Our family of four went to Bluestone tonight and had a very disappointing experience. I like the looks of this place and it has a busy bar and buzzing atmosphere, but the food was uninspired and not worth going back for. My husband ordered a southwestern salad that was served on a dinner plate (wouldn't a bowl make more sense?) and had tiny bits of beef, a blob or browning guacamole and some tortilla strips on it. I had the chicken pot pie and found the pastry top to be too sweet for a savory dish and the chicken inside to be tough and over-browned for my tastes. One of my sons had chicken tenders, and they, and the fries they were served with were over-fried; the coating on the chicken was dark brown and the meat inside was dried out. My other son had the kid's spaghetti, and it was served in a soup cup - tiny portion - and was totally uninspiring. Serve it with some cheese or something! All in all the best part of our meal was the Diet Coke. read more

After wandering around this area looking for lunch, we decided on Bluestone (thanks to all the yelp reviews!). They did not disappoint. We easily got a patio table on a Sunday afternoon. We shared lunches so I was able to try the pot roast sandwich - called BOC (?) and the turkey burger with a chive and cranberry sauce. Pot roast sandwich was SO so good. Yum. And not tiny. Turkey burger was made because of the sauces. That was the good part. The patty itself was pretty blah. I wouldn't get that again unless they used a fresh turkey patty (this seemed like a frozen one to me). They had several other choices I was really interested in as well. Oh, how could I forget to mention the TATER TOTS!? Fun side, terrible for you but oh so good for a treat. I left stuffed and satisfied and really for my nap! read more

The first thing I ever heard about this place was that it was a hangout for middle aged divorcees in the area. If that is true then it must be a late night thing. I'm not of that ilk so I haven't seen that side of Bluestone. What I have seen is the early evening dinner aura and it is lively, with an interesting mix of overwrought, wine drinking mom's wrestling with their screaming, wandering kids. Then there are the blue-tooth wearing (in a bar?!), self-important dorks. The obligatory north shore blue hairs and then a larger mix of good old regular north shore suburbanites. The menu is rather unexciting. Someone previously called it "comfort food". I'd agree with that. As for wine, $8.50 for a mediocre (at best) Sutton merlot is a bit excessive. Stick with beer. There are too many much better restaurants in Evanston to frequent Bluestone (for this kind of menu try Tommy Nevin's), but with it's outdoor seating on Central Street and it's cozy bar, it does have its appeal. read more

Finding a place with nice ambiance, an interesting menu with a variety of items at reasonable prices (and where the food is truly worthy of your time and money) isn't always easy in the Chicagoland area. However, Bluestone delivers. Great drink menu (I highly recommend the Whiskey Ginger and the Smoky Margarita), nice appetizer selection (the Smoked Wings are like no other wings you've ever had), and great menu items from salads and sandwiches to a few creative entrees -- including a few specials that are creative and interesting. My husband had his hands full chipping away at a huge plate of ribs smothered in a nice coating of red sauce which he couldn't polish off despite his best efforts. Suffice it to say that he loved them. I ordered one of the specials, a stuffed onion served in a bed of mussels with shrimp, andouille sausage, and asparagus orzo. It was so flavorful! The beer selection features a wide variety to satisfy any palate. I skimmed the wines and I don't think you'd be disappointed in the choices there, either. Abby was an amazing server, very attentive but not intrusive. Drinks were never dry. The other tables were filled with a wide variety of patrons: young folks on dates, families, and retirees. Everybody appeared to be enjoying themselves. A few televisions were tuned in to baseball games, and the background music was just that, but I could easily recognize the tunes -- I am happy to report that I heard the Red Hot Chili Peppers at least 3 times over the course of a couple of hours, but there was a nice variety of music styles. After dinner, we enjoyed a nightcap at the cozy bar area, which appears to seat about 30'ish quite comfortably. Give them a try. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! read more

Good food and great beer selection. Also a nice fireplace. This will be our stand by as a restaurant that is close to home. Edit - I had to take this place down a star after last night. I ordered a dinner salad and got a plate of white iceberg lettuce and a thick dressing and was supposed to be a balsamic ving. Disappointed for sure as it isn't 1977 anymore. I really wanted a nice green salad with my pizza (that was very good) but for $4 it was terrible. They need to get with times. read more

When I lived in Wilmette, I passed by Bluestone many a time but never went in, but now visiting from San Francisco (where I now live), I stopped in with my dad and stepmother for lunch. It was a Friday around 12:30, but it looked like it was a toddler day car center there were so many little kids! That aside, we sat down and ordered some beers and sandwiches. I got the Italian beef simply because you can't get one in SF so I try to get one when I come to Chicago. The sandwich itself was good, but not as good as the more traditional offerings from Al's or Portillo's. You couldn't get it dipped, just 'au jus' and it came with cheese on top, which I see as a major faux pas (I opted against the fromage). The fries were quite good though as was their cole slaw. Overall, it was a nice place, but shear number of little kids there at the time made it feel like a pub in Lord of the Flies. read more

Food is great and a nice ambiance at Bluestone. I had the soup of the day which was sweet potato. A hearty serving for a good price. I also had the Bluestone chopped salad with grilled chicken and it was excellent. Parking is a bit difficult and it can be a little loud, but a great experience overall. read more

This place is under rated. Great beer selection, haven't had anything bad that I can recall. Pizza is great, as is Cajun shrimp, brussel sprouts salad, scallops, veggie quesadillas all great. read more

We've lived around the corner since long before there was a Bluestone and never tried it. No particular reason - just not our vibe. Anyway, tonight we did try it, were satisfied and will return. I had an excellent hamburger, though I was disappointed in the cold, soggy fries which the server quickly replaced. The fresh fries were very close to 5 Guys quality. My vastly better half had a pulled pork sandwich. She felt the sauce could have been sweeter, but that's a matter of personal taste. Her fried onions were tasty, but like my first batch of fries, cold. What others ordered looked good as it passed by. On the negative side, Bluestone is very, very noisy and the prices, particularly on the entres, are high. Sandwich prices are reasonable and portions are large. Overall, after years of ignoring it, we have discovered Bluestone and will return. read more

Tried Bluestone for the first time on Friday evening. It wasn't too busy, so we were sat right away. After 15 minutes, a waitress had still not greeted us. The host noticed and brought us water and said "Someone will be here soon" Another 5 minutes pass and the bartender came by and said "Oh no, has she still not come by?" And took our drink order for us. ANOTHER 10 minutes went by, so I approached the hostess and said "Im so sorry, but we haven't met our waitress. Can you call someone over?" She agreed to help and suddenly, a waitress who had walked past my table ignoring us all night approached and said "What's up? Did you need another beer? Or did you want to order food?" RIDICULOUS! No greeting, no apology or explanation. Happened to notice that this waitress seemed pretty attentive toward white customer. A table that was sat after us received food and drinks before us. Food was mediocre. Won't be going back. Bluestone, train your waitresses to treat everyone equally. Thanks! read more

Bluestone is a great neighborhood place to grab a quick burger or pizza. We leave nearby and have been a few times since moving to the neighborhood. The wait is never crazy, and service is always great & quick. I have gotten the turkey burger and it's delicious. I've also enjoyed their soups (moreso lately, with the endless cold we seem to be getting). Good beer selection on draft and a cozy atmosphere. Not too expensive, and comfortable seating. I'm sure we will back many times over the years! read more

If you find yourself biking around Central Street with a hankering for American cuisine and a cold beer, you could do worse than come to Bluestone. They have a pretty good beer selection - lots of microbrews, many from the midwest (Great Lakes, Bells, Goose Island). The Edmund Fitzgerald porter was a good choice this day. We ordered two 14" pizzas, one with roasted garlic and one with sausage. The roasted garlic pizza was underwhelming; something about it just didn't work out the way it should have. I was expecting a nice gooey cheesy pizza with whole roasted cloves of garlic, but no. At one point it was described as "cheese on a cracker", which may have been a bit harsh, but it gives you an idea. The sausage pizza looked pretty tasty, though. I still surprised at how the choice of topping could have made such a big difference. Not bad people watching here, if you're into the latest trends in strollers. And to the older single woman who ordered a pizza and martini, then teetered to the bus stop - you're living the life! read more

I used to live within walking distance of Bluestone, so I went there semi regularly. Even though it has been a few years, since I was in the area, it seems like the reviews are accurate from what I remember. The food is good. Burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads. All very good. I never ordered the entrees, but the food was well done. Some favorites were the chicken quesadilla and the chicken pesto sandwich - not sure if that one is still on the menu. I never had any problems with the food that I can recall. The service was slow. Period. Always. If I had someplace to be and wanted lunch Bluestone was not the place to go to get something quick. I never had bad service, everyone was always friendly and attentive, but really, really slow. It also used to be crowed at times and there would be a wait for tables, usually you could get a seat in the bar area, but it is not a huge place. The place is definitely family friendly. Which can be good and bad. Sometimes the kids can be noisy and unruly and the place is on the smaller side. Interpret that how you will. Prices. I always felt like the place was a little expensive for what it was. Food was good, service slow but friendly, prices a few dollars too high in my opinion for what it was. Seems to be a similar observation in the other reviews I read. If I was in the area again and not in a hurry, I might be tempted to stop in. Glad to support a local place with good food and friendly service. read more

Stopped here on a game day, as it's the ONLY place to grab a drink on Central Ave near Ryan Field. Wait staff was HUSTLING, as it was packed! Same was true after the game, when we stopped to grab a bite to eat. They have some tables set up outside, which helps since the place isn't too big. It only took about 15 minutes to wait for a table for 4, despite the standing room only inside. The place is not a typical Big 10 bar. While they have the helmets of all Big 10 teams on display above the bar, the rest of the place is covered with flags from different golf courses across the country. We found our Olympia Fields U.S. Open flag from 2003, which we remembered very clearly, as we lived in the area at the time. Food was really great. Pizza has super thin crust, and was not skimpy on the toppings requested. Chipolte chicken tostada appetizer was flavorful without the overkill of spice, and was a good size portion. Drinks aren't cheap here, but you can get a good beer on tap (Miller, Coors, etc. are only served in bottles), and watch whatever game happens to be on after the Cats play. Overall, a great little place to stop on game day, IF you're not afraid of crowds! read more

If you're looking for good pub food (burgers, pizza) in a no-frills and sporty atmosphere, Bluestone is the place. Angus cheese burger was good with a nice vinegar slaw on the side. Pizza is thin crust and is their specialty. Seems like it's popular with families since most tables had people with kids at lunchtime. Service was friendly and knowledgeable about their variety of beers on tap. Large screen tv had NBC Sports on. I think if you are a sports fan and want to catch the game while dining, this is a good choice in the area. read more

Maybe I'm a little biased on this place seeing as how I'm one of its Startenders lol, but this is the only place Ive tended bar at that I actually go to when I am not working. I pop in and hang out with the regulars or order take-out pretty often. Everyone's friendly, the atmosphere is casual and relaxed, and the food and drink prices are very reasonable; nice portions and pours. Some of my favs are the B.C.O (pulled pot roast sandwich with cheddar and onions), smoked wings (in-house) and Scallop Risotto! I recommend our Angel's Envy Ginger drink which has our homemade ginger syrup and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Bluestone ROCKS!!!!!!! read more

Last night was our second time venturing out to this place and while I don't remember much about the first time... (no I wasn't drunk, just nothing stood out) this time the burger was amazing and all I had on it was bacon. Just a bacon hamburger... meat on meat with some ketchup/mustard and it was delicious. The captain and coke I had was more to my liking than the ones I had at the place we went the night before (much stronger). When we first sat down a waitress came up to our table to take our drink orders, but she made sure to tell us that she wasn't our actual server, but she wanted to make sure we got drinks because our server was pretty busy at the moment. So at first I was like, great the service is going to be really slow, but once our actual server came over and started helping us she was totally fine so I actually appreciate the fact that someone else came over to take our drink orders first. Good show. Like I said, food and drinks were good, my mom even exclaimed that it was the best burger she's had in a long time so again, good show Blue Stone. I've also been told that the ribs are very good, but I can't say for sure since I've never had them. read more

Bluestone, you have made me happy a few times. Most recently a few weeks ago. We came in looking for a decent lunch, a couple beers, and to be able to catch a game. All of this delivered. We enjoyed our visit, had fairly speedy service, and left happy. This is a 3.5 stars. ITs not gourmet, but it doesn't need to be. read more

Love this always great local place. Warm friendly atmosphere great specials. Yummy smoked chicken wings, need a little kick sauce on the side. Wonderful sandwiches, fresh fish, all here is worthy. Nice bar too. Yummy desserts. Well worth the trip. Very attentive staff, always. During cold winter times try to sit near the fireplace. Feels more like I am at my favorite Colorado ski resort. Which is a good thing. Did I mention the smoked wings! Yes, yes I did awesome. read more

I personally HATE televisions in restaurants, but it seems like it's hard to avoid in Chicago, and they're huge and all over this place. this is not a place to have a conversation over dinner, this is a place to have bad food and "watch the game." The nachos are served with that plastic, fluorescent orange gel that is called "cheese" that you find at a concession stand at the beach. Enough said. I just can't imagine anything else could be good if that is considered food by a cook. read more

Great atmosphere, and cozy friendly environment! In the summertime there is a beautiful patio, and when its cold out a fire blazes in the dining room. The seasonal holiday decorations lend to the home away from home feeling. I enjoy the fresh daily rotating specials, especially when the mussels make an appearance! The Lettuce Wraps, Scallop Entree, and smoked wings are some of my other favorites! The staff always seems to be having a great time and enjoy working together, and the owners are hands on and always make you feel welcome. My top neighborhood pick! read more

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Stopped by for a late lunch (3:30) -- quiet, warm and friendly spot that's ideal for an afternoon of work. Great beer menu, solid tea menu, but it's the french onion soup... absolutely spectacular -- chicken parm sandwich also very good. But that soup. Wow. Well worth getting outside of the Main/Davis area of Evanston to check it out. Strongly recommend it. read more

Have been twice now on Saturdays for lunch sat inside and outside both great. Pulled pork sandwich and fried chicken sandwich were done well and pesto pizza is a favorite. Best part of this place is the staff, super nice, helpful, quick. Is the go-to lunch spot on Central St close to the Metra in Evanston. read more

My BF and I went when we had to jaunt out to Evanston on Friday night for an errand. Errand? Friday night? Yes, that's what happens when your Drivers License is in a bar from post-Northwestern-game-shenanigans the weekend prior. This place is busy on Friday evening. We were able to wedge into a spot in the bar area, each with a drink in hand, we were fine waiting and taking it all in... There were TONS of kids here. Yes, I understand that Evanston is not Lincoln Park - so there are kids who need to eat dinner too. But the way my boyfriend said it - this is like chucky cheese. yikes! We got seated in the tri fecta of tables completed by a table of adult friends and the table of their related 6 kids under 10. NICE! The parents apologized, saying things like "I hope this isn't your first date". No, it wasn't, and we always have a good time, but I could count at least 15 friends of mine who would have refused to sit where we were seated. Food was alright - I had beef wellington - which incorporated the right flavors, but was not beef wellington. The BF got boar, which was one of the specials, and he liked. The menu has something for everyone. I guess it's nice that there is somewhere to take your kids in Evanston that has good atmosphere and a good menu, but I'm not ready for it. read more

Fun, family-friendly, sports-friendly restaurant right on Central Street. Expect the usual suspects: burgers, pizzas, chicken wings, etc. Someone at the table next to us got the Italian beef, and that looked very good. It's packed with people, but they do have a good number of seats, and a bar. Be prepared for your clothes to smell like what you ate, even the next day. I was sporting an Angus-burger with grilled onions fragrance 24 hours later! read more

Oh Bluestone. I tried. Honest. To their credit, after my previous review, a manager contacted me and offered to make it better the next time I came in. Of course this past time, it wasn't a planned visit. The food was ridiculously slow. Again. The two stars is that the server was nice, even if she barely paid attention to us, and the food was delicious, even if it took forever to get to our table. read more

Two words: French Fries!! This place has wonderful French Fries.... Am sure it has a number of fabulous edibles, but my friend and I over dosed on a rather large order of their house made French Fries, which were divine. I noticed they had a marvelous Roast Duck as a Dinner Entree and we split a delicious Rueben. But, I am sold on the...FRENCH FRIES!! Yum. read more

Bluestone is a great place to hang out, grab a beer, and just chill. Huge booths to stretch out in - great vibe. Food is great too. Mostly typical pub fare, but done really well. Burgers, sandwiches, salads. We made it one weekend for brunch, and had the best homemade hash I've had in a long time. I've had their burgers, rubens, pot roast sandwich, and jambalaya (I think it was a special - not on the menu) - all delicious. Great selection of craft beers too! Nothing like a good stout with hash and a couple of poached eggs for breakfast! read more

Great beer selection, decent food, very family friendly. Just a solid, TVs-are-showing-sports pub with a friendly staff and clientele. read more

Stopped here for lunch on a bike ride only because our original destination was closed and we were too hungry to keep biking. We should have kept going. I had the special of the day - blackened tuna sandwich with wasabi mayo and cole slaw. The seasoning on the tuna was nice - spicy but not overpowering. Tuna was cooked to the point of being dry. Wasabi mayo was more like Miracle Whip with cayenne pepper - it was pale red and sweet not green with some kick. Worst part - the cole slaw. It was swimming in dressing - which I believe means that they fill the coleslaw cups and then let them sit in the refrigerator causing the dressing to leech the moisture out of the cabbage. My friend ordered the wings - which were standard bar fare wings. Fried and then dipped in the barbecue sauce that looked and tasted like Open Pit. We were sitting outside - no condiments on the table. Water glasses were never refilled and we weren't asked if we wanted a drink refill. Overall - mediocre service for mediocre food. read more

We had a lunch meeting here, and the staff was really friendly! We only had drinks, but the food looked really delicious and we can't wait to come back sometime to try it! Nice, casual place for a group lunch-- we saw some sort of alumni reunion event happening at another table, which was totally appropriate for the sports bar-cafe sort of vibe this place offers. read more

Horrid calamari fried in cool grease and served soggy by an entitled waitress does not get a restaurant a good review. Combine that with bathrooms fit for Egypt and one has the ambience of a college watering hole without the debauchery or spirit. read more

Food here is generally very good and prices are pretty standard for a bar and grill type restaurant. I've had burgers there before which are pretty good. Also once had a steak sandwich (limited time special) which was fantastic. The décor is very neat at this place. I am a big golfer and all over the walls are flags form various courses around the world. Very cool to point to some that are far away like Hawaii and remember that you've played there. Good experience and definitely consider it a solid choice for dinner. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Evanston! I love the crisp, fresh salads. The thin crust pizzas are also delicious! A great atmosphere for a quick dinner or a lunch with friends. read more

We came her for a quick drink after the Northwestern football game. I couldn't believe thus was the only place on Central St that you could get a drink at. There was a good amount of outdoor seating, which didn't look cramped at all. We decided to grab a table inside. We immediately got a seat, but had to wait a while to get served, which was understandable because it was very crowded. I ordered the loaded tots, which has cheese, bacon, sour cream, green onion. The loaded tots were delicious and crispy. I tasted ever flavor of the dish and it wasn't too hot. I wish there was a bigger beer list, but that's just a minor request. I can't wait to try the other food items on the menu in future visits. read more

I love this place anytime I am in Evanston! The beer selection is great, the food is even better. Their Fonz sandwich is amazing as is their western salad---i hate salad but I love this one. Their quesadillas r massive and delicious read more

If you're looking for a romantic dinner spot, keep moving along. If you're looking for a great place to watch the game (especially Northwestern games) and have some very good bar food and a high quality brew, then this is a great place to stop. Very friendly staff, great food, and good service. read more

I've been here twice now, once for lunch and once for dessert and drinks. Pros: Drinks are reasonably priced, good atmosphere, service is attentive, food is generally very good (get the pot roast sandwich, stay away from the Italian beef) Cons: Food prices are definitely steep, beer selection is very heavy on the hoppier stuff (perhaps this is a seasonal thing?) Overall, this is a good place for a casual dinner; I'll be back. read more

Very good food. Hopped in on a Thursday at 5pm for a quick bite while traveling for business in the area. Parking on the street was quick and easy. They let me order some chips and salsa off-menu for $6 and I choose the 1/2-lbs. Burger with Monterey Jack, bacon and avocado on an egg bun. It was perfect, cooked well and just the size I wanted with great tots on the side. Check was reasonable. If I lived in the area I would definitely come again. read more

Bluestone is a cool little hip neighborhood bar/restaurant. Good beer selection and good food. Prices aren't too bad either. Cool place to have a few drinks, eat some good ol' American comfort foods and hang out for a while. read more