I've been making brisket forever and the one I bought from them was the best one ever. Excellent quality.

I come here only to grab some eggs as the quality is exceptional, however the meat always looks delicious when I come in. Definitely need to try them at some point. Staff have always been friendly and prompt with service. read more

Homestead Meats is one of our favorite butcher shops. We first visited Homestead Meats last year. We noticed that they carried beef bacon, so we thought we would pick up some while we were in town. Turns out that was the best beef bacon that we have ever had. So when we knew we would be back in town, we thought we would place an order for some more beef bacon. I called and spoke to Ehran who is also the owner. I was hoping to order about 10 pounds of beef bacon. Ehran explained that they work with small batches with products from local farms and while he could prepare an order that size, he would need more time. So we settled on having a few pounds put aside. When we arrived at Homestead Meats, they had our bacon ready. It was vacuum sealed and ready for us to take home. Even though they were running low on product due to the holidays, they still had some beef bacon in their case. So we decided to pick up another pound of bacon, some sausages, and beef jerky. Everything looked really good and there are several options to select from including cheeses, stocks and cooking essentials. We loaded up our cooler and look forward to doing that again next time we are in town. read more

See all

I ordered a butterflied leg of lamb and it was delicious. The price was far better than most too. I'll be back. This was my first time here. read more

Homestead is my go to place for Christmas rib roast. This years was nicely marbled and a nice fat cap on it. super flavor. It did not disappoint. read more

Made the most delicious charcuterie board with prosciutto, Coppa, duck liver pate, etc. SALTY, DELICIOUS... WORTH IT. read more

Homestead Meats - charcuterie board made with homestead meats - Butcher Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I really like Homestead Meats. I used to go inside, but now I call in my order and do curbside pickup. They are very helpful and knowledgeable and willing to order anything I want. It feels good to support a local shop. read more

Homestead Meats - Beautiful NYStrip - Butcher Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I almost did not want to write this... I don't want it to get overrun! From the few times I have been here I have been delighted with the quality of the meats, authenticity of the prepared products, preparations, and the owner. I took home a slice of the the Country Pate. It was replete, with boiled egg centered inside each slice and the flavor was sublime... how you want a pate to taste... simple yet complex. And there was the Merguez Lamb Sausage with it's hints of spice (cumin, paprika?, garlic, etc)... all the flavors were spot-on and in balance. I picked up some Bacon as well. They offered a rosemary and a smoked, I got both. They are simply some of the best bacon I have ever had. Yes, its bacon and any bacon is good... No, this is the real thing and is leagues better than anything else I have had. They also have a Guanciale that I will be going back to try... The owner is really nice and seems to be dedicated to delivering small scale, locally sourced (from farm to shop), and honest ingredients. He spoke of knowing the farmers and how they raise the animals... What more can you ask from a butcher/deli? Too much to say about their philosophy and all that, you can check out their Facebook page for more details and you can Google about their former "E & P Meats" history. Okay... you get the point, awesome place! read more

Homestead Meats - Butcher Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

See all

Ordered from here early in the summer and thought it was pretty good and we try to support small biz especially during pandemic even though its a bit of a drive for us. I called a few months later to order again and whoever answered the phone was pretty sarcastic with me. I wanted to get a big standing rib roast for Christmas and despite being a little apprehensive about my last experience my wife convinced me to give it another try so I called early yesterday afternoon Me. " Can I make an order for Christmas" Homestead "I doubt it because we are out of everything but why don't you tell me what you need and you may surprise me" Me. Thanks. I will call someplace else A very simple we are not taking any more orders before Christmas but thanks for calling and try us again in the future would have worked just fine for me. I next called Joseph's on Addison and they were very polite and helpful as I had some questions about making an extremely expensive purchase and I was all set I needed meat and not attitude and while I am happy this place is busy I am not going to choose to spend large amounts of my money someplace that is so cocky about it read more

Really great products and a rare find these days. I discovered Homestead Meats by accident a month or two ago and I've been going to them for all of my dairy, egg, and meat needs since. The meats are fresh and reasonably priced considering they're very high-quality, and the local ownership of the store gives you a chance to talk and get recommendations when you need them. Sometimes the store can be quite busy and the employees there are understandably a bit short on time, so I'd recommend calling them when the store is not as busy and placing an order in advance. Kudos to Ehran and the team for sourcing the meats the way we ought to, in direct contradiction to the unhealthy mass market farming practices we see almost everywhere else. keep up the good work! read more

I'm not really into the "Farm to Table" trend. I have no issue with it, nor is it a deciding factor to me whatsoever. However, I am a "Meat Specialist". This is a Carnivores candy store. Homestead Meats is a small scale operation that butchers quality meat in limited supply; basically a "trapped market" for people willing to pay "Top Dollar" for Rosemary Seasoned Bacon. This is a $pecialty Butcher $hop, "So don't forget to bring your Jukebox Money". Is it worth it? Only if you think so! read more

Homestead Meats - Rosemary Seasoned Bacon - Butcher Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

See all

Being new to the neighborhood, I was really excited to try this place as all the reviews were outstanding. That being said, I called ahead to place an order for just a simple pork butt, following their guidelines, and the manager was extremely rude and basically hung up, stating that she wasn't taking any orders for the day (hours before closing). So just to recap: They don't allow customers to come in at all, which is fine, but then you're also not taking orders over the phone via your own instructions? Horrible experience and it will be a while before I will try this place. There are many butchers around the city that are glad to have customers. read more

It's difficult to know how to review Homestead Meats. The right answer would be to rate the meat "5 stars," but to rate the customer service by the primary public-facing employee "1 star." I'm going with 4 stars, to highlight how exceptional the products are. However, the female employee who interacts with customers is so challenging that many Evanstonians choose to shop elsewhere, despite wishing they could frequent this butcher. The meat here is of the highest quality I have ever found - fresh and exceptionally delicious. You can place special orders, and there's a small freezer section with wonderful stocks and sauces. Ehran, the owner, will take time to chat with you, make recommendations, and suggest cooking methods. While Ehran and the male employees may have strong personalities, they have never been rude or unpleasant to me (or to anyone I know). I've enjoyed my interactions with them, and my family has loved the dinners I've prepared from their meats. The female employee, however, is so unpleasant to customers that many of us actively avoid shopping here. She seems to go out of her way to be antagonistic and hostile, and many of my neighbors have commented on her strangely adversarial behavior. She gets dysregulated and visibly angry when customers do the most innocuous things - call to place an order, ask if a particular product is available, stand back from the counter when picking up, stand close to the counter when picking up, ask if she would prefer that we handle the credit card ourselves so that she doesn't have to touch it, fail to ask how she would like us to handle the credit card - the list is infinite. No matter how diligently we follow her demands, she inevitably finds something about which to become enraged. I'm sure that interacting with customers is often stressful. I'm sensitive to the fact that some people struggle with social and mental health challenges. I'm also a fairly easy-going person who doesn't have very high expectations of how I will be treated at retail establishments. I have really tried to make myself as "small" as possible so that I could shop here without setting her off, but unfortunately, she seems to actively search for reasons to insult or berate customers. I'm not certain why Ehran hasn't responded to polite customer/community requests to support this employee in developing the social skills necessary to interact with customers. Like many other people, I would love to be able to give this high-quality, family-owned business my dollars. However, until I can feel safe in the store, I will regretfully shop at stores that sell products inferior to the wonderful meats at Homestead. read more

My new butcher for sure! First purchase -- sirloin roast -- was fantastic!! Expensive but worth it. Can't wait to get back there for more!:)

Small and busy business! They were very accommodating when I called to inquire about ordering a roast for a special occasion. What a treat. The roast was outstanding. They are strict about maintaining a safe environment during Covid and I appreciated that. I consider Homestead Meats a great find in Evanston. read more

Ok, it's been awhile since a passed through the threshold, what can one say, but OMG. This is the 1st time I had the Duck Prosciutto, and it was more than I expected. The abundance of fat found in ducks lent itself to a delectable delight as it hit my tongue. Of course I had to grab the tried & trues: the Copa was copalicious, the Country Pate brings a new definition to the traditional Braunschweiger, and the Chili is perfectly spiced and hits the spot! Of course the list goes on & on. Once again cheers from a committed Foodie - Mike G read more

High quality meat and great personalized attention for the customer. I used to just get mine at the grocery chains but you're gonna get the best quality at this butcher and at a fair price. I'll be back read more

This place is a scam. They don't post prices on their website for a reason. My wife picked up our order that I placed ahead of time. One TBone and one NY strip- $75. I went back thinking surely there was an error but they said that was the correct price. I asked to return them and he refused. I finally said fine I'll keep one steak and return the other which was accepted but I am still stuck with a $40 steak. Unacceptable. If you are going to charge that much it should be written on the website. Learned our lesson and will never be coming here again. read more

The meat at this place is so good it makes me sad that I wasted my life with all the other mediocre meat I've ever eaten. You open up the package and get a whiff of grass and pasture, totally unlike the mass-produced stuff you get even at Whole Foods. Beef, lamb, pork, cased meats, cured meats, eggs, everything I've tried has been amazingly flavorful and fresh. They butcher the whole animal so you see cuts you might not see in the butcher case very often--hanger steak, odd roasts--along with exemplars of the A-list cuts like ribeye and strip. The one large roast I've gotten from there was expertly prepared. I also like that they try to collaborate with other small Evanston businesses like Hewn and the new microbreweries. They do sandwiches on Hewn bread that I have yet to try. The one downer is a frozen chicken I got from there--it was very, very tough, like it was still in rigor mortis before being frozen (sorry for the gnarly description, but this is the dead animal store after all). Maybe this is what incredibly fresh chicken was like back in the day, but I think it needed more time to sit and soften back up before using. I don't count this against them since I know these animals are partially processed at the farms they come from, so there's only so much control these guys will have. Still, if anybody there is reading this, that might be a place for some quality control (or at least a warning to let it sit in the fridge for a while after thawing so the muscle softens back up). On the upside, it still tasted good and was fine in soup. read more

The other reviewers here are spot on. I came here after a recommendation by a friend... we tried some of the paprika smoked turkey, proscuitto, and bought a whole chicken. As an avid Whole Foods shopper who routinely buys 3 and 4-level "quality", I didn't expect much of a variation by shopping here. I'll admit it publicly, I was wrong. The tenderness and taste of the meats we purchased makes me not want to go anywhere else for meat ever again. Probably the best chicken I've ever tasted, and I'm a bodybuilder (I have eaten a LOT of chicken in my life). I can't wait to try some of their other offerings. read more

The proprietor and butcher is a helpful guy. This shop sells most parts of the animal; and if you don't know how to prepare something, just ask. The pate is good, and the sausage is outstanding. Whomever came up with the sausage recipes needs to be kissed! read more

This two-star review is due to being guided by the butcher to purchase an incorrect cut of meat for the dish I was making, not for the quality of meat. I'm used to buying cheap meat from Trader Joe's, Jewel, etc. However, we are trying to cut down in meat consumption so when we do cook meat we can afford to cook higher-quality, local meat. This was my second time at Homestead Meats. First time I had my son run in to buy a whole chicken. The price of the chicken shocked me ($20 for a chicken!) but man, it was the best chicken my family and I ever ate. Perfect for a special treat. This week I wanted to make beef stew. I usually use "stew meat" or chuck and when I walked in I was eyeing the chuck roll in the fridge. The gentleman butcher walked over and asked how he could help. I told him I was making a beef stew and he recommended some sirloin he had in back. I was a little concerned because that didn't seem right (I know tough cuts of meat with lots of connective tissue are best for the low, slow cooking for stew, and while I never buy sirloin I thought it was a lean cut), plus it was a dollar more per pound than chuck. But I said ok since he was the pro, and because I was new to buying higher-quality meat. I walked out over $40 poorer with three pounds of stew meat. Low and behold I was correct to doubt the recommendation. Everything else about the stew was perfect, except for the tough, chewy, dry meat. Sirloin was NOT the correct meat to use, and now I'm angry blowing a huge chunk of our weekly food budget on the incorrect cut of beef. I repeat, the meat quality is wonderful. But when your meat is over twice as expensive per pound as the meat available a block away from Trader Joe's and Jewel, you need to do better job knowing what cuts of meat are best for different dishes. Ask more questions about how the customer plans to cook the meat. I hope if the butcher had heard me say "simmered for hours on low in the oven", he would have known instantly to not sell me sirloin, and instead guided me to some of the other cheaper cuts that work amazing for low and slow cooking. For example, the beef shank in the freezer at 1/2 the price as the sirloin would have probably made a much better choice. If you don't know the answer because you may know a lot about meat but perhaps not a lot about cooking, then you say "let's whip out our phones and see what others say." Anything other than guiding your customer away from what he was originally going to buy to an inferior choice. read more

I have recently started shopping here for meat. I don't want to be giving all my money to Whole Foods (Amazon) . I much rather support a local business that also supports small farms. We don't eat a lot of meat but this will be my new go to place. The shop is super clean and everything I have bought has tasted great. We have tried the Jerky, sausages, ground beef and ground turkey. Next trip going to try something new.. So happy we stumbled across this shop on a bike ride. They also have great customer service. read more

Stopped by here today after hearing about this new butcher opening recently. I'm also the Chef of a restaurant in Evanston so I wanted to see what they offer and how I could incorporate it into the menu. I can't say when you walk in it awes you, due to the small space but it's still fun to see what they have. The selection wasn't huge but the man at the counter did say Wednesdays are the days they get in animals and such to break down, so perhaps by Sunday they were out of items. I bought several items to take home And try. I'll be back at times to see the variety. Great to see this open in the area! read more

Just had an incredibly rude exchange with these people over the phone. The woman literally laughed at my question, was condescending, and was not helpful at all. Based on that experience alone, I would never give them my business. read more

You need more stars than just five for Homestead Meats, truly! I am so lucky to live within walking distance and can just stroll over for, say, some mergeuz sausage (lamb alone, or perhaps lamb and beef, together, as in the Turkish version). I got turned onto this place after having an insanely delicious steak at a friend's home. The beef jerky is my go-to snack at the house and is incredibly flavorful. My dogs also give paws up to the pigs' ears. I can't wait to work through the myriad other options! Did I mention that the people who work here are super friendly and helpful, too? Really, it's the perfect place. read more

I have succumbed to the ailment known as vegetarianism and now can no longer indulge in the feasts of the carcass. I have done this out of my own free will and hatred towards foliage. While I still partake in an egg or two I can no longer find joy in eating something that had a face. Alas, still this place butchers the well and cleanly and their duck eggs are delectable. read more

Modern day, stand alone butcher shops are difficult to come by. To find a butcher shop with an unyielding standard for high quality that also possesses friendly AND knowledgable service? Impossible! WELL, Homestead Meats IS THAT BUTCHER SHOP. The quality of their fresh (and I mean FRESH) meat is unlike any I have ever had. My husband and I have been purchasing our beef from Homestead for over a year now and we couldn't be happier. Pricing is absolutely fair! We frequently purchase their Flat Iron steak which is one of their lesser priced items in terms of beef and it is spectacular! Currently, all orders are made for pick up only so make sure to call ahead before arriving at the store! read more

Finally, a place where you can get all the meats you can't find anywhere else. Merguez sausage, curried lamb sausage, sweet breads & all sorts of meat treasures. It's the quintessential small butcher for the new dawn of foodies. read more

A butcher shop in Evanston dedicated to the highest quality pasture raised, humanely treated meats! Food that is better for me, better for the animals, and way better for the environment. All their products are sourced from nearby. On top of that, it's just a super friendly place to shop :-) read more

I bought a beef tenderloin for a Sunday dinner and a portion of duck liver pate. The tenderloin was a beautiful piece of meat. The duck liver pate was so delectable. Just awesome. Thank you. read more

I grew up in a time and place where you went to the supermarket for meat, so I didn't think a butcher could feel as luxe as Homestead Meats. I won't get into my food ethics, but this is what all meat should be like (i.e. cost and quality). Any visit here is an occasional splurge, but one that's well worth it. I do want to point out that it's not actually more expensive than Whole Foods, but infinitely better. I've been coming here for the last 2 years and there has been no change in the meat quality, it's actually gotten better if that's possible. Homestead truly is a small operation that makes use of the whole animal, so you may not always get what you want, but there will be dry-aged steaks, house-cured pork and beef bacons, sausages, pâté, cuts of lamb and pork. If I was any more of a carnivore I'd be broke and if I had all the money in the world I'd be more of a carnivore. read more

I love this place. A wonderful addition the Evanston Artisan food landscape. Everything is custom prepared, e.g. the best smoked turkey, because they do it there. The best quality of meats from local farms, unique cuts, unique bacons, I could go on and on. And, I want to comment on George M's post. Coincidently I was there when this happened - I had an order of short ribs I was picking up. I wanted a special cut and knowing that an artisan butcher prepares small quantities and that special orders require advance preparation, I ordered these the previous day. I overhead the conversation George had and found his behavior so odd that I told my husband about the experience later that evening. And then this morning when we were looking for the phone number to call with another order, I see his post. Here is my perspective on what happened. The store was busy. One of the butcher's came out from the back to ask if he could help. And when he told the gentleman that they didn't have breakfast sausage and George M asked him to make it, he explained in detail the process of making sausage with the spices and all and that it took an hour or so to do. When George M heard this, he left in a huff. Homestead Meats is an artisan shop. We are so fortunate to have this love and attention to meat in Evanston, I love that they make stuff to order. George M, if you want instantly available, mass produced product, go to a grocery store. read more

What a wonderful resource to have in convenient downtown Evanston! We now have a artisinal bread store (Hewn), artisinal pastries (Coralie), and artisinal meat (Homestead), all within a few blocks of each other. The aged ribeye was the best piece of meat I have ever had, including at steakhouses. Nutty, robust, tender. All my guests were wowed. The beef and lamb bacons are amazing, as are their non-pork pates. They select their meat from humane and local vendors. I only buy meat here now. Love Homestead! read more

A place like Evanston needs a place like this. You can get responsibly raised meat from local farms that treat their animals with respect. And the meat is such high quality! The steaks, smoked chicken, and cold cuts are all amazing. I also buy eggs here. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and honestly the prices are not higher than Whole Foods for much better quality and sourcing. I do my regular shopping at Trader Joe's and hop over here for the meat. I wish they would put a sign on their awning so people know who they are because I want to make sure they're around for a long time to come. read more

Homestead Meats has raised the bar for any meat in Evanston. Ehran, the owner, is dedicated to high quality and delicious food. The meats are tenderly cared for and the advice Ehran and his staff share helps makes each meal a success. I've enjoyed roasts, ham, turkey and roast beef cold cuts, summer sausage, marrow bones and an endless line of other meats from Homestead. The eggs are fresh and wonderful, and the marrow bones... Wow. It's nice to see Homestead Meats support other local businesses (Temperance beer in sausages, HEWN Bread for sandwiches, Sketchbook Brewing for the "Growlers for Growlers" event). read more

My husband and I stopped by last Sunday and arrived before they opened. We were enthusiastically waved in and asked what we wanted. We were making brunch so we bought a dozen of their fresh eggs and bacon. My goodness - that bacon!! Delicious. I have tried a many, many different kinds of bacon and this is hands down the best I've ever had. The eggs were delicious as well and I love that they didn't mind that we arrived before they opened (though I'll check their hours before we go next time!) Can't wait to go back and sample some more meats. Great addition to the neighborhood. read more

Super high quality meats in an immaculate storefront. Luscious pastrami. Farm fresh eggs from a local farm in southwest Wisconsin. Highly recommended. read more

Ehran and his team are passionate about what they do and it shows! Everything I've had is top notch and leaves me wanting more. You must try the Country Pate, Rosemary Bacon & Truffle Pistachio Sausage...but there is so much more. And not only does it taste amazing, all the meat is locally sourced & ethically raised. read more

I've had trouble finding palatable liver and stopped by to see what they had. While I was there picked up some lamb saddle chops. Same price point as local WF. Had the liver that night and was really happy with the fresh, unfrozen taste and texture. Marinated the chops over night and grilled next day. Fabulous. I'll be back for more of each of these. And will try some of their home-made sausages. read more