Bryan's Garage is honest and accurate. We've taken our cars there for over a decade.

My husband and I have been going to Bryan's Garage for years. We depend upon them to keep our cars running smoothly and safely. I am so grateful for their honesty, integrity and amazing service. If you are looking for trust worthy mechanics you need not look any further. They are the best!! read more

Low pricing for the rear brakes replaced. Other places charged almost twice as much. Thank you! read more

Bryan's Garage - Bryan's Garage - Auto Repair Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Terrible service if you want your money wasted go to the most ripoff mechanic ever. Your car just gonna stay there for a couple months any they not gonna do anything and just call you to pick it up and say that they did the work but the never did and make you pay read more

Thanks for helping get my son's Jeep fixed. Living out of town makes it hard to maintain a vehicle for a college student. You guys were upfront on what was needed and checked with me through the whole process. If we need more service, you will be the one. Thanks... read more

I'm sad to write this review. Really, I am. My husband and I had been steady customers of Bryan's Garage for years. We like to support local businesses, and had, for the most part, found Bryan's to be fast, reliable, and courteous. But our most recent experience with Bryan's has left a very bitter taste in our mouth, for three reasons: 1) They misquoted the job by about $200 2) The owner was amazingly rude, hostile and even punitive, when we tried to discuss this with her 3) Worst of all, the repair was incorrectly done, endangering our car and potentially our lives. In January, we brought our 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid to Bryan's to replace the front brakes, a repair they had recommended. It turned out that the right front brake also needed a new caliper, and the car itself needed an oil change. When they initially quoted the job to us, they said the new brakes would run around $500, and the oil change would be extra, of course. Then, after beginning the work, they called to let me know one of the brakes needed a new caliper. "So what's the total?" I asked. "About $780," said the mechanic who called. I gave the OK, but when I went to pick up the car, the amount they billed us was a full 20% higher than the original quote. What they had told me would be a $780 job turned out to be closer to $1,000. I unhappily paid the extra amount, but left a message with the shop asking the owner to call me back. When I expressed my dismay, the owner first tried to tell me that there was "no way" the work could have been completed for price originally quoted. I told her that was fine; my issue was with the discrepancy on the bill. I believed they should have called to tell me the job would cost $200 more than what they had originally quoted, rather than leave it as a surprise at the end. To my surprise, the owner continued to argue with me over this point. Now, no customer enjoys being gaslit, and I continued to explain that the issue was not with the final price, but with her expectation that I should be OK with a 20% discrepancy between a quote and a final bill. She asked what would make me happy. I told her it would be nice if they would honor the original quote, but what I would appreciate even more would be if they took responsibility for their handling of the situation and didn't try to make it the customer's fault. I told her I didn't expect her to do the former, but that the latter was completely within her control. To my (happy!) surprise, she said she would credit me the difference between the quote and the bill. She also, for some reason, mentioned a "free oil change" -- perhaps as an alternative way to think about the credit, though I am not sure why. Wow! I thought. She's just turned a disgruntled customer back into a fan! I told her that I deeply appreciated her crediting the difference - that was all she had to do. I told her I wasn't looking for anything else, certainly not a free oil change on top of the credit. So I headed back to the shop to receive the credit, feeling grateful. But the situation, unfortunately, did not end there. As I began to thank the owner for resolving the situation, she angrily cut me off. "We NEVER would have offered you a free oil change on top of a credit," she said. "See, YOU have a problem understanding these situations. The problem's on YOUR end, not ours. We can't have you as a customer anymore." I was stunned at her tone -- and by her hostility. Of course, a few choice words came to mind, but I had decided already that I would never return to Bryan's Garage, so it was clear nothing would be gained by any retort. I left, shaking my head, and figured that would be the end of it. But that was not to be. A week later, the brakes that Bryan's had replaced suddenly began to fail after we had driven out of state. All the lights on the dashboard went on, and when we checked the brake fluid, it had almost entirely leaked out. We rushed the car to a different shop, and the mechanic there explained that: 1) Bryan's hadn't flushed the ABS brake system sufficiently, which had created some sort of vacuum that had pulled all the brake fluid out of the system. And then 2) we discovered that damaged washers on a caliper that Bryan's had replaced had not only been reused - they had been screwed on so tightly that they were causing additional leakage of the brake fluid. Addressing both issues cost us another $500. We called Bryan's and explained what had happened. Our aim was not to get any sort of a credit, but to ensure that they were aware of their oversight so that no future customers would be placed in similar jeopardy. We asked the mechanic to relay our message to the owner. Of course, she never called us back. And thus ends not only our terrible, dangerous experience with Bryan's, but also a relationship with a business we had patronized for 15 years. read more

We have brought our cars (Volvo, Lexus, Pathfinder) since they opened many years ago and have received excellent service every time. We have recommended Bryan's to many friends who have all been happy! Great service at a fair price read more

This is an honest, competent and fair-priced business My daughters Jeep grand Cherokee was experiencing significant vibration at highway speed's. The guys at Bryan's garage balanced the front tires and checked everything else out for less than $50. Other Northshore quotes range from over 100 to over 250 and suggested that she need brakes, front end alignment, and even new wheels. Bryan's gets my vote and our business. read more

My 19-year old son brought his car in for a simple repair, Replacing a ground wire and battery terminal, Bryan's only did half a repair, and when the wire fell off and the car died on the way home, he was told to pay for a tow truck out of pocket to bring it back to fix the repair. The wire itself was spliced, not repaired, and "grounded" by placing it between the battery and the metal platform. I feel like they took advantage of his youth, inexperience and mild manners, and while they may have fixed it right the second time, given the chance, it was a simple enough repair that it wasn't worth paying for a tow truck ourselves to fix it. This was an extremely simple repair and I'm shocked that they not only couldn't get it right, and charged him for the full service, but that they told him he was responsible for bringing it back to the shop when it died on the way home, less than a mile from the shop. I've used Bryan's before and always felt they were reasonable, but in this case, I think they did this shoddy job because they didn't expect to be held responsible by a teenager. I called and spoke to one of their technicians about this problem, the day it happened, and after promising to talk to Bryan and get back to me, I've had no response in 4 days. read more

I just had a new transmission thrown in my car which is an expensive affair that you just pray is done right. First off, these guys gave me a great run down of my options. When I ended up choosing to replace the transmission, they did it for less than the price I was quoted at (my now former) mechanic and in much less time. Finally, they did a great job. So even if they were not so convenient for me (in re location) I would still avail myself of their services over any other mechanic I have had the misfortune to employ. On a side note, they are just pleasant people. I don't mean the regular phony customer service smiles either. They seem to be genuinely good people over there. I'd always prefer to give my money to local small businesses run by good people than to chains or mean people. read more

Always great prompt and friendly service. Good work at a good price. Have been several times and we are always taken care of and with no hassle. Unfortunately we moved out the neighborhood but we still make the drive to get their service. read more

I should preface this review by saying I've had a number of really bad experiences with mechanics. Thus, I go into new mechanic relationships completely on the defense. Bryan changed all of that. This is a small unspectacular garage on Central St in Evanston, and you'd probably drive past it without thinking twice. Were it not for some stellar word of mouth from friends and family, I'd never have thought to bring my car in. Boy am I glad I did. Bryan is the man! He's friendly, funny, and totally willing to explain stuff to a total car idiot. The service has been excellent, and I feel like my car is in great hands. His prices have been affordable, and I'd recommend him to anyone. It may be a bit out of the way for people in downtown Evanston, but worth it. read more

After my warranties expired, I have had two Volvo's serviced at Bryan's Garage. Each encounter lived up to their motto "Old time service for a high tech world". Brian and his experienced staff take the time to fully understand the problems, diagnose when necessary, offer expert advice and deliver comprehensive service at fair prices - importantly on time and within my budget. Highly recommended! read more

This is a great shop! We had to have our ancient Volvo fixed here (our regular cars are back on the West coast). I was nervous about finding an auto shop in the area and this experience was truly great! The bill came out to be less than the original estimate and we had to leave the car at the shop for about a week while we were on vacation and it was no problem. Go here for cheap, reliable auto care! read more

This is the greatest auto shop that I have ever been to!! The guys there are super friendly and responsible. Their prices are really reasonable. They care the customers and never suggest you pay more than necessary. The other day I had my engine light on and speedometer stopped working. I went to Meineke on Green Bay, after charging me $50 for code diagnose and showing me over ten codes, they told me replace both computer system and transmission (which costs around $2000). I was freaked out and dropped my car at Bryan's Garage. Not checking anything, after listening to the symptoms, Bryan immediately told me the reason, which was one fuse was blown when I jump started my car. The next day they replaced that fuse and everything gets back to work. I only paid $65 for the diagnose, fuse and the labor. Bryan explained every detail to me and let me be aware the potential problems (that were not urgently to be fixed recently). I was totally satisfied with this great auto shop and impressed by their working attitude. I have been moved to Evanston for one and half years. This is the nicest auto shop I have ever been to. I would recommend it to all of my friends. read more

Two Volvos brought from Grossinger. Repairs always on the high side,after warranties ends,We had to sell the first and last born. Then came Bryan's...we holding our breath knowing we could blow five grand on the services needed,but off we soared...leap of faith. We spent $3200.00 on 2001 V70 and 2002 S80. But look at the list of what was done: 105k service on both oil changes,filter change,cabin filter, pollen filter both V70 door locks (2) Wiper blades Bushing Cv boots -2 wiper blades rear rotors/breaks S80 light bulbs 2 hood lifts -2 ball joints-2 hood lifts-2 rotate tires timing belt/tensors on both And to end all we are averaging about 2 more miles to the gallon. That is huge. And both cars run better than they ever did after servicing at Grossinger. I don't know about my husband,but I'm in LOVE!!!!! read more

These guys are wonderful. Knowledgeable, upfront about costs and very reasonably priced. We only trust our car at Bryan's Garage!

Bryan's Garage just saved our road trip weekend. We've taken our car there for years for regular service. Recently they gave us a new alternator and said battery needed to be replaced. Husband says he'll do it himself. Takes it to auto parts store. They say battery is fine. A few days later we're packed up and ready for a road trip. Car won't start. Bryan's sent someone to our car and got it started. Drove to the garage where they had already ordered our new battery and were waiting for it to arrive. Then realized a car with the brand new battery we needed was still on their lot. They removed it, put it in our car and had us on our way. They honestly saved the weekend, and not a single "I told you so" even though we deserved it. Not sure what we'd have done otherwise. Please take your car to Bryans. Friendly, fast, knowledgeable, honest. THANK YOU BRYAN'S!! read more

I came in to town to visit family and following the 4hr drive to Chicago, one of my rear brake calipers starting sticking. As a result, the brake pad was staying pressed against the rotor, scoring it up, and I knew there was no way I was going to make it home without more serious damage occurring. I was incredibly short on time (discovered this on a Sunday when everyplace is closed, had to be home by Monday night), and after Bryan's was recommended, I called them as soon as they opened on Monday morning and they had me back on the road before lunch time. Highly recommended. read more

Well, I hate to do this but I really cannot stand bad customer service, especially over the phone. I called about my tire and the woman who answered the phone at Bryan's kept cutting me off so I was not able to fully explain the situation. When I got the chance to explain, she was snarky about it as if I didn't know there is a difference between a blown out tire replacement vs. a flat tire repair. LISTEN to the problem BEFORE you speak, and above all, filter your snarkiness as much as possible, especially within the first 3 minutes of talking. read more

I strongly recommend Bryan's garage. I have a '99 Lexus with over 200k miles on it and I am positive that I will have it working by 300k. I trust them and won't go anywhere else until I move out of state. True story: even though I had been to Bryan's a few times and had good experiences, I decided to try out another shop that also had a high rating on yelp and that was closer to my home. They diagnosed the problem but said they couldn't fix it until the following week. So, I went back to Bryan's, told him what the problem was and he fixed it in one day and charged me $320 LESS than what the first shop said it would cost! I was relieved/shocked. I also appreciate that they will give you honest assessments on issues. My car is old, so there are frequent problems, but only some of them really affect driveability and/or safety. For the non-essential items, we talk it over, see if it's worth the money, and if it is, I get a little extra time to save for it. Straight talk from your mechanic makes a huge difference. read more

I have looked everywhere for an honest and budget friendly mechanic, save yourself a lot of time and just go here. Not only did they fix my volvos emissions issue, they took it to the test center for me! The nicest guys and wonderful service. read more

I can't recommed Bryan's Garage enough. The staff (especially Brenton) are extremely helpful, prompt, responsive and honest. They can diagnose a multitude of issues and they are timely in fixing these issues. As a woman, one can feel taken advantage of when it comes to automotive issues and I NEVER feel this way with Bryan's Garage. read more

Honest and fair mechanics! Have taken two different cars regularly, and they've always done well by me. They're very open about work that needs to be done then vs. what can wait, and I always get a fair price. I trust their work and they're almost always able to do it in a timely manner read more

We started taking our old Volvo here and Bryan was great (he spent a lot of years up at Hubbard Woods Motors where they just do Volvos). We bring our Prius there now. The shop has grown a bit, so I don't always know who is working on the car, but they remain honest and reliable. read more

Bryan is the best - I had a SAAB 9-5 that was a problem child and I spent a lot of money with Bryan but at no time did I feel like he was taking advantage of me. (When he told me everything he had done half the time it sounded like it was a bargain!) Once I had a very weird problem and he researched it online for a while and figured it out Sherlock-Holmes style. When you have cars like SAABs and Volvos, having a Bryan around is a godsend! read more

Taken my 2016 Honda Pilot here a few times and I'm happy with my experience with Bryan Garage. They seem fair, honest and reasonably priced. Had my thermostat valve replaced in '17 and shocks done in '16. They didn't try to upsell me or find more work for them to make money on my car. Easy, down earth, real people. Hope they continue to stay that way. read more

Best Volvo shop in Chicago. Brenton is the best! read more

I recently had my car checked twice at their place because I suspected problems with engine mounts and brakes. They are very nice to provide quick inspection even when I just drop in. However I still feel treated a little impatiently when I talk with the owner through phone to discuss my problem. Will go back if any fixes come up. read more

I have known Bryan for many years. He worked for many years at Hubbard Woods Motors in Winnetka learning the trade where he cared for my autos. After he left there, he opened his own shop on Central Street in Evanston. Bryan and all his staff are all top notch. They do superior work and always take the time to make sure you understand what is to be done. I trust Bryan to do only the work that is needed. I highly recommend them if you live in the area! read more

My Hyundai Elantra had the undercarriage cover come loose and was bent under the car. I live very close to Bryan's Garage and knew I couldn't afford a tow to get to my normal repair shop. Walked over to Bryan's around 3 pm and asked what we could do. He told me to bring it over and he would have it all fixed up by 5pm the same night. I slowly drove the car to the lot and he took my information. Sure enough, he calls at 5pm letting me know it was all ready. I was expecting a 100-200 dollar charge, but 20 dollars was the total bill. I don't remember the last time anything on my car cost 20 dollars or took 2 hours the same day to repair. The next morning I picked up the car and the woman who greeted me was quite friendly. She sealed the deal in making Bryan's my new go-to place to have my car work done. Thanks for being fair, kind, and close! read more

Never go to Bryan's, they just suck your money for nothing. I was there for a check engine light, and I told them I got it done from autozone and it says cat problem. I wanted them to fix it and quote how much would I spend. Instead they did exactly the same thing autozone did, read the codes in less than a minute and charged me 30 bucks. wow! 30 bucks for 1 minute labor!! They didnt check anything else, frankly, just read out the codes and no quotes for repair, it takes additional money! I asked them their hourly labor charge and it is 98 or so, I wouldnt be upset if they charged me 10 bucks or so which is nominal for 1 minute job. They started explaining the business to me and I left the place wasting no time. And yes, I told them I will never go back to them. Surely, the worst place I ve ever visited. What did I do here, just gave 30 bucks for absolutely nothing!! I read the reviews posted here and got there thinking that they are local mechanic and stuff.. ridiculous! I trusted the positive reviews here, that was stupid. read more

Bryan and Brenton are great. :0) My 2008 Dodge Charger has 139K miles on it, and still drives like new. It's essential to keep a high-mileage car running smooth that you have a shop that tells you when you need what, tells you what you don't need, and that doesn't take you for a ride. read more

Great auto shop in Evanston! Bryan, Brenton and the crew know their stuff, high quality service at a reasonable price. They are very attentive to service and basically provide all my car repair/maintenance, check-up needs (personal "car doctor"). read more

Bryan's is great. They fit me in last minute and gave me a really thorough diagnostic on my car. Bryan walked me through each issue himself (it's a 2002 with 211k miles), telling me what needed to be fixed and within what time horizon. He told me which repairs could slide and then he gave me the best quotes on repairs that I've seen since moving to the north shore a year ago. I will be back for all the repairs. read more

I was recommended to Bryan's by a friend who had carried both their vans to him. I followed up and was most pleased with the time of service, the explanation of the problem, the review of the previous services that I had done someplace else and above all, the reasonable price for services delivered. My car has not run this smooth with no sounds in over 5 years and I have payed enormous amounts for service. Let me mention that my car is 16 years old with 90,000 plus miles and I love it. I will continue to take my car to Bryan and highly recommend him with no reservation. read more

These guys are very skilled and honest. I took my car in to a different garage and they tried to sell me a $700 repair, then I took it to Bryan's and they fixed the problem for just $216. It sometimes takes a few days to get an appointment but that's because they have a good reputation. read more

Bryan's Garage is great! They are now my go to shop for my Volvo 850. Bryan, Brenton and the guys were honest, patient with all of my questions and provided high quality service at a great price. It can take a few days to get an appointment, but they are worth it. read more

A friend has been telling me for years how great Bryan's Garage is, well I recently found out that is the case first hand. My car died the other night and I had to have it towed, so I sent it to Bryan's. They told me they were swamped but would check it out as soon as they could. Less than 48 hours later my battery was replaced along with a couple of other items I asked them to fix. They cost was very reasonable and the service was great. I will have no problem taking my car there in the future. read more

I was referred by the shop Bryan previously worked at. He and his staff have done a fantastic job each time, from replacing a clutch to diagnosing a variety of smaller problems that I couldn't figure out. It is a hike for me to get there, but they are very trustworthy and the value is excellent. read more