Excellent menu. Outstanding burgers. Different soup offered daily. Soups are exceptional and perfect for a light lunch. Loyal customer

Prairie Grass lives up to expectations in terms of delectable brunch, kind hospitality and delicious dipping sauces. I was very excited to try the well reviewed sirloin burger, but noticed they do not serve fries with it. This worried me, but all fears drifted away as my gentle waiter assured me I can order what I crave most. I enjoyed the double cheeseburger with fries, mayo and some other dipping sauces. The burger was a gift from above...soft, juicy and reminiscent of my experiences in Istanbul. I did not have to request mayonnaise for the burger or fries as it came standard with the meal (classy!). The mayo was cool, tangy and came in a reasonable quantity. All in all I would say it was a well rounded meal. For dessert we indulged in the chocolate cake, but it missed the zip I am used to. My suspicion is they do not add mayonnaise to the cake (a la Portillos) so I left with a slightly jaded experience. In summation: this is a good restaurant for burgers, mayo and watching geriatrics enjoy eggs. read more

Prairie Grass Cafe - Burger with fries and mayo dipping sauce. Also accompanied by pickle and some yellow dipping sauce. - American Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Best brunch place in Chicagoland area. The food is creative and exquisite. The lemon ricotta pancakes are a MUST. A bit expensive but the food & friendly, fast service are worth it! read more

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I am a bit disappointed that we didn't have a more pleasant experience here! I've read great reviews and heard great things, but the service was not good at all. Everyone enjoyed their food, but unfortunately our server downed the starage for me. We sat at our table for a good 15 plus minutes while waiting for our server to even stop by! He was very unattentive and kept forgetting our drinks that were ordered. Our food was good. I ordered a salad (you can't really mess up a salad!!) and my hubby ordered a burger...which Im not a huge meat eater, but it was GOOD!!! They did give my 7 month old daughter chocolate milk and a water for free....Im not in the food business nor have I ever been, but maybe they thought she was older then she is and they just automatically give every child that? (plus the chocolate milk was luke warm...yikes). Overall, I don't know if ill go back...Ive heard great things about this place. Unfortunately I think we just had a bad experience with the waiter. read more

While I did enjoy the food I ordered (a single burger, with mushrooms instead of onions and some very, very fresh fries), I have never come closer to dining and dashing as I did at this restaurant - I had to ask for my check four times, getting brushed off each time, before I actually received it. Our lunch took nearly two hours, only thirty minutes of which we actually spent eating. The rest of the time was spent waiting for a server to come talk to us, waiting for our food to arrive and then waiting for the check. Although, like I said, I enjoyed the food, I cannot recommend this restaurant. There are much better burgers that come with much better service. read more

If you wanna toss your money away at bland and uninspiring plates while experiencing service that rivals a 24 hour truck stop, you could be Prairie Grass' best patron. Fortunately that will not be me. On a weekend evening dinner out with my networking crew, we all gave them a decent shot at placing a good impression on us by plucking down a $200 tab on various dishes for three people. Here's how they fared... Appetizers: Spring rolls - tiny and served cold... Were they originally frozen and then microwaved?? Probably not as I've gotten better tasting ones in a box from Costco. Baked Feta Cheese - Actually decent, but nothing that I can't put together in my own kitchen in 5 simple minutes. Entrees: Penne Meat Sauce Pasta - Tasteless. Could definitely use some more spice but the breadcrumb texture was nice touch at least. Sirloin Burger - Apparently Chicago Magazine believes that this is the best burger in the city. I guess it's because they go overboard with the blue cheese crust in the preparation. But in comparison to a simple everyday place like Portillo's that doesn't cost $15 a pop, I beg the differ. Crispy Duck - Oh the kitchen made sure it was definitely crispy, but at the cost of over drying the flesh as well. Tasted as though I was eating the turkey dinner at the Griswold's house in Christmas Vacation. Dessert: Chocolate "Muk-Muk" cakes - After all the great reviews by previous yelpers, I really was not impressed at all. The chocolate inside was non existent and the cake was dry. I suspect maybe it was over prepared perhaps? Service: This is truly the area where they need to improve on. At their menu prices, at least they should attract some quality talent for waitstaff. We had Pearl assigned to our table and Denny's Diner would likely be hard pressed to hire her. She took our orders and we never saw her again to refill our drinks once. The only time we saw her again was during the delivery of deserts (all other courses were served by kitchen runners). In the delivery of our deserts she simply flung all of our dishes on the table and spilled my co-workers chocolate sauce all over the table. Not much of an apology besides being given extra napkins. It's been a long time that I've tipped only 8% on the bill's total and I believe that was still way too generous read more

Very strange location - this restaurant sits back from the street on a unimpressive stretch of Skokie Boulevard. There are other restaurants scattered through this area as well, but mixed with a bunch of office-buildings, it is rather odd. We were the first people to arrive on a Sunday night. I was worried that the emptiness was a sign of trouble, but the place filled almost to capacity by the time we left. Our server was pleasant, efficient and very sly as he casually asked about add-ons and dessert. The decor is very clean, modern and cool. A bank of flat screen TV's show this montage of flowers, landscapes, and other natural scenes. That was interesting, as well as the patterns the grass planted outside made on the frosted glass windows once the sun went down. Had a dish that consisted of sausage, peppers and polenta. It was tasty, but nothing unusual. My friend had the Shepherd's Pie, which came out so hot it blasted this little puff of steam at her when she broke the crust. It took her forever to eat because it was so hot. The portions were good and filling enough that additional things like salad and dessert were not necessary, although the muk muk was tempting! Prices are a bit on the high side for this type of cuisine, but I definitely recommend you try it at least once. read more

Come on North Shore! 3.5 star average? I use to wait tables up here before moving to the city, I know it's a tough crowd. I'm tough too, real hard to please but this place pleases. It's a 5 star joint with 10 star effort. Chef owner on the property. 2 of them I'm told. I spotted Sarah, it's hard not to, she's what you call a working chef. This place runs like a Swiss clock. A well dressed team of professionals run the front and they know their clientel, their jobs and the menus. Well appointed dining room and cleaned and polished like you read about. I sat at the bar and started with a refreshing drink from the cocktail menu. For an appetizer I chose the shrimp spring rolls, the dipping sauce was delicious. I then had the boneless and CRISPY half chicken with broccoli florettes and pan jus...forget about it!! Jose tending the bar suggested the Sancerre with the dish and I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I closed with with home made vanilla ice cream with fresh berries - so good I can close my eyes and taste it as I write. This cafe celebrates 15 years here in NBK but know that they have been working on this jewel for more like a lifetime. Bravo Prairie Grass, you are a credit to the industry. Happy Anniversary! read more

I must admit that I don't usually eat at restaurants in the 'burbs since I live in the city. Prairie Grass is an exception because it's right near the Botanic Garden--a place I go pretty frequently. I've been to Prairie Grass three times--twice for brunch and once for dinner. My two brunch experiences here have been great. We got seated immediately (practically unheard of at a lot of brunch spots in the city). The first time, I believe I ordered an egg dish, but it was so long ago that I don't remember for sure. The second time was more recent, and I ordered what was essentially banana bread French toast. The bread was battered like French toast, but tasted like banana bread and had that consistency. It was all stuffed with cream cheese, which I'm sure is terrible for you, but boy, was it delicious. I also came here for dinner pretty recently. Again, we were seated immediately. The dinner prices are a bit more than brunch--perhaps too much in some cases. 15 bucks for a burger (without a bun) seems a bit steep. I had the phyllo strudel filled with greens, feta, and pine nuts along with a side of creamed spinach. All of it was extremely good. The portion size for my dish seemed just right, but my friends ordered other dishes and they seemed to have a massive quantity of food, so I guess it varies. One other thing to note about this restaurant is how spacious it is. There are quite a few tables but none of them are too close together, which is really nice. This is a great pick if you're in this area. I'm sure I'll be back in the near future. read more

I've been a fan of Sarah Stegner's ever since she was at the Ritz Carlton dining room when it was a real dining destination. She did the menu for my sister's wedding. The food was tremendous and she was unbelievably accomodating. When she opened Prairie Grass up in the northern burbs, it was very exciting to have such a talented chef in the area. In my opinion, she doesn't disappoint. The food is very good--try the individually portioned moussaka and the American standards, like steaks and burgers. Those are the standouts in my mind, I've enjoyed everything I've ordered. The atmosphere is also very attractive and comfortable. I see a lot of lukewarm reviews here for Prairie Grass. I think one of the drawbacks is the location--it does feel a little strip mall-ish, but hey, it's the suburbs. A lot of nice restaurants are tucked away in strip malls. It has gotten better now that the Fast Signs place that shared their building has gone. The real drawback to Prairie Grass is their service. Almost every time I've been there there's been something a little weird going on with the waiter, like he's a little TOO laid back. I think maybe that creates a mood at the table--that the restaurant is not as upscale as the food would indicate--which I think would make a lot of people a bit hypercritical of the higher prices. If they'd tighten that up, I think the ratings might improve... read more

Staff was very attentive. The food came quickly and was tasted great! Overall great dining experience. Highly recommend for that casual Sunday brunch. read more

Prairie Grass Cafe - Brunch - American Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Prairie Grass Cafe is located east of Skokie Highway, a few blocks north of Dundee Road. It enjoys easy access from Edens Expressway. It's a bit secluded as you can't see the building from the street. However, there's a large sign out front to guide you in. The decor is nice. As you enter the building, the horseshoe shaped bar is to the left and dining to the right. Several people were dining at the bar. There are dark wood floors, white linen tablecloths and white linen napkins. The north wall is comprised of frosted glass windows allowing for considerable natural light. I was invited by a friend for their Wednesday evening burger special--two for one (normally $15 for each burger). The burger is 10 oz, served without a bun and comes with a thick slice of roasted tomato, roasted purple onion slice and two roasted potato wedges. Everything was cooked perfectly. The burger was seasoned perfectly and delicious. I was expecting the roasted tomato to be mushy, but was pleasantly surprised. For me, Prairie Grass Cafe was pricey. I would never spend $15 on a hamburger. It was very good, but not $15 good. My buddy had a bowl of mushroom soup ($5.50) and thought it was just okay. For dessert, my friends each had a scoop of homemade ice cream ($7.50). I'd have to have a gun to my head to pay that much for a scoop of ice cream. There was a nice crowd--especially for a Wednesday evening. If you have a hankering for a $15 hamburger, try them out on any night except Wednesday. If you're frugal, like me, go on a Wednesday night, where you can splurge for a scoop of ice cream for dessert. read more

We tried this place for the fist time last night, and can't understand how this place doesn't have at least 4 solid stars across the board. We went for dinner around 7pm on a Friday night, and although there were plenty of people there, we were seated right away and our friendly and attentive waitress offered recommendations off the bat. Service was QUICK. There was always someone around to make sure we never lacked for bread or water. I got the delicious Friday fish and chips ($28) which came with a pomegranate slaw that was really great and refreshing, and my husband ordered the blue cheese burger ($16, great quality burger, also delicious), which came with the same kind of roasted potato wedges as my "chips." We both enjoyed our meals and were completely satisfied with the taste, quality, presentation and service. We also had the French Silk Pie for dessert, which was really good but a tad overpriced... ($7.50). We did think that the prices all around were about 20% more pricey than they should have been. Maybe I've been to Wisconsin too often, but $28 for fish and chips just seemed really steep to me - but it was sustainable bass, so maybe that's why. The burger was just about the cheapest menu item, so expect to spend somewhere between $16 to $33 per dinner entree. On the other hand, we both really enjoyed the meal and our experience there, so we will certainly return... just not as often as we'd like to! read more

This place has a really nice upscale casual atmosphere and the food is great!. I went for Sunday brunch and there was not wait. Food was really great I had the steak and eggs half portion which was amazing... love the marinade they used for the steak and it was really tender! The service was also really good everyone was very attentive from the back server to the server to the manager in the front. The only thing I did not like was the bacon which my boyfriend got as a side it was really overcooked and lacked flavor but other than that everything was great! Will definitely be back again! read more

So for my boss's b-day, the powers that be took us all to Prairie for lunch. Boy, if I had to pay, I would have been so pissed. Apparently, this place is known for their burgers, meh. Wasn't in a burger mood so I decided to try their crabcakes...correction CRABCAKE! :( Yes for 14 bucks, I got a ONE crabcake that had more breading than crab! Now having family from Baltimore / Chesapeake Bay area, I KNOW my crab and this was an insult to my heritage! Top off said crabcake with a bland citrus butter sauce and I was almost ready to cry. Midwesterners know NOTHING about crab/seafood. Steak yes, seafood, NO. Maybe their burgers were top notch, but I'll never go back to find out. Northshore food is just way too bland for my taste. 2 stars for the fact that the service was pleasant and they Earl Grey tea was good. read more

Prairie Grass is one of those rare places you can eat great food and feel good about eating it! All locally sourced and delicious...what more could you want! We have celebrated many family birthdays at Prairie Grass, including our daughter's 12th on 4/12. A special place for a special occasion! This rating would be 5 stars if not for the price. They are very proud of their food, and charge you for it! read more

Excellent food and service....went before a Ravinia concert. You have to buy the bread, but it is very good. We had the panko crusted halibut, and both of ours was cooked perfectly even though we each prefer a different doneness. The accompanying slaw was delicious. Although at first they weren't going to be able to accommodate outdoor seating, we were told we could be seated if we would be done by a certain time....which was perfect for us. We would definitely go again. read more

First off, I would like to say that I had really high expectations going to this establishment. Having read an article on it in Lake magazine--I was more than ready to really like this place. My husband & I were also very interested in trying this place since they use grass fed beef & do the local thing--we were very keen. On first approach, I have to say I was very unimpressed--the location is odd--strip mall surrounded by highway--actualy if you blinked while driving by you would totally miss the sign for the cafe. The inside also does not leave much to be desired. It was comfortable, with warm tones, but overall not much to write home about. The flat screen TV's with the changing photos of nature was a very nice touch, otherwise kind of blah. Also, I am stickler for nice bathrooms at restaurants (especially nice places) & it was also pretty blah. The massive saving grace for this place is the FOOD. While their menu is not extensive, they really do well with what they offer. Presentation, taste & quality is all suberb. We started with the cuccumber & avocado salad--nice & light, not overally dressed or salted--which is greatly appreciated. My husband ordered the Sausage & Polenta dish--well proportioned & extremely tasty. I had the penne pasta with tall grass beef and I was very pleased with the flavors. For the food, the prices are very decent. I would be happy to try this place again whenever I am out in suburbia. read more

Our friends (they're regulars) suggested we go and we were excited to finally experience Prairie Grass. Insert sad face here. Location aside, it is a warm welcoming. Smiles at the hostess station and sincere greetings. We sat in the back of the restaurant, among a nice mix of families, elderly couples and maybe even a date night. Decor is a funny mix with some very nice paintings among some larger, lower quality wall coverings. On to the service (and this is where the smile turns upside down). Server was nice enough and patiently waited for us to get around to ordering. Her mistakes: when plates were down, she checked in before we even lifted a from (as in, "how are your appetizers?" "um, don't know yet, as is evident..."), the runners did place the plates on the table, they almost flung them on the table. Funny, neither the server nor the runners seemed slammed - there were empty tables - but they seemed to be in a rush. Prices aside, food was the bright spot. My "nontraditional shepherd's pie" was actually fairly traditional, but yummy nonetheless. Not $20 yummy, but lesson learned. Wifey liked her ($32) salmon, we liked our salads and the wines were good, too. I guess the net is this, prices are too high for the food and for the prices the service should be gentler and more aware of what is going on at the table. We might try it again, but it won't be until some things change. read more

Great breakfast / lunch place. Best salmon platter. Just make sure you order it with their house baguette instead of a bagel. They bake them fresh during the week and unfortunately reheat on weekends, but if you ask to make it extra crispy it's almost like freshly baked. Best eggs benedicts in town. Burgers are good too. Decent flavorful green ice tea, which is rare. read more

We really enjoyed our dinner here. It is a little pricey based on the portion size of each dish, but it's well worth it. The quality and execution is there and you won't leave hungry, that's for sure. Some items we had: Fish and Chips- Great, came out piping hot and fish was flaky and mild. Parmesan Crusted Tilapia- Very fresh fish, you can tell. Came on a bed of creamed spinach Skirt Steak- One of the best skirt steaks around Shrimp Spring Roll- Awesome, we could have eaten 10 of these. All four people at our table loved it. What we like the most is the seasonality and thoughtfulness of the menu. And the quality of the ingredients comes through. We will be back and can't wait to try other dishes. read more

This place is awesome for brunch. It has a cozy classy feel and the staff is great. They remember you after a few visits and they treat you like VIPs. It's not hard to feel like one with the outstanding mimosas and delicious food. Everything is choice, such as Intelligentsia coffee and farm-to-table cuisine. The breakfast sausage is always better than I remembered it. YUM. Try it. You won't regret it. Costs a bit more than the diner but worth every penny!! read more

Went for brunch. Everyone enjoyed the meal. Nice menu selection ad fresh ingredients. The service was good and the restaurant has a nicely designed interior (yup you guess it prairie style). They have a very nice wine selection so ill have to come back for dinner sometime. Or just go to the bar for drinks. I do wish they offered a wider selection of vegetarian options on their dinner menu though. read more

I've enjoyed their lunches and dinners for years now. Today I tried their weekend brunch and it was very good experience- although not excellent. What was excellent was the overall quality of the experience- from the service to the food quality. It was just that much more sophisticated than the other breakfast/brunch options. And, as Walker Brothers' service has deteriorated over the years with a foreign-born staff that doesn't quite get the nuisances of customer service, it was pleasant having a breakfast server who was much more sophisticated and attentive. To extend the comparison to Walker Brothers- because it is the local reigning champion of breakfast food- Praire Grass seems to use less much sugar in their pancakes and they have better quality ingredients- which makes eating out much healthier. However, they don't offer the huge portions that Walker Brothers offers- if that is your thing. The coffee is much better at Praire Grass. My only complaint was that the woman seated us with a concerned look as it was 3 minutes before last seating- which made us feel so rushed- yet the server was timeless and was in rush to take the order and eventually put it in a 2:15. Someone needs to communicate to her that the kitchen doesn't shut down at 2pm exactly and that they are aware of any tables that haven't ordered yet (says the server). We had called and spoken to her on the phone and she made it clear that if we were seated by 2pm that all was fine. That was said to us at 1:47pm- so she knew it was down to the wire and still encouraged us to come in if we could physically step into the restaurant by 2pm. Sometimes those little things leave a bigger impression than everything they do right. In this case, I just needed to say it, but still, they deserve 5 stars for the service, cooking, and perceived sourcing of their food. (Any nod at not relying totally on Cisco is appreciated) As for prices, brunch was nothing more than Walker Brothers for us - about $35 for two. (Dinner can get expensive- as with most finer restaurants in the area) My wife ate the vegetarian eggs benedict that used fried portobellos instead of English muffins and she really liked it. My omelet was tasty, but a bit small. The flavors were very nice. Server - Nate was the name on the receipt- really took great care of us. read more

Average. I was expecting something wonderful, but was terribly disappointed. Not bad, but not great. Meh. Love the idea of local food places, but this one doesn't work as well as it should. Food is boring here, and it should be spectacular. read more

A group of us went to this cafe because it was listed as one of the Top 30 Burger spots in Chicago by Chicago Magazine. Several of us ordered this burger : the Top Sirloin Burger with Mild Blue Cheese Topping and Potato Wedges. It comes without a bun but you can request the bun, which we did, just to fill ourselves up. Let me know tell you, if you've had good burgers in Chitown, this isn't what i call a fantabulously memorable burger. We all agreed this was good... but not great. I can't believe they charge $15 for this burger! The burger was pretty juicy but the flavoring and texture didn't blow my mind. I've had better juicy memorabl burgers at places like Hot Chocolate. And the potato wedges that came with the burger were dry and nasty. Perhaps it was an off day for this restaurant as they've probably had a higher demand for this burger since Chicago Magazine posted them. Who knows. read more

Updating my review for one reason. The burger. Listed as Chicago magazine's best. burger, it's been on my to do list for some time. We came for lunch during the weekend and were seated with no wait. We went with the ham and cheddar panini and the burger. The panini was prepared well. It was nice and crisp without being greasy. I had the burger with a bun because it's not a burger without bread. It was prepared perfectly. Really good. I'm not sure if it's the city's best, but it's probably Northbrook's best. Thick patty, seasoned well with just the right amount of blue cheese. I'd definitely have that again, even with the $15 price tag and creepy waiter. read more

We checked out the Prairie Grass Cafe on a friend's recommendation (who recommended Tapas Gitanas in Northfield - which is great btw). Prairie Grass failed to live up to all of the "rave" reviews I have seen. I ordered the skirt steak and my fiance ordered the whitefish. the skirt steak was salty and chewy. Is this was fine dining is supposed to taste like? did I miss something while sawing my steak into pieces and then gnawing on it like a caveman? Sorry, but a two star review of "Meh, I've experienced better" fits this place to a t. The white fish was no better. The fish really had no taste, and the sauce was pretty bland. But maybe because my steak was so salty, this was intentional? (my guess is that it was not) We got the feeling that this was a place people went to be seen, or to say they have been seen at. Not to mention the service was really lousy. The moment we said we were comfortable with water, our water had a look of "who let these two into the restaurant". Way to make a customer feel welcome. I think he may have said five words to us the entire meal. Who settles into the Prairie Grass Cafe: Apparently a lot of north shore elites who find this place to be some sort of mecca and an alternative to getting real good food in the city. Who strolls by this uncharming beauty? Those who want genuine flavors in their food, where sometimes less is more, because we definitely experiences less for more. read more

After years of going to Prairie Grass, we were very disappointed with our last visit. This is a place that I always recommend to friends for the delicious food and great service, but I'm not sure if I will suggest it again. We went to PG for a recent Sunday brunch and we arrived 30 minutes early. Our intention was to hang out at the bar with our family and catch up with each other. When we checked in, the hostess, Helga, was quite aggressive towards us. She stated that our table was not ready. We said that it was no problem and that we understood that our reservation was in a half an hour. She seemed to be totally irritated and she completely misjudged the situation. I thought hostesses are supposed to be welcoming. Anyway, we sat at the bar and wanted to order some cocktails; however, there was no bartender. Kind of surprising for a Sunday brunch! We later were seated and everything was rushed and frenzied -- not a relaxing family brunch at all. The waiter seemed like he was done for the day and not interested in providing good service (which PG usually has). I have a background in food service -- I get it that it's tiring work but that comes with the territory -- sorry, no excuses, especially at a top-notch restaurant. The buffet brunch was good but I thought it was more limited in its dishes compared to the past holiday brunches. Maybe PG is cutting corners on staff and their food offerings? I think it showed this time. I say all of this because guests pay a premium for brunch ($48 per person) and anyone would expect good service and a wonderful dining experience at this price point. read more

A friend and I ate at Prairie Grass and we thought it wasn't as good as before. We had a salad and fish. We thought the fish was just fair. It was too heavily breaded and the side dish of beans and Swiss chard had too much tomato sauce. However, the dessert of a chocolate chip cookie with ice cream was very good. We might give it a try again but we wouldn't order fish. read more

We were there last night for my son's 21st birthday. My Mojito was refreshing and perfect. The Lamb Sausage with goat cheese stuffed poblano pepper was fantastic, my Niece's vegetarian entree is a dish I plan to order next time I go ! My son's burger was delicious and when his girlfriend's burger was medium rare, as she had ordered it that way because most places over cook their meat, they re-made it quickly and with no fuss. The desserts were amazing! The Creme Brule was smooth and creamy. The mango ice cream is not to be missed and my son said the fresh strawberry pie was better than mine! The service was excellent. If you want a dinner to impress, make a reservation now ! read more

Always top notch. I have been dining here for years and truly enjoyed every meal. The food is always excellent, with standouts including the burger, brussel sprouts (often on the specials menu) and the crispy lamb rolls. Great for kids on a Friday night with "make your own pizza". My kids also LOVE the fruit and cheese plate with the brulee banana. Yum! The staff is always very friendly and attentive. Love the decor and the fresh herbs just outside the door. read more

Best takeout meal ever. Sunday evening my husband and I enjoyed a delicious 'meal for two' from Prairie Grass. Order was hot and ready right on time. Two large Shepherds Pies with short ribs, lots of veggies, topped with smooth mashed potatoes; a fresh salad with excellent tomatoes, crispy lettuce and fresh mozzarella and a perfect dressing; bread and a fabulous berry crumble. We thoroughly enjoyed every bite-and there was enough for a whole meal for both of us the next evening! We will definitely take out from Prairie Grass again. read more

I guess i should write a review for Chicago magazine rating this burger #1, it's not in the top 25. Take your $15 and go down the street to Charlie Beinleich's for a good burger at a fraction of the price or Alexanders or the Happ Inn for a better atmosphere and great burger with a bun too. The chicken my wife had was average. This place and kitchen is over rated. read more

This place is actually great! Despite the crowd and the inability to hear the person next to you, I really liked this place! We ordered the fried lamb rolls with the yogurt sauce and they were pretty good. The actual meal was spectacular. My boyfriend and I decided to share the Parmesan crusted tilapia and the famous burger. The burger was probably one of the best I had in awhile and I could understand why it's ranked as one of the best in the northshore. The meat is juicy and the blue cheese is such a perfect touch. The tilapia was placed on delicious creamy spinach and overall the dish was good! I would definitely recommend trying the burger. That is probably the hit of their menu! The only reason this place lost a star was because the entire restaurant was too crammed and on the loud side...but, the food and service was A+. read more

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this place gets 5 stars all the way-incredible food, high quality and fresh tasting. They use products from local farms and you can taste it in every bite. I have to say, the prices are a bit steep but the flavor are wonderful. We've had breakfast here, brunch, lunch and dinner and I have to say our favorite was brunch (we did the father's day brunch). So much variety and they didn't cheap out even though they were serving a large amount of people. One of the best brunches we've EVER had and we have tried almost every brunch out there. Drake is still our favorite but this comes very close. read more

There are few restaurants in this office park area between the highways. This is a good one. Went on a Sunday evening after a weekend family reunion. We sat in the main dining area to the right of the entrance, in the middle of the room. It was a bit loud (as so many places are now...) but that was probably a function of our location. Other corners or the adjacent room would likely have been quieter. From my seat I was distracted by the sports TVs in the bar, but could also see the "landscape" videos that were playing. Nice, soothing and not too intrusive. Others liked them too. Two of us had the half chicken with wild rice and baked squash: chicken was excellent - perfectly cooked and flavorful. Also had the roasted Brussels sprout with bacon appetizer - fantastic! Send me the recipe! Others had the burger with no bun. Why are others complaining about this? It says no bun - many people prefer it that way now: less carbs. Go ahead and ask for one if you want it. It's really more of a chopped steak after all. All reported it was excellent, though one was a little under-cooked compared to what they requested. No matter, the food was good all around and reasonably priced. Not sure what others are grousing about - we thought the portions were just right. All in all a good experience. read more

There's a good likelihood that I will not be returning, although Daniel, the manager, was kind enough to listen to my experience last night and promised to send me something. Here's the summary: 1-the place on a Sat night was NOISY. It only got worse by 7pm. We were seated in the back but at 7:30, a large family was seated next to us and the kids were literally shouting at each other. The three of us gave up on conversing. 2-the food was mediocre. I ordered the special -- halibut. It was bland and tasted like fish sticks. 3-the bread and desserts were wonderful, although they ran out of blueberry pie--on a Sat night? Weren't they planning for a large crowd? The toffee cake was wonderful but since it needed 20 minutes to make (why weren't we told that when we ordered our meal?), we had to sit through another 20 min of NOISE I was sorely disappointed since this restaurant came recommended. read more

Last Sunday we found Prairie Grass for brunch on Yelp, only a short drive from the Renaissance Hotel in Northbrook where we were staying. Normally visits to Chicago are in the heart of the city and my expectations were that the foodie in me would not be satisified with a chain or anything that is sandwiched in between office buildings (which Prairie Grass is 'sandwiched' in between offices). Inside the decor was light and airy, but the line of video monitors near the entrance gave it a 'sports bar' feel. Although no sports on the tele... just video of roaming bison. Did I miss the bison options on the menu?! My boyfriend ordered up your standard breakfast... eggs, sausage, toast. The sausage had good flavor but it needed more fat content to keep it moist. The toast was disappointing as it was very dry and crumbled like saw dust in your mouth. My meal was a winner in my book... LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES... OH MY! They were fluffy. They were lemon-y. They melted in your mouth! There were three pancakes and honestly too much for one person. We also ordered a side of the white beans and swiss chard that was yummy. The side appeared to be simmered in some sort of tomato base. Some little details we noticed that I appreciated about Prairie Grass: 1. the maple syrup for my pancakes was brought out to me warmed and in an easy to use dispenser. 2. the butter was served room temperature (so frustrating to spread cold butter on toast and I always set restaurants apart by this little detail). 3. the staff was on top of drink re-fills. I'm giving PG a three star because it was honestly just average expect for the pancakes. And in Chicago four of five stars are reserved for restaurants that I would highly recommend to friend or that I would visit more than once after a three hour drive from Indy. Certainly stop in if you are in the area and need to grab a quick bite. And if you are there for brunch and craving something sweet.... LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES! OH MY! read more

Great meal! We flew in for a short conference... literally in town for 26 hours. Our hotel recommended and shuttled us here. It was a GREAT dinner. My only complaint is that my burger was SO GREASY, I ended up with grease stains on my dress. That wasn't cool. But everything else we had was tasty. A great meal after a long day of travel. The waiter was super attentive and helpful when I asked about my food limitations (no pork, no dairy) and he checked things as needed for me. I would definitely come back if I was in town again! read more