I was in the area last weekend staying nearby and ordered to go Thursday night. Even though it was right before they closed they were happy to take my order. I ordered a steak and the appetizer fried shrimp and it was delicious! The steak was cooked exactly how I requested it and the shrimp was so good it didn't even need cocktail sauce! Very light but seasoned batter and the butter for the bread..YUM!!!!!! The food was so good I went back Friday night for another to go order! I ordered the same thing and it was delicious again and cooked to my request! I waited at the bar for my order and had a drink made from the vodka with fruit soaking it in and boy it was deelish!! If Bluegrass was closer to the city I would go back for sure! read more

1/9/16 update to 5 stars: We returned with the same party of 4 at 5pm on Saturday. The restaurant was pretty empty, so we were seated right away. We all had drinks which were good and strong. My husband and I shared a rib plate and jambalaya entree. Again, the jambalaya was outstanding. The ribs were good, but we probably wouldn't order them again. The corn pudding was again very good. We also ordered cheese grits, which were outstanding. Friends both ordered the filet. It was good, but everyone agreed they wouldn't order it again. For dessert we had the bread pudding and creme brûlée. The whiskey sauce on the bread pudding was delish. I also really liked the creme brûlée. It's the perfect size dessert. Our server was attentive and courteous. We have no complaints. ------------------- We arrived as a party of four at 8 PM on Friday. With the parking lot being so full we were pleased that the wait was fairly short, about 15 minutes. We started with drinks at the bar. The bartender was excellent. After arriving to our table we were offered bread. The bread was fresh and the honey butter was excellent. We all loved it. Between the table we ordered the following: Crab & Shrimp Salad - It was bountiful. The crab and shrimp were fresh and delicious. Ribs: The ribs were excellent and the sauce was delicious Soft shell Crab - Very Good Jambalaya- This was a home run. Seriously the best thing we had. The flavor was amazing. Corn Pudding - Also excellent. Highly recommended. Peanut Brittle Baked Beans - Disappointing. The peanut brittle flavor was good, but it was really just canned beans with some flavor added. Bananas Foster - Not true Bananas Foster. It was more of caramelized bananas with ice cream. Delicious yes, but nothing to write home about. While the service wasn't poor, our server was awkward and annoying. He made a few jokes that nobody was getting. At one point he asked if we wanted more bread. We said said yes and asked for two butters. Instead we received no bread, and two drinks. At the end of the meal when we were trying to get out of our booth, he pushed his way past us to grab the bill and check the tip. So rude. In all, we will be back! read more

I just sat down and like the place already! Very cozy and friendly, great sangria and an extensive menu. They have daily specials and great combo players if you can't decide on one thing. read more

The Food: Excellent! The portions were perfect for lunch, everything was well priced, and incredibly tasty! The dishes there are so unique for this area - this is bound to be a new favorite lunch spot. The Service: I had a larger party coming in on Mardi Gras. We contacted them about potentially ordering ahead, but the owners reassured me our group could make in time for our one hour lunch. He was not kidding! The service was fast, flexible, and kind. From when we walked in to when we left we were treated very well. Atmosphere: Fun and busy on Mardi Gras! We got beads as we were seated. The place is a bit small, but comfortable. Thanks again! We will be back. :) read more

Friday night 8pm - 4 top. There were about 7 other tables eating at the time. It is a small, quaint neighborhood family restaurant with a small bar. When you walk in you sense that the owners care. Appetizer: Popcorn Shrimp - The shrimp was not too heavily breaded and you can actually taste it was shrimp because it was a decent size. Main: Jambalaya, Louisiana Blackened Grouper, Crawfish Etouffee, Shrimp and Crab Pasta - Big hearty portions with great flavors. Drinks: Lots of beer choices and the Bloody Mary came with a beer chaser (8.50)! Dessert: Brownie Sundae, Icebox Pie - The Sundae was a large portion that can easily be shared by 3 people. The icebox pie was delicious. Great food, consistent service, and relaxed atmosphere. read more

Exceptional service coupled with excellent food! A rare find. As a frequent traveler I look for non-chain gems in locations across the country, and this is one I'll be coming back to! I was greeted promptly by a friendly hostess who was genuinely interested in where I was from and how I'd heard about the place. Seated promptly and was soon welcomed with a smile from Alyssa, who had already heard where I was from by the hostess. Alyssa was very attentive to my needs and likes - excellent service. Even the owner/manger(?) stopped by for a chat. Started with a shot glass of gumbo - hot and spicy, very good. Side Caesar salad was fresh and we'll put together. As I was in the mood for Cajun - I ordered the Crawfish Etouffée. The roux was excellent - golden brown and great flavor! Didn't have room for desert, but aim to be back and squeeze some in next time. read more

Best barbecue anywhere. The atmosphere is fantastic and the Covid precautions made me feel at ease. Perfect anniversary dinner.

Bluegrass paints a pretty picture of Cajun/Creole flare. With its Jambalaya, Pulled Pork and Crawfish Etoufee. You'd think, what can I eat at this place?! Well, at Bluegrass, there's a bunch of Veggie Love too. :) Bluegrass.My favorite starter at Bluegrass is the Bluegrass Salad. It features, radicchio and romaine lettuce, shaved red onion, gorgonzola cheese, pine nuts and is tossed in a pear balsamic vinaigrette. Feel free to add avocado for a perfect topper. At least, that's what I do. :) I WISH they had a homemade veggie burger but...Another great sandwich option is The Mushroom Broil. It's a combo of domestic and wild mushrooms, set atop grilled crusty italian bread with melted gruyere cheese. If you're into shrooms, this be the yummy you desire. A huge hit that's not quite Creole but is a NICE vegetarian option is, The Asian Vegetable Noodle Bowl. It features, stir fried bok choy, shitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, tofu, scallions, ginger, garlic, udon noodles in a vegetable broth and is topped with diced tomatoes, a splash of soy sauce, cilantro & sesame seeds. If you're not hungry, this isn't the dish for you. It's quite perfect on a cold winter night and is very filling. ...Side Note... They are fried but, DO TRY the onion rings with a side of the horseradish sauce. UNREAL taste combo. ...Did I mention the VERY nice Beer, Wine, and Martini section? Ps: Don't forget to check out the dessert menu. *Eating Out With A Girl* #EOWAG #EatingOutWithAGirl read more

Amazing jambalaya, no really AMAZING jambalaya. I would stay away from the ribs as they were too dry and had barely any meat in it. The problem I have with this place is that it is too expensive for what you get. I get that it is a neat sit down place in Highland Park, but wow $17 for a bowl of salad with a chicken breast on it? Otherwise the food is delicious and the service is friendly. Try it for your self. read more

I got the BBQ Corned Beef Platter and it was phenomenal! Every part of it was so great. They also have a cute patio we got to sit at outside. Loved the atmosphere and great service!! read more

Good as always, a real compliment to the local dining scene. Definitely qualified as a neighborhood gem. The menu is nicely varied with options for everyone. The Cajun and Southern dishes are especially good and unique for this area. The bar offerings complement the food nicely. Highly recommended! read more

Good service and cocktails. Food is overpriced and not fresh. The dishes we ordered were bland, lacked flavor and the seafood was overcooked. I will not be back. Blue grass was full of flavor and a wonderful restaurant when they first opened years ago. Unfortunately the quality of food has declined and is not the same. I am honestly surprised by all the five star reviews. For a cajun restaurant where is the flavor? A big disappointment. The only positive was the wonderful servers and bartender. read more

I was so excited to try this place when I heard about it, but honestly it was definitely not a very good experience. The pricing of the food was ridiculously over priced for not only the quality, but the portion of the meal presented. Our table wasn't ready when we arrived, so we sat at the bar and ordered some drinks. I got a "Hurricane" drink, similar to Fat Tuesday drinks, but not as slushy, and my boyfriend ordered a beer. The Hurricane drink was pretty strong, so I guess it was worth the $9. The bread that was served was actually probably the best thing I had at the whole restaurant. Well, not necessarily the bread, but the butter. It was cinnamon-y and tasted like honey and wow that was really good. We ended up ordering more, since we were only given 3 pieces (restaurant trick to keep you from ordering more -- give one piece more than the amount of people at the table, so no one will want to take the "last piece"). For our appetizer, my boyfriend and I wanted to try the Boudin balls, but they were sadly out. Our server, who seemed like he hated life..or just us, not sure (i'll get to him later), suggested the alligator ($14), so we thought why not. The restaurant was celebrating Mardi Gras already, so hey, sure, let's eat some gator. Anyway, when the alligator arrived, it was extremely greasy and basically tasted like chicken. Nothing super special or awesome about it. It was placed in a martini glass, which made it awkward and hard to eat. For our main course, I ordered the grouper over crawfish and corn risotto ($29) and my boyfriend ordered the combo of ribs and jambalaya ($23 I believe). When the food finally came, it was like we ordered off a really nice children's menu. The ribs were so ridiculously small and the jambalaya was basically non-existent (maybe 5 big bites). The ribs and jambalaya came with incredibly undercooked, overly salted potatoes and an overly sweet bowl of baked beans. My fish was so salty, my lips turned red and dried out (I'm still using chapstick and drinking water right now to take away the pain). The only thing somewhat pleasant about my entree was the crawfish and corn risotto. I had no idea that it was so expensive, which I guess is my bad when I was looking at the menu, but dang, what on that plate cost almost $30?? The portion was incredibly small and I finished it quickly and was still hungry, something that almost never happens (I always have to take home at least half of my meal). I then decided to order dessert (because I was STILL HUNGRY :( ). We ordered the mini size of the Chocolate 3-way. This dessert consisted of fudge, chocolate ice cream, a brownie, caramelized pecans and mini marshmallows. The brownie was pretty dry, not moist as I was expecting. The ice cream, pecans, and mini marshmallows were absolutely delicious, which you can't really credit to the restaurant, as these were premade items. Oh, once again this dessert was served in another martini glass, and once again, it was hard to eat (not sure why they like these glasses so much??). Anyway, let's get onto our server. I swear he was the only one in the whole restaurant who seemed like he hated being there. The hostess, bartender, other servers, etc. all seemed excited and happy that it was (almost) Mardi Gras! Everyone else smiled and talked to customers and overall seemed like they were having a good time. And then there was our server... He seemed like he wanted to rush us and barely talked, unless we talked to him first. Even when we would ask questions, we were faced with one word answers from a stone-cold angry face. When he brought out our appetizer, he just shoved it in between my boyfriend and I, pushing my boyfriend's cellphone into some butter, and either didn't notice or didn't care. When he came to take away our dessert plate, he dropped a dirty spoon on the table and just left it. He literally seemed like he did not give a flying (inappropriate word here). Overall, I think he was one of the main reasons this experience was so incredibly bad. Basically, this experience was probably one of the worst that I have had in a while, which is pretty sad. I definitely will not be back and do not and would not suggest this restaurant to anyone else. read more

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Was looking for an interesting place to eat before Ravinia that was away from the usual crowds-it was it's off a side street and was a little hard to find. Called in made a reservation and went a few hours before the Diana Krall concert. The place was quiet so service was very attentive, but there was a picky diner in our group and our waiter was very helpful and friendly. The food was excellent-none of us ordered the ribs or barbecue but the Jambalaya was excellent and the Ice box pie was also a stand out. If I ever go to Ravinia again, I will make it a point to eat here beforehand. read more

Bluegrass is great. The problem is that because it isn't located in a business district we always forget about it. Jim, the owner, is almost always there and greets his guests warmly. The regular menu is fabulous. My favorite is the Tilapia Sassafrass - Pecan coated Tilapia flash-fried topped a wild mushroom sassafras sauce, grilled shrimp & served with white rice and green beans, The calamari appetizer and the ribs are good as well. Aw heck, it's all good! Just beware the vast majority of menu choices are very rich. What we really love about Bluegrass though, are the special event dinners that they offer occasionally. We have been to about four of them now. The latest was a Cinco de Mayo wine pairing dinner. It is a really nice treat to have food and wine pairings explained by both the chef and wine maker. Speaking of the chef, Chef Warren is fantastic. Not only is he a great cook, he is a genuinely nice person. read more

WOW, a hidden gem for great food and drinks! Drove past a million times while visiting friends and family. Finally stopped for dinner and was very pleasantly surprised. read more

3 of us had dinner Sunday night after seeing the lights at the Botanical garden. I ordered the crawfish etoufee. To say that it was bland with no flavor is being kind. Also the portion was about the amount of 2 soup cans (including the rice). I left hungry and telling myself that Iam never going back. Bryan L read more

Having been born and raised in Kentucky, of course I'm going to be intrigued by a place called Bluegrass in the Chicago burbs. It turns out, there is very little truly southern about it but it was a nice meal. It's also clearly a very popular place. We arrived a bit early. The decor is, well, kind of tacky. There are broken mirror pieces set into plaster all over the place. It's also in the parking lot of a strip mall. This is not what I was expecting in highland park and we almost left. Some other regular patrons out for a girls night said we would enjoy ourselves so we decided to stay. We were seated in the unremarkable and, again, kind of ugly dining room. We order drinks and appetizers and enjoyed a lovely featured wine and beer with outstanding artichoke fritters as our first course. I had a mushroom broil sandwich which was quite tasty while my wife enjoyed ribs. Truth be told, she regretted that she had not ordered the highly regarded salmon special. She exchanged her normal side for corn pudding which was ok but overly sweet, again not quite on the mark for real southern food. I should stop at this point before I forget and so that all of the servers were truly outstanding. Our main server was attentive and had great suggestions. Although I am not a desert eater, they had bananas foster and it came in a mini portion. It was perfect both in taste and size. My wife had an icebox pie which was good but unremarkable. Definitely not a destination but a good meal. read more

Arrived just before lunch, was warmly welcomed and seated while awaiting my friend leaving his conference call in the parking lot. Beautiful decor, kinda cool but warm and inviting. Seated at booth by the windows and immediately offered water and warm bread with butter. My friend and I took longer than usual to talk before selecting our food but the staff was fully understanding, checking often but not too often ! When we did finally order, my friend had the BLT&T - Bacon,lettuce,tomato, & turkey while I ordered the Blue Cheese crusted burger and house salad. As I have a garlic allergy, I informed the waiter who insured me it would not be an issue. The salad arrive quickly and was perfect with pine nuts and just the right amount of gorgonzola cheese. Our main courses were delivered promptly after I completed my salad.... good timing but the great waitstaff. The burger was easily one of the best, if not THE best I have ever eaten. Beef was juicy but medium as requested with exceptional flavor and tenderness. My fiends sandwich was also perfect... he was very happy. The owner or manager also stopped by as did the staff to insure we were enjoying the meal and that it was as ordered. I cannot say enough about this slightly out of the way restaurant except that you will be missing a fantastic experience if you don't treat yourself to a dining experience here... I will most definitely be back, next time as a treat for my wife and myself for her upcoming birthday. I travel nationally and have countless meals at countless restaurants and I can confidently say this is one of the very best. Many more famous, flocked to, downtown Chicago restaurants could learn much by following the attention to detail and customer experience that is Bluegrass.... Byron W read more

Four stars, five stars, five stars, five stars, four stars..... I felt like I was in an episode of The Twilight Zone called "The Emperor's New Clothes". In this episode the chef sprinkled brainwashing powder in the food so that when customers left, they would be afraid to write anything less than a four star review. In the end, the naked truth was, the place was just a notch above okay. Not fabulous, not amazing, not mind blowing. Just okay. Don't go out of your way to eat here, don't wait in line to eat here and don't go here for a special occasion. It actually deserves 3 or 3 1/2 stars. I gave it one star to help bring the average down to where it should really be. Our Rick Moranis lookin' like waiter acted like we were bothering him by being there. He never looked any of us in the eye and gazed off into space as he spoke to us. When he brought our food to the table he literally plopped it in front of us anouncing it as it hit the table. Chicken (plop), Fettucini (plop), Ribs (plop). Overall the food was above average. A big menu with lots of choices (which I suppose could be a good thing or a bad thing). If you're travels take you to Chicago and you're staying in the northern suburbs you might think about checking Bluegrass out for dinner. It won't suck. read more

I realky love this place. The seafood is fresh and delucious. A little bit on the heavy side , the sauces are very rich, but good! I will come back for sure! read more

The food is good, atmosphere is good, servers are nice. The portion sizes are huge though! Make sure you're ready for a doggy bag or have someone to share! read more

My favorite place in Highland Park. Great ribs and étouffée. People are great. Bartender is awesome. Definite must go.

Last night, during the shelter-in-place, we called Bluegrass directly for carryout supper for 4. As we drove into their lot to pick it up, a downpour hit. But despite the rain they sent someone out with our order right away. When we got home, everything was still hot, the portions were generous, and the meals were delicious! We will definitely order from Bluegrass again. read more

I could swear this whole place used to be someone's basement from the 70's. Dim lighting, wood paneling, a built-in bar... it's not what you would expect from the looks of the outside. Beside that, we heard good things about this place about their BBQ so we made the journey up. I ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich and my husband ordered the ribs. We also got taster portion of the brisket. I'll start off by saying my sandwich was fantastic! It was sauced pulled pork with a good fat ratio on top of a garlic piece of french bread with sliced red onions on top. It's moist, porky and it made me all drooly while I was eating it. The brisket was also a winner, also moist and tender. The ribs were surprisingly not very meaty and kinda dry. The sides were nothing to write home about as the beans were too sweet and the potatoes were potatoes. The service here is good and they seem friendly. There is more that is offered besides BBQ here so I would definitely come back to try something else. Beer selection also looks good here too. read more

I came here for lunch with my bf. The bread basket was so yummy, very fresh and soft, and I loved the whipped honey butter. I ordered the half rack of ribs, he got a pulled pork bbq sandwich, and we split the food between us. The ribs and pulled pork were both decent but not amazing. We both got salad as our side item which was okay, but the server was a sweetie and got me fries to go with my ribs too. The fries were super tasty - very crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and not greasy at all. My food also came with baked beans, but it was too sweet for us. read more

If your looking for a classic Cajun/Creole experience this is definitely the way to go! Location and Ambiance: Location is average or better and the ambiance is fantastic! Food: Growing up in the south, I was impressed to find such an authentic place up in Illinois! Staff: The staff was fantastic and the owner was super nice! In summary, give it a try if your looking for a Cajun/Creole meal. Thanks, Connor Brady read more

This place is amazing! They have great appetizers! Definitely try the orange shrimp and the calamari! read more

Bluegrass - Orange shrimp - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

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AMAZING We went early but that being said we got seated right away which was nice and the hostess couldn't have been more friendly or kind to us and funny. There was a large group at the bar laughing and joking with the bartender and what I am assuming is the owner and chef who later came and checked on us as well. The food was amazing as well the portions were perfect we shared a salad and entree and were stuffed! This was truly delightful! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Food and service is always excellent. Great ribs.

We were a party of 6 that had reservations for 5:30, and the restaurant had called me that afternoon to confirm. We were seated immediately and the food and drinks were excellent, no complaints from anyone. read more

Oh man. First time there and it is now my favorite place in the area. Everything we had was great. I had the chicken and shrimp with dirty rice and my wife had the brisket sandwich. Both were amazing. We ended with the bananas foster. This is a must try place if you find anything on their menu interesting. read more

Arrived on a Saturday night, sat at the bar, after 30 min wait, we had a table. Great selection on tab beer. Me and my wife had taste of gumbo and brisket for appetizer. Shrimp and Girts, Shrimp pasta for entree with corn pudding, etc. Great service, manager or owner stop by a couple of times to make sure we are happy with the food and service. Bar tender and waitress are very nice, very busy without any attitude. we must come back, but i would make a reservation. .... very comfortable and cozy environment, with the right crowd... read more

We went back after a botched first experience and left very happy. The service was good, helpful but not annoying or awkward. The warm bread with honey cinnamon butter was delicious and luckily not too heavy because wow, the food was phenomenal. We got the artichoke fritters to start, they are flash fried with just a very light coating so not heavy at all, and served with a delicious lemon dipping sauce. Unfortunately they had just run out of the grouper (which I do plan to go back for) so my husband got the jambalaya special and I got the soft shell crab special. My husband enjoyed his (I also brought the leftovers to my brother who said it was "soooo good, he'd like to move to New Orleans"). Mine was, I am confident in saying, the best soft shell crab dish I have ever had, and I love short shell crab, so I order it whenever I can. It was sautéed with lemon butter. The crab was clearly fresh, very meaty and super sweet. I asked that they substitute the orzo it normally came with for crawfish and corn risotto which was done for no extra charge and was also excellent (risotto is another dish I order as often as possible). It also came with sautéed garlic green beans which made the plate feel a little lighter. For dessert we had the chocolate chip bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The faster portion was plenty for both of us and a nice sweet finish. It wasn't too overly sweet or mushy which was nice. I have had bread pudding I could only eat 2-3 bites of before I was sick of it, this was not that. Thank you very much to Jim and Trinidad for taking such good care of us and I hope we can come back soon. read more

Exciting menu and delicious food. Expert bartender makes amazing cocktails. Awesome gumbo soup and jumbalaya entree. I can't wait to come back! The service was very courteous and professional. Top notch waiter. My compliments to the restaurant manager who made it a point to make me feel very welcome. read more

Bluegrass - Chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

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It has been a very long time that I have not found a restaurant that has been as delightful to the senses as Bluegrass. Not only has the service been excellent but the food is amazing. The Shrimp and Grits is amazing! read more

I'm visiting from out of town, and was wary of the incredibly diverse menu, but decided to give this place a try anyway. And wow! I was not disappointed! The service was impeccable. The waitress was very attentive to my needs. The atmosphere was good. The bar looked really nice and well-stocked, but I wasn't able to indulge at the time. And the food... wow! Everything I had was delicious. From the caeser salad, to the bread and butter, to the steak and onion rings... it was all fantastic. I wish I had room left over to try dessert. I tried to go back a second time on a Monday, but they were closed and I was slightly heartbroken. But I'm going back before I leave! Absolutely nothing negative to say about this place. Fantastic experience. read more

Great little place. I cannot understand why it took 10 years for me to find this place. Service on a busy Saturday night was great. Everyone was super friendly and happy to have us. Small bar with an impressive craft beer list. When we sat down, we were immediately greeted with a complimentary fried calamari appetizer. My wife's order of the blackened grouper on top of crawfish and corn risotto was outstanding. I had the jambalaya which was good, chocked full of crawfish, but the sauce was off a bit. I am ruined because I hold all jambalayas up to the Mr. B's Bistro of New Orleans standard. Not fair, but I can't help myself. Definitely coming back again very soon. I need to test their BBQ. If their smoking skills are as good as the rest of the package, this could be a new favorite spot for us. The only drawback was the cost. Maybe the bar tab was high, but the total tab was pretty steep. I will pay more attention next time to the bill. read more

Everything was good and delicious. Had the crab and shrimp pasta . Never had a most wonderful pasta dish ever . Good customer service. Definitely will be back again read more

Bluegrass - shrimp and crab pasta . Wonderful dish ! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

Great place for Southern Food in this area. Our waitress was amazingly attentive, the restaurant is small but has a cozy feel to it. The food was delicious, and surprisingly quickly prepared. You should make reservation ahead of time. Definitely, plan on going back! read more

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