The recent buildout here is impressive, adding a large lobby & bar, a patio behind it, and modern,…read morefully accessible bathrooms. The main music room remains unchanged with its stage and its bar. They do have Woodford Reserve, a nice touch for my fancy Noble Bourbon Boozers. With the new setup, you can start one tab and its accessible from both bars, and from waitstaff, if the show is seated and they are present. Its a small room, great to see a show. Its also very ADA friendly, with a reserved space right up front for GA shows, and designated seats during seated space shows. Email the box office a couple days in advance with any questions.

My favorite concert venue on the North Shore of Chicago. It seats around 150 and most shows have an…read moreoption of table or general admission. The sound quality is fantastic and the staff is very friendly. It also gives off an intimate concert vibe because you feel like the artists are right there (they actually are!).

I've had a chance to visit this concert hall a couple times, all for events hosted by Northwestern…read more First time I had the pleasure of seeing a stand-up gig by Aziz Ansari. Second time I got to see a Q&A session with James Franco. Both times, I had no desire to wait outside in the cold for a good seat, so I ended up sitting on the second level balcony. Despite these less-than-ideal seats, I had no issues seeing the stage or hearing them speak. Concert hall itself is clean and modern looking! Great venue.

A concert at Pick-Staiger actually turned out better than I expected…read more First, specifics about the hall itself. - Excellent acoustics. I was in the balcony, about half way up, and I could hear the rustle of paper as the conductor turned a page. Wow! I should add that the hall was only about half full, but since there were a lot of college students there, their noise level quotient is higher than the average baby boomer's. - The house lights go down for the concert, but it's not pitch black. The hall just becomes dim. I could see the musicians on stage perfectly, no problem, and yet, I didn't feel like a cast member in "Scream 4Ever", expecting some scary creep to pop out of the darkness. - Excellent sightlines. - Would you believe, I had leg room? Yes, it's true. And I'm a tall woman. I actually had leg room. My knees were not jammed against my chest. Wow. That never happens. And during intermission, I did not have to stand on my seat, to allow other patrons to pass by. - The seat itself was okay, nothing special, but it was comfortable enough. It shows that the hall is a little older. So is my ass (older, I mean, not comfortable), so a little more padding on the chair would have been good. - The seat numbers were marked clearly enough that I found my seat, quickly and easily, and did not need to pull out magnifying glasses to read the numbers. Good thing, because there were no ushers around. Hire some students! They need all the help they can get to repay their student loans. For the venue: - Ample ladies' room, and clean. - Easy to turn in my groupon for my ticket. Tickets lines were well-marked and organized. - If there were water fountains, I didn't see them. They must be some, right? If not, that's a ding against the venue. - No refreshments being sold, anywhere. (See above about water fountains.) I would have paid for a drink of something; didn't have to be alcoholic. Maybe this is some sort of weird Evanston or university ordinance. Refreshments, please. - Temperature was comfortable. I had an overcoat and was wearing a sweater (layering is so Chicago, I know), but I was perfectly comfortable in my turtleneck. - There was some kind of free student performance in the lobby before the show. Very nice! Wish there had been some information about who they were, though. I'm assuming students. Give these people a little advertising, please. - This was a Sunday evening concert, so there was plenty of parking close by.No problem with Northwestern University parking stickers, assigned spots, etc. I got in and out quickly and easily. This might have been tougher if the crowd had been bigger, but, like I said earlier, the hall was only half full. Bottom line: recommended. Good venue for music. I would definitely be happy to hear any musical act here. Or play, for that matter, given the solid acoustics.

I wish we could give more than five stars. Rendezvous was the best band we have ever heard at a…read morewedding, and our guests still cannot stop talking about their amazing performance. Ask for an "East Coast" style wedding. They started playing right when the guests began to enter, and had everyone on the dance floor the entire time. The only complaints we heard from guests was that their feet hurt from dancing so much. We worked with Toni and Sarah leading up to the event, and they were so incredibly helpful. They listened to what we wanted in terms of song choices, energy level, and overall atmosphere, and were so flexible in learning our first dance song. The songs they played during meals were absolutely beautiful, and all band members, including the four singers, were so talented. Each signer had their own unique style, and they all worked so well together. I cannot recommend this group enough. We had the most amazing wedding, and a very large part of the experience for us and for our guests was this amazing and engaging band. I wish we could hear them again.

Seemed great - talked to us and were interactive - until they weren't. We scheduled time to come…read moresee them live and specifically asked if they would let us know if someone wanted to book before us and they said yes. Next thing we know we get an email saying our date is gone, no explanation and no apologies. Wrote back to express my disappointment and never heard back.

Returned for an early NYE dinner after seeing their NYE menu. Started with the half doz oyster and…read morefrench 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.

This is in downtown Evanston and seems to have a large Northwestern presence. Down a flight of…read morestairs 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.

I always like Bluegrass but today i pick my order and it was so bad experience. Tuna tartar was…read morecovered with mayonnaise, Bluegrass burger was very salty and overdone and went straight to the garbage. I don't know what happened to this place? Too sad!

I love Bluegrass, old and new. There are several problems with Bluegrass Legends Concert Series. 1…read more The venue: the concerts are located on the 2nd floor of the Evanston VFW. They set the band up in the corner and then out folding chairs and stackable chairs. 2. The bar: typical VFW: plastic cups, chips, beer in cans and some mixed drinks. A few of the guys run the bar. 3. Cost: The night we were there, $20 per person. Expensive considering that these are bands passing through and there is no, nada, none whatsoever , atmosphere. 4. The music......well the headliners are decent. The opening acts have not been so good. 5. If you are a music purest and do not care where you watch a band, you'll like these events. I like my Saturday nights and this is not a destination type, night on the town, type of place.

Still love this place. We come here for trivia almost every time they have it. Vibes are always…read moreimmaculate. We always run into the owner and his family, and he's super nice. The patio is incredible. Last night we lost (after winning the previous time, but it's good to be humbled on occasion lol). But, I thoroughly enjoyed my free grilled cheese sandwich that I won as our previous trivia night prize. Sandwiches really are their specialty. Perfectly greasy, and the caramlized onions and spinach really elevated it. Another person in our group had the turkey on a pretzel bun and said it was amazing. Also, a great range of drink options. Always a good time, and I'm excited to come to one of their mahjong gatherings, since I recently learned how to play.

We stopped by the Fat Shallot on a whim. I had the turkey sandwich, which came on a very fresh,…read moresoft pretzel roll bun with lots of greens. The fish tacos were very good too and had two large pieces of fish! Worth trying if you're debating between options. The staff at the counter gave great recommendations. We went on a weekday afternoon and there were few people there. It's a good spot to hang out and relax without feeling rushed. The decor is fun and cutesy, with dried flowers at the tables. Would definitely go back if I'm in the area again.

Ward Eight was a place we frequently visited when we lived nearby many years ago. We were in the…read morearea recently and decided to stop by...we discovered this gem from our past has only gotten better! High quality and innovative cocktails, reasonable prices, and a chic/classy ambiance make Ward Eight must-visit! I tried two cocktails when I was at Ward 8: Remember the Main and Vieux Carre. Both were decadent, delicious, and boozy. Triple threats! I loved them both, but the "Remember the Main" was different from drinks I've had before, so that was my favorite. My husband had a local beer. They have beer, wine, and NA options for folks who aren't into cocktails. They also have food which looks scrumptious, ranging from high-end appetizers to full meals. We did not come prepared to eat, so we'll have to come back again to try food in the future! The staff were welcoming and professional. The space was clean and Gatsby-style chic. There is plenty of seating and an outdoor space for when it is warmer. It is a fancier places, so prices are higher. But you pay for the higher quality ingredients and innovative recipes. If you enjoy cocktails and cozy cocktail bars, Ward Eight is definitely the spot for you!

Note: this is *barely* three stars…read more The first time I wanted to check out Ward Eight, I found a sign on the door that they were closed. It was written in Sharpie, stating they were closed for fall recess, and will return on X date. There was no notice on the website or otherwise. Such boorishness must be earned, I thought, and this place should be phenomenal! Unfortunately, the experience was overall lackluster. I ordered The Ward Eight House Shot, Rabbit Tale [sic], and the Classic Smash Burger from the Ben & Jake's supper club menu. The Ward Eight House Shot was interesting. This one was the most Angostura I'd had in one go outside of Best Intentions (Logan Square bar). A respectable shot and a good way to start or end an evening, however, $10 feels a little steep. As for the Rabbit Tale, the undoing of this one was the menu. This drink was described as "Zesty, Spicy, and Smokey [sic]". While not bland, it felt as though the volume on all of these was turned down to the level of a whisper. These hadn't just 'quiet quit,' they are halfway through week two of a two-week notice. To its credit, the drink was smooth, and while it didn't taste spirit-forward, the alcohol did hit me as one would hope for on a Friday night, thus no complaints about strength. Then there was the matter of food. The smashburger I ordered ended up being thoroughly unremarkable. The patty was not the greatest thing in the world, lacking those crisp edges that make an excellent smashburger, but otherwise passable. That was, untquietil I added the LTO served on the side (for some reason). After adding these in, the burger quickly fell apart, becoming a dégustation on the plate. Other than the house shot, and a small $15 burger without fries, I felt as though their prices were reasonable. Mixed drinks near the city, and not in a divey 'old-man bar' for $15 are relatively hard to find. When it comes to the service, I regretfully have to ding them a bit. Considering how quiet the bar was at the time, it took longer to get my drink than I would have expected. In a similar vein, the service felt a little disorganized, where the bar staff wasn't quite working as a team. Case in point: one bartender excused herself to step away, and the other did not step in to take my order for those five to ten minutes. Final verdict: I do appreciate reasonably priced cocktails, but the menu descriptions need to be taken with a grain of salt. As for food, I am willing to write off disappointment to the popup, and am not against trying something from their menu. All this said, I'd love to give them another chance, but I am also not in a rush to return.

You can see from anywhere. The seats were comfortable! The acoustics were great! We were here for a…read moreconcert. There is campus parking for the events. If there is another event that I like in the future I will attend

Cahn is located on Northwestern University's campus, but it is available for use by outside…read moreorganizations as well. I have visited here for a performance by Music Theatre Works (at the time known as Light Opera Works), and was pleasantly surprised by my visit. Parking can be a big pain in the ass in a city like Chicago, where I've most often been a patron of various theatrical events, so let's get this out of the way early: Parking is a dream at Cahn! On the weekends, I think it is, it's free and abundant. When I was here the lot directly across the street was already filled, but then again I'm not what one would call overly early (though I'm never late for a performance!), so perhaps it would have been an option if I'd been on the earlier side. Luckily there was parking within a block or two that was easy. The theater is surprisingly large; it's about 1,000 seats and is a proscenium stage. Seats are good throughout the theatre. I think Music Theatre Works now plays out of the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, but if I have the opportunity to attend an event at Cahn Auditorium again I won't hesitate because I know that the space will allow for a great experience.

Great place to stop for some food before a show at SPACE…read more Salads are big, and the olive appetizer could satisfy four. For the pizzas, the four cheese is massively cheesy, and the pepperoni/sausage pizza is good as well. They burn the hell out of the crust as a matter of course, so if that isn't your style, say so. Good cocktails, friendly service, nice patio.

visited union pizzeria in downtown evanston last night. here's what we ordered!…read more - drinks: goody two shoes mocktail - app: italian fries - pizza: margherita, wild mushroom, quattro formaggio - pasta: tonnarelli cacio e pepe a very lively place to be on a Saturday night in a central location! a great place if hosting a large party dinner and would like to order family style! the pizzas weren't my personal favorite so if planning to visit, I'd recommend skipping on those. They lacked depth and flavor. the pasta and fries were good, especially the aioli that came with the fries! I wanted the rigatoni pasta but they were unable to take the pancetta out to make it vegetarian. The price wasn't worth the quality and flavor of the food but I enjoyed the mocktail!