger baskets--the Northwoods with horseradish sauce and bacon the most enticing of the bunch--and a large selection of American, Tex-Mex and even a couple reworked Italian favorites in there (read: California Chicken Marsala). I settled on the small plate of the chicken quesadillas, my date on the Northwoods burger, and seriously...our food must have come out 7 minutes after we ordered it. I was SHOCKED. Jaw open, bewildered...until I realized they were just efficient and accepted it. The food? Okay...2 out of the 3 salsas that came with my quesadillas were edible, and the quesadilla itself was fine, a little greasy, and definitely a smaller portion. Definitely nothing special...but hey, my meal was free! Northwoods burger was reportedly good...snuck a french fry, and it was crunchy but bland. Since I still had room in my tummy, we ordered the Texas sheet cake for dessert--again, nothing special, I probably could have made it out of a Betty Crocker box at home, but it hit the spot, considering it was rich, chocolatey, warm, and served with vanilla ice cream. Am I dying to go back? No. Am I super-excited about their menu items? Nope. Am I thrilled that our dinner cost less than it could have because as an establishment they generously provide discounts to Chicago NPR listeners? Definitely. So in that case, I'm grateful to Prairie Moon for cooking when I didn't want to.
(3)Lindsay A.
This place came highly recommended by friends -- one who'd visited Evanston before, and some who went to school at Northwestern -- which is why I decided to check it out on a recent weekend visit to Evanston. Didn't have any food here -- just beers. Beer selection is good, which is the primary basis for my rating. Service was only okay, which is why the rating isn't higher. Would definitely want to come here for a meal and beers next time I'm in Evanston.
(4)Jeanne H.
LOVE this place! Great beer selection and the seared tuna salad is delicious. It's my go-to place in Evanston. The first time I went there I had no idea how big it was. There is a second bar in the back by the pool and darts. Seems like it would be a great place for a private party. The music can be a little loud when you're at the front bar but there are plenty of tables further away from the speakers. Will be going back soon!!!
(5)Sean C.
Looking for a college town bar, that maintains a neighborhood feeling? Then Prairie Moon is your place to go. Good food, (even on the late night menu), I applaud the painted soup!!! If you are coming to try out new "Craft" beers, then you are in luck. Touting an extensive beer "collection", the managers have worked hard to find the better beers that will appeal to all palates. They are also very friendly to the beer social scene. Phil "The Minister of Good Beer" will scour the distributors for cask aged beers and hosts Firkin Fridays!! Naturally aged beers in a cask that brings out the flavor and carbonation in a serving vessel as compared to forced carbonating techniques used by big beer companies. Additionally, they host the Evanston Homebrew Association's Thirsty Third Thursday every month which caters to local home brewers' bottles in the back bar, so if you brew and want to share/get critiques' from some good peeps, stop by.
(5)Denise B.
If you can't get into Chicago and need a bar, Prairie Moon is your best option in the Evanston area. In a past review of a bar in Evanston I don't like nearly as much (Nevin's Pub), I mentioned the friend's boyfriend who looooves Nevins. He doesn't like Prairie Moon nearly as much, which shows his poor taste and why I haven't been here as much as I'd like when I'm in the area. When we can, we convince him to go to this bar instead of his favorite crutch. Anyway, this bar is fun. The front room can be loud and crowded in weekend nights, but all you need to do then is head to one of the back rooms or the back patio (if the weather's nice) to chill. This is a great place to hang out with your friends and is good for large groups. The crowd here is laid-back, fun, and young (20s and 30s). There's a great selection of reasonably priced beers and wine, as well as the standard mixed drinks. I don't usually eat the food here, but I seem to recall it being good for bar standards. I'd still probably go to a 5-star Chicago bar over Prairie Moon, but if I'm meeting up with people in the North Shore this bar is easily my top choice.
(5)Richard G.
Great food, huge selection of beers especially specialty bottles like Dragons milk and Delirium. I had there shrimp Po" Boy sandwich which was excellent with fries, I have had their burgers and they were juicy.
(4)John C.
If you love quality beer, like I do, you are going to love Prairie Moon. If I were to review them purely on beer alone? I'd give them six stars. They have an amazing selection and employ a group of bartenders who know their stuff. I seriously hope they read their Yelp reviews because you guys are absolute professionals. And service? A+++. I have been in PM about 3-4 times over the last two months, and these guys remember what I drank, and how much I liked it. Hell, I can't do that myself. The food is decent but not amazing. They do an equally solid job on service with the food, but there is simply nothing particularly creative to warrant that fifth star. PM is a place where adults go to have a few drinks, talk with their friends or to meet new people. I have never seen any of the frat boy kind of behavior at PM that so many people avoid at bars No doubt, this place is becoming 'my' bar. Thinking of throwing a Yelp Evanston event here. Hope to see you there.
(4)Travis J.
Spent my first few hours treating it as a beer place(which it most certainly is), played some darts, then saddled up to the bar to buy an officemate a drink for kicking my ass at said dart game. We asked for a bourbon neat, and I'm pretty sure we got triples. I ordered the fresh fish chowder, it wasn't anything to write home about.
(3)Andrea K.
Amazing beer list and great food. Have the Dark Side of the Moon Burger. Also, ask for Colin, he knows his stuff and will take care of you.
(5)Lauren D.
Sorry, Praire Moon. You lost a star or two - actually two - in my book. I'm pretty sure from now on I'm only coming here for cheese fries at the bar - mostly because I've had consistently awful service the last 3-4 times I've eaten here. Most recently, upon ordering a grey goose on the rocks w/ a splash of tonic, and drinking it, and upon realizing that it either had some kind of poison in it or someone had coated the glass with a disgusting-flavored syrup, I asked the waitress if they could remake it and she told me: "Oh, I saw him pour it. It's grey goose." And that was that. (I'm pretty sure the customer is always right? At least those of us who have ever been in the food industry know that to be true.) Also, one time, sitting on the patio outside in the summer, I saw a rat.
(2)Vivian Y.
I hate that I can only give you 3 stars because we didn't eat any food - but my guess is that you could easily be a 4 or 5 star if we ate, and if we had Kyle at the bar entertaining us! Walking into this place at this time of year is a bit of a trip. There are strands of Hawaiian decor coupled with Mardi Gras stuff all over the place. I wasn't sure if it was a tiki theme or mardi gras theme. it was a bit humorous! You'll be super surprised at their awesome beer list that is about $1-2 less than what you'd pay in the city. I could potentially spend an afternoon drinking around the world there. Food prices look awesome - they had a menu leftover from Valentine's day featuring a Surf and Turf that feeds two people for $34 - complete with a choice of twin lobster tails or alaskan king crab legs and a sirloin steak. That's enough to send me back to try it sometime!
(3)Claire G.
Really great beer selection and a nice patio. I had the blue crab cake salad. Very nice crab with a creamy lemon chive dressing. Fresh sourdough bread was a nice touch. My husband didn't care for the little pieces of red pepper in the crabcakes but thought the fries were outstanding. The service was a little confusing. We had at least 3 different people helping us. They might have been a little short handed. The ladies at the table next to us had a few delays getting their food. The servers were trying very hard to keep up and we didn't have any problems. I definitely would recommend this place. It's very close to Northwestern University.
(4)Marcos L.
How this place stays in business is beyond me. It looks like the kind of bar Borat would design after he'd been living in Evanston for a few years and learned to be hip. Evanston hip. Weird generic motel-room posters on the walls, echo-y space, and incongruous (but pretty) floral arrangements (for make the ladies thinking of sexytime?). And what an unfriendly vibe this place has! OK, you go in at night. The place has about a dozen tables of people sitting there socializing. So what do you do, Borat? You turn up groovy Europopdiscomusik reeaaallly loud on 1st-class Albanian stereo hi-fi, so people have to yell at each other! Yes! Sexytime! And about a half hour before closing, you turn up Europopdiscomusik even LOUDER, yell at fucking people, and start bashing glasses together at bar, and you send angry man to put chairs on top of tables. Loudly! Yes! Ladies almost ready for sexytime now! Be sure that while patrons leave you give them condescending look, so they know you are sexy bar owner and not some schmuck customer! Go home, schmucks! Seriously, wtf? Why would anyone go here? Oh, yeah. It's Evanston. The only alternatives are Mickey Mcgulligans on the one corner, and Francois McFrenchies on the other, and then an unbelievably intolerable bonehead bar around the corner. Yes, Prairie Patty is sounding pretty good now. Unless you have a way out of town.
(1)Daphne L.
Thank you, PMC, for a wonderfully cozy and kick ass NYE!!! You are now in first place for favorite hang out EVER!!
(5)Linda W.
I am a disappointed former Prairie Moon fan. We took friends from distant suburbs there for brunch this morning to celebrate an important event. The service was terrible. After quite a long wait, our waiter showed up ready to take our order.We had to ask for coffee/tea, then had to ask three times for sweetener for our coffee. As the only tea drinker at the table, I was never once offered a refill, after having to ask twice for my tea to begin with. Our reservation was for 12:30 . We received our food around 1:40 pm. The clincher was when I received two heels, turned upside down (perhaps thinking I wouldn't notice?) for my toast! I used to love Prairie Moon. This is the second time in a row I have received such mediocre service there, and will probably be the last time I dine there, I'm sad about this, but for the price point of their food, I expect better.
(2)Stefanie P.
Love The salmon... great food fun place
(5)Caroline A.
Prairie Moon never disappoints! I eat here quite often for both business lunches and for dinner with the family. Burgers are great, soups are awesome--but I especially love the New Orleans / Cajun dishes. Serving sizes are great, and prices are even better. My husband loves the beer list.
(4)Allison S.
This was good, for the most part. Not exceptionally unique, but a huge menu and reasonably priced. I had the guacamole, which was fine. Very large drink menu, which was a good thing.
(3)Jack P.
Searching for an after-movie dinner option, we made our way to Prairie Moon on a Saturday evening, around 7PM. The place was not particularly crowded, and with the exploding restaurant row there on Sherman Ave. And it would be unusual to see any of these filled to capacity. After passing through the front bar, we were seated in the center room. We were initially concerned about the noise level, primarily due to "Mr. Loud Guy" at the bar and the music there. But it was a non-issue. Both the drink and dinner menus were extensive, and creative, with appealing choices in every category. I especially liked the small plate offerings, as I often opt for a small plate and salad combo as dinner. But I ordered soup and a sandwich. The soup was a colorful (like a small color palate) puree of squash and poblano and red peppers. Nicely spiced, too. The blackened catfish club was a generous, deliciously sloppy mess, which I should have eaten with my knife and fork, but didn't. My dinner companion had an interesting veggie stew of squash, corn, white beans and peppers. He was quite pleased. We had pints of Half-Acre and Three Floyd's ales to wash those down. Priced at a reasonable $4-5.00, I had to have two. Service was really fast for such a large place, yet we didn't feel rushed. Prairie Moon is definitely a pleasant downtown dinner option in Evanston if you like big rooms, high ceilings and an extensive beer selection. Should be 3.5 stars, really.
(3)Ann H.
Usually brunch doesn't do it for me because I eat a low carbohydrate diet and omelettes get boring. Nonetheless the North End omlette (fresh basil, roma tomatoes, & provolone cheese) was the best omelette I've had. The coffee was superb too. The only con was slow service, but when I'm eating with friends and having a good time, I don't care.
(5)Jack M.
I think people sometimes misunderstand this place to be more of a restaurant than it actually is. If you are looking for a great sit down dinner in Evanston, this is not the place to go, BUT if it is 10 pm and you want great bear, REALLY good bar food (mac and cheese OMFGWTFNOREALLYICANTEVEN) with a fantastic (and rotating!) Beer selection, there is absolutely no other place worth going to in town. There is always something here beerwise that I will find and love to drink and then get depressed when I can't find it anywhere else in the area. Also there are lots of smart Northwestern types hanging out here if you're in the mood for bagging a soft-spoken but deep thinking nerdish type. Anywhere else in Evanston after 9 pm is not comparable to Pmoon.
(4)april j.
I had the Cactus Hugger combo but substituted the recommended soup for the Cajun lentil and andouille sausage soup and it was to die for! The restaurant is beautiful with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The staff was accommodating and friendly. I will definitely go back and recommend this restaurant to others.
(5)Carl S.
Always great!
(4)Scott H.
THE place for beer north of Hopleaf and am so glad to have this place in my town! Knowledgeable barkeeps like Phil make the experience all the better. Food used to be mediocre, but has come a long, long way. My favorites are the Martha's Vineyard Salad (light food for heavy beers) and the wife loves the Shrimp Po Boy. Back bar is tons of fun when with a group too.
(4)Sarah C.
Yum! Me and the boy have eaten at Prairie Moon a few times now and have always had a great meal. The beer selection is great, the menu is varied and we always find something new to enjoy. The corn soup which was a special was amazing, very simply prepared and fresh. The dining room can get a bit loud, which could be an issue if you're part of a larger party. The service has always been great whenever we've been there. And if you're a member of NPR, they take the member card which entitles you to a free entree!
(4)Drew S.
The beer selection is top-notch. The food is good but too pricey for bar food, yet tragically not upscale enough for upscale bar food. Unless being tasty and not dripping grease counts as upscale. It kinda looked like the cast of a Gap commercial got drunk and stole a bar from somewhere in Naperville and planted it in Evanston so it wouldn't feel like it had changed locations. If you have strong opinions about that description you'll probably know if it's worth making the trip out or not.
(3)Bekah D.
This is my husband and I's "go to" bar in Evanston since there aren't many to choose from... Overall I like it here, however reasoning for three stars is because of the following: 1.Diet coke is ALWAYS flat when I order beam and coke, 2.My husband usually gets a burger and orders it medium rare- always comes back as completely well done...and then we have to wait for the kitchen to make another one 3.The bartender usually working is just meh. 4.Service can be pretty slow which is annoying... Reasons we like going here: 1. The back bar is small and cute and usually quiet...there is also a pool table and darts which is fun, 2.The blackened fish tacos are deeelicious, 3.close walking distance from our place, 4.Great beer selection, 5.Outdoor seating area in the summer.
(3)Joshua N.
Prairie Moon has decent beer selection compared to other bars in the area. They have a gigantic space - like 4 huge rooms and long, narrow patio outside. Really good veggie burger. Agonizingly slow service. Not a bad place to grab a beer if you have some time to kill.
(3)Jacob T.
The burgers were really nice... well-prepared and flavorful. I had the Mexican style burger which was great and the I love the pretzel roll. The fries were ok (I'm really picky with fries). The atmosphere was warm and the service attentive. I want to go back and try some of the beer another time.
(3)Jessica R.
The service was incredibly mediocre, but the beer selection was fantastic. My favorite was the Colessi Imper Ale Biondi. It was a like a cross between a great Italian beer and prosecco.
(4)Andrew P.
Really bad service. As in: Our coffee came with one stirrer; the busser rather than the waitress brought out our food . . which was a problem because one of the orders was wrong; another waitress took over the table halfway through while ours was gabbing in the other room. And the coffee was undrinkable, bitter, horrible sludge. My hash and eggs was pretty good, but really not worth the hassle.
(1)Gillian R.
Disclaimer: This review is only for the back room and PM's private party hosting abilities. I've now been to three parties in the back room for both ends of the party spectrum - we're talking funerals and weddings here. The food selection has been amazing! The garlic chicken rocked my world. Actually, the salmon did too. They have a nice little assortment for the dessert tray as well. The staff was incredibly accomodating for the times that I have been there (as a guest, and partial host). I would highly recommend them if you're looking for somewhere in Evanston to host a party. I couldn't say how many the back room holds but I'd guess we got about 50 folks back there at one time...
(5)Kate S.
I've never had the food here, so I can't judge it, but I have been here quite a few times for student group parties. They're complete jerks, at least the bouncers are. My friend last night got kicked out because she used her hand to take out one piece of ice from our other friend's empty glass that at one time had an alcoholic drink in it, so the bouncer threw her out. I understand not wanting to get fined for underaged drinking, but last time I checked eating a piece of ice and taking it out of an empty glass with your hand was drinking. She had to get her purse and jacket from the other side of the room, and he freaked out on her for that too, and when she tried to tell her other friend she had to leave. Seriously, they need to chill just a little. If they're that afraid of underaged drinking, then they need to stop having 18+ events for student groups and just limit it to 21+. Also, the drinks are much more expensive here than anywhere else in the area, and not nearly as good. My friend had a screwdriver here for $5 (as opposed to Hundo's $3 later in the night) and she said it wasn't good at all.
(2)Bridget C.
Best place for burgers in Evanston! Skip the Bar Louie specials and just go eat here. Service is always prompt and friendly, and they have an awesome selection of beers. It's also great because it's never super crowded, so you can come with a group of friends and actually hear each other talk.
(5)Sarah K.
Dogfish Head 90 min IPA on tap. I am in heaven!!!! I really enjoy the poyboy here as well as the vege burger. The food comes in large portions and is resonably priced. What makes it even cheaper is the 15% Wildcard discount during the week. Woo hoo!
(5)Jesse S.
I've been here once for dinner and several times for happy-hour type nonsense on Friday evenings with some colleagues. The burgers and fries are decent, but nothing to really get excited about. They have a decent beer selection, but I typically just get a 312 or whatever's on special. The bartenders are attentive, friendly, and willing to recommend things to you based on what you like. The table service, however, is kinda crummy--there have been a ton of times when I've tried to will the server over to the table only to not see her for 15 to 20 minutes. I mean, I just want a beer. you know? Where you at, b? Not worth going out of the way for, by a long shot, but it's not a bad post-work spot once in a while.
(3)Sasha R.
Prairie Moon is pretty much the only bar in Evanston I will consider going to. But beware- during the summer, fall, and winter breaks it is runneth over with ETHS alumni. Being an alum myself, this can be fun at times and extremely annoying at others. Still, at night their back patio is nice and there is even a space to dance, though it is rarely used. I actually like this place better as a restaurant though. The food is very good and not expensive, the atmosphere is very pleasant. I also recommend coming here on Easter, they have a nice buffet that is much cheaper than anywhere else I've been. The service ranges from mediocre to very good.
(4)Dennis L.
This is by far my favorite establishment in Evanston. Good food, great beer selection, full bar with an OK selection of whiskey, and one of the best bartenders I've ever had, Phil. People - I haven't read every review, but why are you not eating the Blackened Salmon Club! It's labeled "The Moon's #1" for a reason - easily their best menu item. Crap, just thinking about it makes me want one right now - it's practically an entire salmon fillet, blackened, with spices, on marbled rye bread, with sauteed spinach, onions, and some sort of mayo with chives. The hand-cut fries are also winners. The beer list isn't as extensive as say, the Hopleaf Bar, but they do a good job of rotating in new beers, and they always have something interesting. I've not had brekkies/brunch there, but did go for a late afternoon lunch once in the late spring - lovely, especially if you can get a table in the sun and lazily have a beer with your meal. As far as the ambiance goes, it's a little more upscale than I usually do - I prefer dive bars, and hole in the wall eats. But the Moon manages to still feel comfortable to me (although when the bar really fills up on the weekends I do get a little irritated), mainly due to the great service (and great beer) I've always had. I do tend to go there in slightly off-peak hours, so that might account for the better service. The only negatives for me boil down to the fact that the place can get really crowded on weekend nights, making it difficult to carry on a conversation and find a space to sit.
(4)Matt B.
This has become our regular after-work stop once a week. Good food, great beer selection, and a really nice staff. I wish they had slightly less focus on the Belgian beers, but that's really my issue, not theirs. Burgers are good, nice diverse food choices, and a decent beer garden when the weather is good.
(4)Paul U.
Awesome beer list. Food is pretty good but the plating could be greatly improved. For me, grab a barstool and order the salmon sandwich on dark rye.
(4)Colleen R.
While I've never had a sit-down meal at Prairie Moon before, I've spent many nights in the bar, and I appreciate having a place nearby with an ambiance that's a few steps up from, say, the Keg. And I was really happy to hear my favorite Mountain Goats song on the stereo there once. I wish the service could be a little better. My main gripe, though, is with the bar menu, which is way too pricey for what you get. P.S. The Pork Tenderloin "Oppolusas"? It's actually spelled "Opelousas."
(3)Ngoc H.
Fish Tacos and stuffed calamari FTW.
(4)M R.
I have been to this place two times thus far. Food is okay. It gets loud, that is, lively. Prices are decent as well. Last night, however, I saw small mouse running around the tables on the back outdoor area. I don't know what to think about that, I guess you should decide.
(2)Angela H.
A go-to lunch place for me, when I'm looking for a casual, sit-down lunch - delicious fish tacos and blackened shrimp salad. Service is not always quick but generally friendly.
(4)Virginia T.
Another review I wished I could give half stars for (3.5)... Went out to Prairie Moon for dinner and drinks with friends. I had heard amazing things about the painted soup so I tried it, but was underwhelmed at best. The poblano pepper really overpowered any hint of butternut squash and the texture was a little less creamy than I would have liked. I moved on to the Pico Pepperjack Moon Burge while the others had the stinking rose combo, the caesar salad and the Dixie Chicken Po' Boy (blackened). Everyone was happy with their entrees but no one was blown out of the water. I was, however, loving the service (very attentive!) and the beer list....we sampled a lot of good beers and some old standbys (fat tire, magners, delirium). We ended up being some of the last people in the dining room and our waiter gave us each a free shot! I'll be back, but likely only for drinks and appetizers....
(3)Bernard B.
Stopped in mid-afternoon just to kill an hour. Didn't order any food, but i was impressed by the extensive craft beer list. Proper glassware, knowledgable staff, sampling allowed. I used to frequent this place when it first opened, but I'm not in Evanston much anymore, for shame. I will definitely be back next time I'm on the North Shore.
(4)Sandy N.
Solid group outing place for anyone looking for a night out in Evanston. The back room has a pool table and two dartboards, as well as a bar. I've been here a few times, never really for dinner, but what I've had never really stuck out in my head. The cheese fries, though -- yum!
(3)Jade T.
I went back to Prairie Moon for lunch again. I didn't order much besides the Hibachi Tofu and Veggie Pico Burger. The tofu was listed under appetizers. It's large enough for one person! The teriyaki sauce was sour, not overly so. The fried wonton crisps adds texture to the soft tofu and vegetables (bean sprouts, lettuce, broccoli, et cetera). Not bad for less than $8. The veggie burger was your standard burger, but with avocados and pico de gallo instead of the usual lettuce and tomato. Fries was served with it (though there is a fruit option).
(4)Lauren H.
went here on a Sat nite with a large party and they accomodated us well. Drinks were affordable ($7 for a French martini) and food was also a good deal and tasty (I had the tilapia with crawfish etouffee, $16). Food was good, but no "wow" factor for me. I probably would go back if I was in the neighborhood.
(3)Brian K.
This is my local bar - the beer selection is what keeps me coming back. Granted, it's not the Map Room or Hopleaf, but it is definitely not one of those places that rotates between Blue Moon, Hoegaarden, and Goose Island as their "craft" beer selection. If you sound like know what the hell you're talking about (or maybe not), the bartenders will even give you a free taste of a new beer without making you feel like a tool for asking. Draft and bottle lists seem to update regularly and the bartenders are knowledgeable and provide good service. The wait-staff is hit and miss in terms of consistent service. Given that it's a suburban neighborhood sports bar, the menu items are relatively adventurous and interesting but they also have the standard compliment of bar fare. The Dark Side of the Moon burger is excellent and they make the tasty spiced and baked fries. It's a big enough venue to handle the "crowds" (for suburbia) on the weekend without feeling packed owing to the second bar they open in the back. The TVs above the bars are a bit small and non-HD which is not a total buzz kill, but I wouldn't go here to watch the game either. The atmosphere is much more relaxed over the summer when the undergraduates and Kellogg-tards have dispersed and you can actually get a seat out on the patio. It also makes for a nice informal date spot.
(4)Laura S.
We just had a large party there and the staff was amazing. Everyone enjoyed their food and nothing was compromised. This place is a hidden gem. My husband and I went there while dating for drinks, then drinks and dinner while married and now can go there with an infant for lunch. They are GREAT. I have to say I wish I knew our waiter's name because he handled a party of 17 and didn't miss a beat. We really enjoy their food and atmosphere!
(5)Barry J.
I usually have a good time here. They introduce different beers from god knows where. Totally pro service last visit. They let me violate the smoking ban last winter. I don't mean that in a legally admissible way, more metaphoric. whut. . . Just trying to say my orig. review sounds kind of dickwad. This place is a-ok.
(3)John G.
Worst service in months and gratuity was included.
(1)andrew z.
I suppose there isn't all that much competition, but I think this is my favorite bar in Evanston. I've been there on a busy Thursday night, happy hour on Friday, and late Saturday night. On all of these occasions, the service was good. I had food all three times, and it was always good. The menu is elaborate for a bar, with some fairly expensive meals. I stuck to typical "bar food" and I thought the price was good for the amount and quality of the food.
(4)Dan B.
I hadn't been to Prairie Moon in over 2 years since I moved out of Evanston but upon opening the menu I immediately remembered how much I loved the blackened salmon club with garlic spinach and the mashed potatoes. I think they have the best garlic mashed potatoes I have ever had, seriously those alone are worth the trip. I also love the decor of this place, I can't explain what it is...very Colorado to me for some reason. They also have a fantastic back patio in the summer AND a parking lot.
(4)Jason P.
Good food and a ton of random beer can't be a bad combination and that is what Prairie Moon does. They have a seasonal menu, or at least one that has changed between visits. They used to have this tofu app that had peppers, something that resembled tortilla strips and a great sauce that I loved, but I think it was on the summer menu so it is (temporarily?) not on the menu anymore. Not to worry because they were replaced with the Fulton St bruschetta, which is pretty much Lou's bruschetta enhanced with goat cheese! If you enjoy goat cheese as much as I do, you really need to just order about 3 portions of this and make it your meal. I also had a dish called 3 sisters which was white beans, corn and vegetables with some polenta. It was ok though a little short on flavor, but still satisfying. This place has a million different beers too, so it's not only a place to eat.
(4)Kristen S.
Atmosphere, food, and service were just mediocre. The menu is eclectic, as is the ambiance. Prairie Moon is part bar/part restaurant and is very popular for large groups (you can rent out the back of the restaurant, some nice rooms). I had the salad, and my husband had the bruschetta and some beef of sorts. Both were kind of forgettable. A nice stop but nothing particularly special.
(3)A.J. M.
Coming just for a drink? Prairie moon will do for me every once in a while when I'm back in Evanston. Great beer selection. The food? Actually really good. I love the sandwiches they offer, and the guacamole and chips was awesome. The food experiences can vary, as you can get a good waiter, like the last time I was there, or a bad one, like the time i went with pals to celebrate my friends 21st birthday. We were only getting drinks, but our server was unfriendly, and never could be found. It took about 20 minutes for her to get any of us a drink. But that has been my one negative experience at Prairie moon. Every other time, I've enjoyed it.
(4)Pam S.
Awesome appetizers, delicious and large sized mains, and an atmosphere that echos -- college town. I got a cup of fish chowder which had large chunks of salmon in it, yum! The shrimp and sashimi ceviche (aka. seafood salsa) was delicious with slices of guac and the fresh-fried chips.. too bad I'm allergic to shrimp so I braved a couple of mouthfuls before my throat started itching. Bummer dude. And then my main of Nick's sirloin steak was pretty well prepared, served with great sides of homestyle mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and asparagus. The tuna steak my mom got (medium rare) was delicious and well worth the price. Sis-in-law Kake S. got a big shrimp/ little shrimp dish over rice and although I couldn't taste anything apart from a small bit of rice and sauce, it looked delicious. Great for families and bigger groups, with a large front bar, back dining area, and an outdoor patio -- a great place to chow down and chill.
(5)TC S.
Four stars for stellar beer selection (best in Evanston, by far), killer fish tacos, and a candlelit summer patio. Seriously- get the fish tacos.
(4)Terri S.
OUTSTANDING! Yes, I am shouting. The food was fresh and delicious, reasonably priced and the menu is delightfully eclectic. Everytime I go to an NU sporting event, this is where I land before or after the game. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In my best Govenator voice "I'll be back".
(5)Charles T.
Best beer selection in Evanston and the food is pretty good too. I go here often.
(4)Heather C.
This has quickly become a favorite Evanston restaurant. Between the great beer list (front-runner for the best in Evanston), affordable wines, and nice patio, it's our go-to spot. Service is always friendly, food is good (the Cactus Hugger and the Salmon sandwich are faves). It's always easy to walk in and grab a table.
(5)Balam M.
I stop by infrequently, but always enjoy myself. The selection of Belgian and "Belgian-style" ales compliments their menu nicely. Good eats, great beers, and only a few blocks west of the lakefront. Prairie Moon is perfect for daytime snackin' or mellow evening hanging out.
(4)Cory A.
Stopped in for a quick lunch and thought this place was rather nice. I'm not sure how to categorize this place, but the food was pretty good. I might even come back for another bite if I'm in the neighborhood.
(3)Chris D.
I live in Evanston and have been to Prairie Moon many times. It is a very good experience. Usually quite crowded and energetic, especially in the front room. Highly recommend it, but be careful on Friday nights during the grade school year---a large group of teachers descends on the front room every other week, I believe, and they are annoying. Why is it that so many teachers' can't tone down the volume of their voices once they get out of the classroom? Go to the middle or back room on those Fridays. :)
(4)Retired B.
It's nice to sit out in the back patio when it gets dark. Service is a bit on the slow side. Dishes, I thought, were on the small side. I tried the: chimichurri steak- slightly disappointing because it didnt have enough meat coconut panko shrimp- probably my fave dish of the night wild mushroom quesillada- ok mac & cheese- unimpressive other dish with shrimp on top of greens- just so-so
(3)Carolyn G.
Did you know that Prairie Moon serves breakfast/ brunch? Neither did I until a friend mentioned it yesterday. We checked it out this morning and found that there were very few people in the restaurant. We were seated immediately. This morning, my husband had the Chef's Special omelet and he enjoyed it a lot. I had the Hash and Eggs..except, there wasn't any hash? Maybe I just didn't really understand what I was ordering. The sausage was good, the "basted eggs" were over-cooked, and the coffee was too strong. I would definitely order something different next time, and I would ask them to use less oil in the preparation. Everything was very greasy. I would definitely give it another try to see if I just experienced an "off" day. I'm really interested in trying their burgers.
(3)Sarah N.
I would like to give them 2.5 stars but that's just because I'm pissed about the service - which I will explain later. I've been here three times, all on week nights/days... having drinks or a meal with co-workers/friends. I liked that it wasn't crowded or dead. The first time was lunch - I had whatever their horseradish burger is. The burger itself was good and was cooked to my specifications. However, being a horseradish fan, I hardly tasted ANY horseradish in this dish and was somewhat disappointed.... but whatevs. I like the random art on the walls. Next visit was just a drink - not much to say about it. Third time was sort of so-so. My friend arrived before me and was seated (by our waiter, I might add). When I got there we ordered drinks. He made a beer recommendation to my friend which was nice, but she didn't like it. However... I think her taste in beer might be a little immature... so I thought drinks were fine. As we began to peruse the menu we realized that there were not many choices for dinner... how strange. So I ordered the salmon salad ($8.95). It came and it was so delicious. I should have noticed that the vegetables were not "asian" and the dressing was not "sesame soy vinagrette'.... in my defense I was drinking :) When we got the bill my salad was $15.95!!!! It turns out that the waiter had given us lunch menus, which explains why the selection was the pits, and why I thought I had ordered a salmon salad that was half the price. I was pretty miffed to say the least. On their online menu this $16 dollar salad is listed as $12.95.... I don't know if I would ever eat here again. It just rubbed me the wrong way.
(3)steve l.
Great beer selection, great wait staff and atmosphere. Burgers and fries are really good, entrees are OK---never weak, but I've never had an entree here where I wondered how they made it or how I could duplicate the taste at home. To be clear, I'm a fan of the place. It is a great bar with good food. If you are in the mood for a burger or sandwich, I'd say it is a great bar with really good food.
(3)Lois A.
A huge array of beers to pick from is always a good starting point. I guess we went on a slow night because it wasn't crowded at all. I had a burger with avocado and my boyfriend had the fresh fish po-boy. Both sandwiches were HUGE and soooo good. I guess the only reason to give three stars instead of four was that given how few people were eating in the restaurant compared to how many people were working it kind of sucked that we had to wait for about 10 minutes staring at our finished plates debating if we should get up and go get our waitress who was having a conversation with some other servers to get our check.
(3)Pam G.
This place is a fun place to go with a group that is looking to have a great time together! We had a 30+ group that was asked to leave the Irish Pub just south of here (because we were making to much noise in their "dinning area" ...they obviously have not heard of the recession and restaurants having business problems) and came over to Prairie Moon and had a great time! Great service and bar selection!
(4)Justin G.
This is another establishment that makes me wish Yelp allowed you to rate with half stars. It's better than 3 stars, but it's not as good as four. But, I will give it four, because I can see why people like it, and it's my high standards that make me think less of it. I got lunch here the other day. San Francisco Cobb Salad. Now, I love cobb salad as the deserts love the rain. It sounded very good. And it looked very good. The plate was so full of food, I was honestly afraid that I would not be able to finish a salad, and would have to bring it home in a box (along with my last remainingi masculinity). The taste was not what I was expecting. The chicken was freshly grilled and excellent. Too little avocado, too much...corn? Yes, I was also confused by the corn. The ranch was okay, if somewhat bland. I had to ask for 2 extra tiny portions of it to get even close to full coverage. It was decently priced. The atmosphere was clean, somewhat modern, but somewhat nondescript. I'd have a very hard time saying much either good or bad about this place. I'd go back if someone really wanted to go, but I'd not suggest it to anyone either.
(3)Nicole S.
This place is fabulous! The three sisters and the squash soup are to die for. The prices are reasonable and the beer selection amazing. I have been here multiple times now and the service has been great each time.
(4)YerMah L.
College bar. I've been overserved here. I've blown it from both ends here.
(2)Jared N.
The draw here is the beer which is quite good. The food is ok. My burger, ordered medium rare, arrived rare. The meat itself was quite greasy and the fries were not as crisp as they should be. But the service was very fast and welcoming and the tab was quite modest. The restaurant is quite loud, even when only half full. So this is a night out with your buddies kind of place, not somewhere for a romantic dinner.
(3)Erin J.
How much do I like a bar/restaurant that I can walk home from? A lot! The food is good although not always consistent. The wasabi mashed potatoes were way too salty the last time I was there. I like the outdoor seating in the summer. The beer selection is great and the back bar is well-equipped with a pool table. This is where I would hang out if I had any friends in Evanston and still "went out." I like the fact that they have large and small plates so if you don't feel like eating to capacity, you can order a small plate and be fully satisfied.
(4)Megan W.
We had excellent service at Prairie Moon on a very busy Friday evening. The chips that came with the gucamole were awesome. My boyfriend had the fish tacos and he really enjoyed them. The portions were pretty large. I had the steak sandiwch and it was very tasty. Our server did a great job of making sure that we had everything that we needed and came back to check on us frequently. One of the best parts of Prairie Moon was the beer selection. The bottle and draft list is quite extensive. Overall we had a great experience here.
(4)Brent J.
Why isn't this place packed - on weekend nights at least? I've been half a dozen times over a year and a half. The food is straightforward. It may not be subtle or succulent, but some dishes are scrumptious. (My favorite: the fish tacos blackened.) The menu is broad enough to be interesting, but narrow enough that the kitchen can do a good job. Almost every item has some flair, like a regional twist. But you don't come here just for the food. The beer and wine selections are great on a middling budget. Prairie Moon always has a nice range of brews on tap ranging for Belgian styles to pale ales. Microbrews dominate, although you can always get an Anchor Steam if you don't feel like experimenting. Other Evanston restaurants have better wine selections, but none better for the money. (The menu promises they'll never mark up a wine more than 2 times retail, and more expensive wines are supposedly marked up less.) But you don't go just for the wine and beer either. You go for the gestalt. This is a great college town restaurant. It's casual, without being cheap or dumpy. They've got soaring ceilings and big windows and glass doors (with prairie motif elements). In the summer the doors open on to open-air dining in the back. There are some student types and some professor types and some townies. The tables are spaced comfortably. Even the artwork on the wall adds to the charm because it's tasteful but -- how should one say? -- unselfconscious. The main drawback to the place is the very ordinary-looking bar, with pool table and TVs, which you see as soon as you walk in. And even the bar, if your in the right frame of mind, adds to the comfortable-with-itself sophistication of the place. So, go. Often.
(5)Chrissy F.
Umm...I know that I've been here before...but I think the amount of alcohol I had impairs me to review it... Just kidding. I've never had PM's food, so I'm no help there. It's an oddly set up bar with three separate rooms (2 of which have bars in them) -- one of which being just a dance floor. Sadly I wasn't a fan of their [very loud] music, no one seemed to be dancing (except for one creepy couple who didn't understand the difference between a dance floor and a hotel room), and in order to get from one bar to another, you have to pass through the Noise Room. But, the drinks are good...and strong. The outdoor patio is nice, but the seating is sparse. If you plan on going in a big group: 1) get there early, 2) fight off the rest of the clientele and hoard all the tables, or 3) pick your favorite friends and knock the group down a few.
(3)David B.
This is a great place to kickback and get a drink. I come here usually when in the mood for a beer because they easily have the best beer selection in Evanston. I like their secluded outdoor seating too!
(4)Jonathan K.
this place has a bar up front, a couple dining areas, one with booths, and one with tables...and in the back theyres another bar with a pool table (free on wednesdays), and a private room in the back corner. its really a lot bigger than it looks out front. once it was really busy, once really dead. tame evanston crowd.
(3)B. L.
The outdoor patio is what attracted me first. With this great weather we have been having I enjoy taking my meals or drinks outside. I think they will find their nitch, kinda of a cross between a rest. and sports bar and an All American diner. Good selection of imported and domestic beers.
(4)Emma C.
Inconsistent, overpriced, but when it's good it's very good. Really loved the sauce on the chicken marsala, delicious! But hey, when someone's ordering a grown-up dish that's about $16, maybe serve it on a whole chicken breast and not a few chicken tenders? Good fresh-cut fries, good mushroom quesadilla, good crab cakes, half-assed sheet cake, some of the fish tasted frozen instead of fresh (which is a fail at these prices), and the food is sometimes plated and unseasoned like someone's sad bachelor uncle is working in back, but that's not a deal-breaker. If you stay toward the lower end of the price point, or sample their nice small plates, you won't be disappointed; think of it as really excellent and high-end bar food for after work or lunch instead of a fancy night out, and any resentment will be curbed. I think the Prairie-style back rooms are very lovely and the food is definitely decent.
(3)Mike M.
Consistently great food at very reasonable prices. I've eaten here several times and each time I do, they always deliver. Definitely a great place to go to.
(4)Emma O.
Another great spot to go out in Evanston. Really wide beer selection that's decently priced. Service leaves a little to be desired, but the chill atmosphere makes up for it. It's a nice place to go and unwind after the week.
(4)Isabel Y.
Decent spot to go out in Evanston. I came here for my 21st birthday and everyone was more than happy to a) buy me drinks and b) participate on the photo scavenger hunt my girlfriends sent me on (sample challenge: have some guy sign an upper body part currently under clothes). Always fun, drinks aren't too expensive, and people pack the place so it's entertaining. I didn't even know you could eat in here. But it's good for a Thursday night out in town.
(3)Jason P.
I enjoyed the atmosphere at this place. It's pretty hard to miss this spot but if you're able to catch it on your way out of evanston, stop immediatley. The painted soup is totally worth the trip. They have a bunch of types of inventive fare on theri menu. The mexican sampler platter was grea the first time, and the second time I went here I had a steak. The beer list is pretty extensive. My fiancee also had the tortilla soup which she really enjoyed.
(4)Ross W.
We love Prairie Moon!! Great sandwiches and salads. Good draught selections and service.
(5)George D.
Go for the beer list. It's large and interesting. Stay for the burger. It's pretty good. Marvel at how a restaurant's atmosphere can color your impression of it no matter how much you enjoy what you're eating. Maybe this is my snobby anti-suburban bias again, but overnight I've changed my rating for Prairie Moon. Last night I thought the sports bar atmosphere merited a one star deduction. But thinking back this morning, I'm going with two. It just had that worse-than-blah "chain restaurant" feel. It reminded me of a lot of places I went to in college. But maybe that's not surprising... it's down the street from Nevin's and I'm sure it's on the NU beer crawl circuit. Anyway, I suppose the best advice would be: go on a nice summer night so you can enjoy the food and the beer outside on the patio.
(3)Katherine R.
Went here on Friday for a pre-Sex and the City meal. We all got martinis and there were no complaints! We ordered the ceviche as an appetizer and it was pretty good, the chips were super greasy though. A friend and I ordered fish tacos and they were really good. I was expecting them to be pre-made, like a standard chicken or beef taco, but the fish comes on a plate with rice,etc and it's kind of make it yourself. There were a lot of different flavors going on, the fish was fresh but I wasn't really feeling this dish. It seemed more as though it would have been good as an entree without the tortillas. It's a pretty big piece of tilapia so the tortillas seem unnecessary in way. Our waitress was not good either. She came up once for the drink order and again to drop the check. I'm assuming it was the manager/owner who we had to track down anytime we needed a refill. They have an impressive beer list though, and despite my poor judgement on dish I might like, I would definitely go back. They have a huge menu that is not disappointing.
(4)Molly T.
I've heard people complain a lot about Evanston bars. I'm not that knowledgeable on the subject since I've spent very little of my post-21 life in the area. But I went to Prairie Moon this week and was pleasantly surprised. Now, I'm ignoring the fact that this place is about 5 times the size it should be with that whole back dining area and that it's kind of overpriced. My friend and I sat at one of the high tables near the bar. She ordered some sort of mango-themed cocktail involving peach schnapps. They had a list of cocktails but a far more impressive list of beers. I tried a Dragon's Milk and when they didn't have the second one I ordered, I went for an Ommegang. We also split some guacamole, which they bring out in a martini glass surrounded by chips. It was spicy and good. Our server was a bit too attentive--coming by to ask how I liked the beer and checking up on us a little too frequently. It was a slow night, clearly, but I kind of like being able to get my drinks at the bar w/o being pestered. But Prairie Moon is definitely a good option if you happen to be in Evanston and you want interesting beer choices and an extensive food menu.
(4)Marion P.
I'm not a big bar kind of person, and so I'm no huge fan of the noise, the crowds, or of getting carded when I just want dinner, but taking that into account it's not that bad a place. I've had the veggie mexican burger and the mac & cheese here before, and both were very good. Really. Beer selection is fine and prices are ok.
(3)Becky S.
Another one of my "if I could give it 3.5 stars i would" type of places. Prairie Moon has a great beer selection and bartenders who make good recommendations too. I love the French Quarter Martini- for that the place deserves 5 stars! I've only eaten there once but the painted soup is very good. My only complaint is that the place can be somewhat dead even on weekend nights. This could be because I close the place out on many nights that i'm there. Who knows.
(3)Patrick W.
For some reason, I always figured this place was some kind of hippie haven, so I never checked it out. We finally gave it a try last night and I loved it. This could be a serious contender for my favorite restaurant in Evanston. They had the best burgers I've had in quite some time- be sure to try the Dark Side of the Moon, which is blackened on one side and includes caramelized onions and a thick slice of cheddar. Top notch. Fantastic beer selection, including the new to Chicago but old comrad of my liver, Shiner Bock. Mmm mmm good. I liked the place a great deal just reading the menu, but their serving Shiner sealed the deal. I'm anxious to go back and try more of their menu. Our only disappointment was the girlfriend's crab cake salad, which didn't have a lot of food considering the salad runs $13. It was good but a bit light. No worries, we'll be back.
(5)Becky P.
The man and I went to this place after discovering it on our WBEZ membercard list. We've definitely been back since then. The food has always been good and my beer snob husband approves of the list if you're into that sort of thing. There is a patio out back, but it's a little cramped and right next to the purple line so it gets a little noisy back there. As others have said, some of the plates can be expensive, but the "small plates" on the menu could actually be a whole meal if you're looking to save some money. I know I'll be back again sometime soon.
(4)Ellen P.
We found Prairie Moon on a lark, and have been back a handful of times. Great beer and wine selection, and they do fish - particularly cedar plank salmon and pan fried trout - particularly well. The Painted Soup was tasty and spicy, desserts tried include Key Lime Pie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae - both excellent. Atmosphere is nice, staff is very friendly, service attentive. And for joining the mailing list, I receive a $10 off coupon for a meal $50 and up each year for my birthday. What more can you ask for?
(4)Molly B.
The first time I came here, it was because I have the Chicago Public Radio MemberCard and this place offers a buy one, get one free meal for members. I have to admit, the food is decent. The service was unexceptional. I had cheese quesadillas and squash soup and my beau had some sort of fish. We both thought our dishes were adequate. Based on my first experience, I came back later with a friend. Big mistake. While I was in the bathroom, I had my friend order the veggie burger we were sharing. When the food came, I took a big bite of my 1/2 of the veggie burger and promptly ran to the bathroom to vomit. It was beef. Ick. It was my first bite of red meat in nine years and I was absolutely disgusted. I won't get all preachy, but surely even you carnivores can imagine my displeasure. Think of your least favorite food ever, pig brains or something, and imagine taking a huge bite of it when you're expecting your favorite comfort food. So I came back to the table from throwing up, determined not to make a huge deal of it (everyone makes mistakes, right?) and the waiter is there to take away the flesh. He argued that my friend had not ordered meat, though it was a very close friend and NOT someone who would forget I'm a vegetarian (he makes fun of me for it all the time!). The waiter was not very polite about the whole thing and seemed quite miffed that we were bothering him with this. Anyway, he took away the flesh and brought back a veggie burger a bit later, but the fries were cold. It was clear that they just took the fries from the other plate and switched them over to the new one, even though this was 15 minutes later. Even if my friend had ordered the beef burger, which I absolutely don't believe he did, that's no way to treat patrons of the establishment, in my humble opinion. I was surprised he didn't charge us for the beef! So I had a relatively good experience and one pretty awful one. I reasoned that the bad one could have been an anomaly, so I agreed to meet my roommates there for a drink last Saturday. We got our beers, some sort of tasty hefeweizen pint special for 3 bucks. I was satisfied with my beer, so I sat back for some good conversation. When I went to pick up the glass again, I noticed something floating in the middle of the cup. It was a huge shard of glass! I flagged down the waitress and quietly asked her for another glass of beer sans glass and she went to get it without acting surprised at all or even apologizing! Of course, I wasn't charged for that drink, but I didn't even get a free one out of the whole thing. I didn't really think much of it then, but the next day, upon reflection, I thought about how badly I could have hurt myself and it was quite unsettling. I feel that the least they could have done would have been to offer me my replacement beer for free. And an apology would have been nice...I'm not expecting her to fall to the ground and grovel and weep, but c'mon, it was sharp, potentially tongue-slicing glass A couple of hours later, last call came around (an hour early, due to the lack of crowd) and my roommate ordered another drink. A couple of minutes later, some guy comes back and starts yelling at all of us to get inside. The patio section is rather small and there were three tables of people, probably totaling about a dozen folks. I understand that sometimes you have to holler for the drunks to git a hitch in their giddyup, but this guy was really rude. So we herd ourselves inside to sit at the bar to finish our drinks. Literally ten minutes had gone by since last call was announced and my roommate is trying to finish her drink, but who wants to chug a mojito? She asked the bartender about the rapidity between the announcement of last call and the herding of people out and he started yelling in her face that they've got to close. She was just trying to be conversational! She got there later than the rest of our group, so she was only on her second drink. It's not like she was being a loud, obnoxious, raving drunk! The rest of us were on round three, so we weren't out of control either. It was ridiculous! Then, to top it all off, he made her walk to the door and stand next to it while she was finishing her drink while there were still other patrons sitting and sipping. I know I sound like a huge complainer who is making a mountain out of a molehill here, but these combined experiences really ruined Prairie Moon for me. Any positive impression that was left by my first visit to this place was completely wiped out by the combination of the beef burger, the shard of glass and the overall service, especially by the bartender. Read my other reviews; I'm really not too picky. I worked as a waitress for a couple of years part time and I do understand that sometimes it is stressful and not a whole lot of fun. However, due to these recent events, I am going to try to never set foot in this place again!
(1)David B.
Great Americana. They work hard to hit regional cuisines throughout the year, and for the most part do it well. I give them high marks for the variety of offerings. The beer selection and atmosphere is solid. Pool and a few big TVs do not overwhelm the space. They have a small outdoor space, which is not a highpoint. It could be defined as a refined neighborhood bar. A bit too clean for Miller High Life.
(4)Terry G.
Prairie Moon got it right. They give you better than good food and a fantastic drink selection at a price that totally works. The environment is top notch as well in terms of dining rooms and multiple bars as well as a great out door seating area. I love the back bar and if you need to host a large event, this is the place to hit up for sure.
(5)Jon S.
Decent spot. Staff is either really rude and cocky or really nice. Kinda all over the place. Pricey beers, decent food for the money. Somewhat impartial about the moon
(3)Simone K.
The food is not bad but I sent my parents there for dinner and my mom accidently left her wrap there. She called within 30 min of leaving and they told her that they had it for her. She went back as soon as they opened the following morning and someone had stolen it. They tried to give her something that was the wrong color and cheap. Then the manager told her that everyone who worked there was trustworthy and they didn't care about her as a customer. Totally put me off the place!
(1)Beth G.
This place is off the hook! I used to go there just to drink and then started partaking in their menu selects. They have Painted Soup which is a combination of butternut squash, poblano pepper, and roasted tomato puree soups that come splashed in the same bowl. Delicious! Their shrimp caesar is fabulous, their dressing has a bit of jalapeno in it so it's got a kick. Also good is the key lime margarita chicken, rubbed with tequila and key limes. Don't miss the crab cakes either, served alone or in a salad. Fish tacos are not to be missed either. No matter what, you must try the house drink: a key lime margarita!! OOOH yeah!
(5)David K.
Its a large space, but its partitioned off in a really effective way. excellent vibe, excellent beer selection, and good food.
(4)Bev B.
Nice food, especially the sea food. The chowder isn't the best, but the burgers rock and that pan-fried trout is wonderful. Save your money on desserts. Spend it on the beer instead. :)
(4)Nick B.
Good american style cuisane. They also have a pool table and bar in the front if you're just in the mood to hang out and have a drink in a laid back atmosphere. Good selection of beers.
(4)Jaclyn C.
I've yet to eat at Pmoon, but it's one of the 5 - wait, now 4, Evanston bars walkable from the Northwestern campus. Their minimum credit card charge is something outrageous like $15-20. Late night, drunken dancing and in the summer, the "patio" is open. Darts and a busy pool table. Lots of space with 2 bars - a sportier one in the back.
(3)penny h.
The food in this restaurant was suprisingly good. I must admit that I was not expecting the food to be so good because of the way that the restaurant was laid out. I would recommend for you to give it a shot.. try to go there on a nice day and ask to sit at their patio .. :)
(4)Devin H.
A good downtown Evanston spot to hang out, get good eats, drinks, and listen to music. The ciderday salmon is the best! Plus, they have live music and DJs.
(4)