Returned for an early NYE dinner after seeing their NYE menu. Started with the half doz oyster and french 75's The oyster came out right away and we waited nearly 6+ minutes for the drinks to arrive. The Oysters were amazing, the cocktail sauce was perfect with horse radish. I forgot how good oysters are. I ordered a bowl of the lobster bisque and the lobster ravioli. Wife had the walleye. The bisque was excellent. tomatoey and rich. The ravioli portion was large but the edges of the pasta were tough. The center was super, but the edges all tough to chew. The walleye portion was also large with mashed potatoes and lots of spinach. We had the key lime pie which was okay. Also had the Negroni which was amazing. We'll definite be back. It looks like the menu is larger than our last visit so a lot more variety. read more

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This is in downtown Evanston and seems to have a large Northwestern presence. Down a flight of stairs there's a nice bar and a good selection of seafood. The charred asparagus was tasty and the entrees were kind of slopped on the plate. Moderately priced and good quality. Just not thoughtfully plated and presented. There are acoustical tiles on the ceiling; it was so loud, I can't imagine the noise level before they were installed. read more

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Outstanding selection of food Well prepared Friendly staff Great neighborhood A good place to eat alone or to meet friends Near the el Parking is easy read more

Great place. Our food was fabulous. The server was attentive. We both ordered salads which were very very good. We had so much food, we had to take some home. read more

The ny strip steak was perfectly prepared and the chick/ sausage hash was outstanding. I ordered a manhattan and it was delicious and properly created. The only thing as good as the food and drink was our server. Great experience read more

I thought Pasta Luna had taken over this space but that's just a take-out enterprise that is being run out of the kitchen. The menu is all Prairie Moon, and is quite good. Support those downtown Evanston businesses! read more

My wife and I were in town and went to Prairie Moon after reviewing their fish dishes online. We enjoyed great service and the food was excellent. We had the shrimp and grits appetizer which was rich and delicious. My wife had a salad with goat cheese and I had the Colorado Brook Trout. Everything was very well prepared and delicious. Prices were reasonable too. We will definitely return next time we are in Evanston. read more

Prairie Moon - Colorado Brook Trout - Bars Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Love the happy hour here and is perfect for when I'm craving oysters. We had 1.5 dozen oysters and 10 shrimp (happy hour is $2 oysters and $1 shrimp) and it was overall very good. A couple oysters were potentially not as good as the others. Not in a gone-bad kind of way, but a not-as-tasty kind of way. So the quality isn't super consistent for those. The shrimp were perfectly fine as I love a shrimp cocktail. I think I recall the oysters being cheaper last year for happy hour, though, so that's a little disappointing (I believe they were $1 each). The cocktails on the happy hour menu were $7 each which for Evanston standards is not bad! I enjoyed my French 75. I've been here multiple times over the past few years and I think their non-happy hour foods are good as well. I've had their salmon in the past which was super tasty. The disco fries are a good shared item. I usually go earlier in the evenings, so I've never seen what the ambiance is like later in the night. From the other patrons I saw there, the clientele are older individuals, despite being near Northwestern. Maybe they're there later in the night and it would be more rowdy, so avoid later dining times if that's not your scene. The service was great and our waiter was quick and courteous. read more

Prairie Moon - Oysters, shrimp cocktail - Bars Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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I've been many times to Prairie Moon, a popular #Evanston bar/restaurant, but never knew about their wonderful dinner menu! They have a prefix menu for $55-60 for two people that is amazing. It includes appetizer, entree and dessert, all of which are hearty options. This rotates constantly so you'll be in for a treat as the season's change. This is a from their summer menu which went into late Aug/early Sept but is a wonderful example of the amazing food you get, from a hearty Tuscan Tuna Salad, Herb Grilled Lamb chops and beef tenderloin brochettes. I will admit I scoffed when our server told us we would need to box up food because it was so much. He was 100% right :) You'll quickly find why people continue to come to this 20 + year old establishment. Well worth the trip up north from #Chicago. #neighborhoodgem #prefixe read more

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Great food and service. Nice takeout service too as well as a great eat in experience

Great hidden gem in Evanston. Located in NE corner of downtown right next to Northwestern campus. Had outdoor seating on sidewalk but main dinning room is downstairs. The menu was a great surprise. Lots of fish options. All 3 of us ordered fish. We had Lake Superior white fish with fresh herbs, pine nut and sage trout and pan fried trout. All 3 were excellent. An added bonus was it was live Jazz music night. Overall a fantastic experience. read more

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Great menu. Lots of seafood selections, with plenty of other dishes too. Comfy atmosphere, attentive service. Prices were very reasonable for the quality of the food. I want to go back and sample more of the menu, because there were lots of interesting choices. read more

Wonderful meal and drinks and service followed by great music from the Juliette Gardiner Quintet!

First visit. Server Carl was solicitous but not intrusive. Ate outside - 75° and sunny - could not have been better. Wife had a bavette steak special - flank steak marinated in cilantro, garlic and soy sauce among other seasonings. It was a bit underdone but very tasty. My dinner was blackened chicken with andouille hash. It was wonderful! Slightly spicy, perfectly sauced. Cannot recommend it enough - it is not a special. Go if you can. read more

We were visiting some friends of ours and we came here on their recommendation. Prairie Moon has and interesting vibe to it. Their menu is unpretentious. Their food is quite good. My husband went for the chimichurri steak whereas Catherine and Dave each went for the whitefish. Me? Three different salmon options caught my eye. After all I needed to compare (contrast?) it to the over-reheated, dry , bland salmon entrée I'd be eating on our Amtrak train back to Pittsburgh the next night. I opted for the grilled Atlantic salmon. As I said, unpretentious be good. read more

Cute vibe in front half & bar section of this basement restaurant. The back half seems slightly neglected in comparison (less art and cute lighting). The menu at Prairie Moon is enticing and extensive. The reality was a bit underwhelming. Nothing I ordered left me wanting more. The Brussels & Bacon appetizer was just okay for me. Same with the roasted vegetable salad. Neither were bad, just nothing to write home about. Our server, while prompt, had more of a 'been-there-done-that' indifference than welcoming demeanor. I'll perhaps give this establishment another try at some point, but I'm left with a similar indifference. read more

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came here for a NYE dinner. overall pretty good food, good vibes, large portion sizes. it's underground so has a kind of speakeasy feel read more

Prairie Moon - Bars Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I am Always Happy when someone suggests to order out from Prairie Moon. I know I am going to get multiple things of goodness; for like now and for the next day to re-heat. Perhaps I was a little bit too real on my prior Yelp review of this place: Prairie Moon. I really do like this place. The veggies are always saucy good. The BIG BAVARIAN PRETZEL is great for kids, adults probably be good for a good sized bite and side sauce dip. But parents will be glad their kids like it and they don't have to worry about it going to waste after they just wanted one good bite. The $4.99 coleslaw is worth it. FYI read more

Prairie Moon has a fantastic menu, great food and very fair prices. This is one of our go-to spots in Evanston that also does great carry out. Thank you, Prairie Moon! read more

We ate at Prairie Moon recently and really enjoyed the entire dining experience! Our friendly and attentive waitress gave us lots of info on how they do what they do here; apparently they use nothing but really fresh ingredients and there's always something new and delicious on the menu.  At the same time, they continue to offer tried and true dishes that have proven themselves to be customer favorites :-) On this and previous visits I've enjoyed everything we tried.  Specific selections that come to mind are their Moon Burgers, the Bacon and Brussels, and the Painted Soup.   It's a good bet that the combination of their exceptional food, excellent service, and warm atmosphere will enhance the quality of your day, so I suggest you swing by and give this place a try! read more

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Prairie Moon took over the place where Dave's Italian Kitchen used to be, offering American cuisine. When you enter, you are directed to go downstairs, and the hostess seats you in the large dining area. I was surprised with the amount of space that they had! A group of us came here for a late brunch/lunch, and I ordered the Ciderday Salmon. This entree came with a cider-glazed grilled salmon, horseradish mashed potatoes, and green apple salsa. This was pretty delicious! The salmon was perfectly cooked, as it was fork-tender and flaky. The horseradish mashed potatoes had a slight kick to it, and it was a little chunkier, rather than being smooth - not a problem for me! The green apple salsa, which I was afraid it would have cilantro, didn't (thank goodness!), and it was so tasty - a great complement to the salmon! The food came out fresh, and our server was very welcoming, super sweet, and kind, and he checked in on us often throughout our dining experience. It's a very laid-back atmosphere where you can sit for a couple of hours and chit-chat and catch-up with your friends and family. I'd be interested in coming back and trying the rest of their menu. Limited restricted residential parking around the area. +Ciderday Salmon +friendly service +laid-back atmosphere +located across from Whole Foods +restricted residential parking read more

The smash burger was awesome, fries were definitely old. My server was not present, looked rushed and pointed at the paper menu with her finger like a true asshole. I work a night job and typically enjoy my time here. Tonight was the worst service I've ever had. She was colossally inexperienced as a server. The paper menu may as well have been a touch screen and the burger should come out of a narrow chute. I am taking a break from PM. Sad. read more

Always saw the signs for this place out on the street, and was surprised it was the a basement when i went in, but it was pretty large spacious and a cool vibe. The service was very friendly, but I ordered a burger and poboy, and both were dry and not too flavorful... Overall, it was a cool place to eat but I probably wouldn't go again. Pricing was also a little high read more

We use to be frequent visitors to the old Prairie Moon for drinks when they were in their old space down the street from Tommy Nevins. Can't speak to the food per se because we would just go there for drinks with friends. The Doctor and I had heard that they relocated to the old Dave's Italian Kitchen space, so we decided to have dinner there with another couple to check it out. You still walk down the stairs to the basement to get there, but as soon as I saw the table through the window at the end of the flight of the stairs, I knew we were not in the same space as the old Dave's. Kudos to PM for redoing the bar and dining room area. The bar looked warm and inviting and I what they did with the space. They got rid of the booths with the high backs, which opens up the space quite a bit. Compared to Dave's, this new space has a touch of elegance about it. To start our dining experience, we ordered the Kamoosh (tortilla chips, Chihuahua, Cotija, salsa verde, pico de gallo, guacamole and lime crema). We added pulled pork on top of this dish. With four of us snacking on this dish, we still had some left over before you placed our order for dinner. I have to say as a bar food item, this was pretty good. One of my friends ordered the Breakfast Bowl because who doesn't love breakfast for dinner (fried egg, potatoes, red beans, onions, roasted poblano, avocado, arugula, Cotija and Chihuahua cheese and tortilla crisps). The Doctor got the Steak and Wild Rice Bowl (sirloin, cabbage, sweet peppers, onions, crimini mushrooms, toasted corn, cilantro, citrus-soy ponzu and wild rice) My friend's husband order the fish tacos and I got the burger. First let me apologize for not having photos....those that know me, you know I like to post photos of my food. But somehow I must have deleted from my phone to free up space, thinking I had posted them already. I tried a little of the steak and wild rice bowl. For me it was a little too heavy on the sauce and sweetish. I love ponzu sauce, but what was used didn't taste as citrusy as I am used to, but The Doctor loved it. My burger was nice, grilled the way I like. Husband of friend seemed to enjoy his tacos. My GF did not like her breakfast bowl...she sent it back and the waitress was nice enough to take it off the bill and ask if something else could be brought out. I tried it and have to say, it did not look appetizing as it was all brown and looked like there was some sort of brown sauce covering everything and it tasted off...not in the sense it was spoiled, but the flavors just did not compliment each other. Beyond the nachos, I am going to say that this was a solid meal It didn't wow me, but it was good except for the Breakfast bowl...can't recommend that. I would come back here to do the nachos alone...and they have bubbles. Think next time I will just hang at the bar and nosh on nachos. read more

Prairie Moon - Bars Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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We Felt like an inconvenience from the moment we walked into the restaurant , first time visit. Looked forward to night out with family to celebrate my birthday. I don't even think we were greeted with a hello when we walked in, we were seated in a nice area, enjoyed the vibe of the restaurant. Great menu, Waiter appeared frazzled and we felt rushed. Food was good, large portions. Waiter didn't check with us to see if we needed anything, we had to get his attention. Bathroom was gross, hadn't been cleaned in a while. Looking around the restaurant appeared under staffed, which might account for staff's lack of interest in customers. We all agreed the meal was good, but the service was lackluster. read more

Great location, great service. I enjoyed the experience. Small Lowe level restaurant.

Nice ambience, good service but the food wasn't good. French fries are dark brown and greasy, coleslaw is bland and pickles are bitter and dark green from sitting in a jar for a long time. Only the burger was good. Diet Coke tasted like seltzer water with a splash of cola. Won't be going back. read more

We went here for an Easter brunch buffet. It was a great spread of delicious food - eggs, bacon, ham, beef skewers, home fries, quiche, fajitas, waffles, salad, fruit salad, shrimp, dessert table, and more. Complimentary mimosa. I wanted to eat all the delicious things but didn't have enough room! Delightful service. We had a lovely time. A little noisy if you're hard of hearing.. read more

best places to eat in Evanston if you want home cooking meals, but not want to cook. This place to go.

Came here for the $16 Midwest Supper Club special, which is a pretty good deal for an appetizer, entree, and dessert. The decor is comfortable, more upscale than the old location on Sherman but still casual. There is an impressive cocktail/beer/wine selection but I didn't try any alcoholic drinks. Complimentary bread was served warm. The painted soup was delicious. I chose the fish fry for my entree, which had generous portion of delicately fried fish and french fries. However, i didn't really like the flavor of the fish - i think maybe something in the spices/light batter that was used. And the tartar sauce was somehow not very good either. Luckily, the blueberry cobbler dessert was yummy , topped with vanilla ice cream, so I had a good end to my meal. 4 stars for ambience and drink selection, 2.5 stars for food. read more

Prairie Moon - Blueberry cobbler - Bars Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

We were a group of 4 and everyone enjoyed their food on different levels. We shared the goat cheese spread appetizer and crab cake salad. The goat cheese spread was delicious but the crab cake was mushy as it was full of filler. The service was ok. The service was slow and not always around, probably because they were understaffed. The ambiance was good. The dining room was full with people of all ages and ethnicities. As for entrees, the winning dish was the étouffée. It had a great kick to it and full of crawfish and shrimp. The serving size was huge and I had enough leftover for 2 more meals. I would definitely go back for it. read more

Came here on a whim to escape the Wrigley traffic - could not have made a better choice! We were blown away by the quality of the food, it is soooooo good. Bryna and the other waiters/hosts were super nice and friendly. Ambiance is top tier as well. We are planning our next visit and we haven't even left yet :) 12/10 take me back ASAP read more

food was great. service is horrible. felt like we were the ones flagging employees down to serve us instead of them serving us.

Stay clear of this establishment. The woke bar staff chased me out. I wish I had a video. The pathetic guy with a mask on led the pack. This is a sad example of employees running amuck in a struggling business. I have never experienced anything like this in my life. There is no "Joy" here. Everything is Mediocre. Your hard earned money is best spent elsewhere. Don't be deceived by the "rave" reviews that might follow this. Spend your time and money in another business. Tired wait staff. I could go on and on. Oh.. they have a .99 cent oyster night. Wait for it......The same day Whole foods "across the street" has the same special. LOL. " Hey Joe, the bar guy, we have a order for three oysters can you run across the street and grab a couple" My review. My 2 cents read more

We have been fans of Prairie Moon for years, since the old patio location. When the pandemic started, we quickly discovered the great delivery service, and it was our favorite place to order from, both from home and the office, sometimes ordering as much as twice a week. We especially loved the tour of America rotating menu. We appreciated the approach to reimagining the food service operation, and it gave us a sense of normalcy over the last 2 years. Tonight we had a bad experience, but the person I spoke with on the phone quickly turned a bad experience into a positive. The delivery was made via a delivery service, which we didn't know in advance. The driver showed up 30 minutes past the delivery estimate, and when he asked me to sign the receipt, I saw that it was for indian food. When I called his attention to the error, he apologized and said he would look into it, and he disappeared for a while. He then came back with the correct food while I was on the phone talking to the restaurant. We were nervous about the food, not knowing if it had been opened or had been sitting on someone's doorstep. The food was also cold, and had likely been in the driver's car for a long time. The person I spoke to from the restaurant offered to remake the food and have it delivered, and reassured me that it was no problem. In the chaos, I did not ask the person's name, but I assume it was the owner Rob or another manager. He was a pleasure to speak with, and I appreciated his professionalism and the care shown. We are long time customers, and plan to continue because of experiences like this. Did I mention, they take orders through their website, and do many of their deliveries themselves? Great opportunity to cut out the delivery services! read more

came for jazz night and was waited on my the lovely veronica! had a delicious strawberry lemonade and the pretzel. overall a superb experience! my friend said the disco fries were really good and they were accommodating to her vegetarian needs. drinks are good and strong, love the moscow mule per veronica's tasteful recommendation. lively atmosphere with unique homey decor, they have really bounced back from the robbery by some extremely disrespectful northwestern students a few years ago. love what they've done with the place! read more

Prairie Moon - with best server ever veronica (Disco Fries) who was kind enough to pose for a photo with us - Bars Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Great ambiance, great food, great service. It is worth asking your waiter what the best menu items are. They are honest and helpful. My family and I had a great time read more

We love the burger box family meal. Four burgers made to order with options including chicken or veggie for the non-beef eaters. Generous portions including delicious garlic or regular fries, and huge salads that provided us leftovers. This is one of our favorite go tos as a family and the staff are incredibly kind and efficient. read more

have been here a few times over the years. ...This is a note to myself as well as others. If you were expecting culinary excellence in the chicago land area it will surely not be found at a random bar on Sherman St in Evanston. Well for sure not here. The bagel place a few blocks away seems ok. Like you have never heard of anyone getting deathly ill from eating a bagel with chive cream cheese :) You might get better food if you walk out the door and make a right then you will see another place that is good. I am not sure under the new guidelines if I can say the name but you will see what I mean. This is not a advertisement for the other place. Im just pointing out a fact. Fact is most places would be better than this The most recent time was last night. There was like 12 people there 8 of whom dont work there. I guess this includes me. I explained to the waiter that I wanted extra cheese and the guy was being kind of brain dead about about it. "do you want it on the side"? so you want extra...by the third time we were rehashing this i was like " just get it to me however you want. The tacos were kind of wet. It tasted ok. My friends got a soggy burger that was supposed to be a veggie burger but turned out to be a hamburger with cheese. fries were ok. This is on my future list to skip read more

The food is good every time. The Bar area service is Horrible every time! The Bar Manager, the bartenders (male or female) all have given bad service when I have gone over time - months apart...on multiple occassions. It is selective as to who they may give good service to, if anyone. They take forever to take your order and they don't bring you basic things or check on you and ask you if you need anything. And, even having been there and having sat at the bar or other times at the high tops, it's the same thing. So, it must be because they are not interested in giving good service to a customer if they go alone or if you happen to be female. I'm not sure why that would matter, but you are treated as if you are a non- essential customer there. It doesn't matter that I order food and drinks and spend money there. Or that I am dressed well. They seem lazy, unprofessional, and take for granted that the restaurant has customers. But, they are consistently careless and unprofessional for the bar area clientele. And it is apparent even when they are not busy! One waitress couldn't smile, or ask if I needed anything and I had to ask for basics things needed for the meal and later again etc. but, Oh, count on a sudden attempt at friendly service when it is time to close the check, so she could get a good tip. And I recall walking out one day after waiting for service at a high top and the waitress/ bartender who had very few customers and she knew I was there, never came to take my order.... So, I finally decided to review them. I was there last at the beginning of this month. Will this review make them think about their service? Will it make any difference? I won't be going back to find out...maybe in the future, as an experiment. (As for the ambiance...its fine in the main dining area...) read more