Recommendations near Old Orchard Mall?

My wife and I are headed out that way to do some shopping on Saturday afternoon, and thought we'd take advantage of having a babysitter to enjoy a dinner out. I did some searches and saw M&S, Bonefish, and a few other chains mentioned. I won't rule out a chain, but would prefer to go to a more local establishment. Some place that takes reservations would be a bonus, but not mandatory.

Any recommendations on decent places in the immediate vicinity? If it must be a chain, any recent experiences?

Of the places I like a lot, Larsa's is nearest to Old Orchard.

I second Larsa's, and, just a bit further east on Dempster is Kabul House, and excellent Afgani restaurant.

Jonah

Charcoal Oven is a small, historic, family-run restaurant about two or three blocks east of Old Orchard on Golf. A bunch of us had a great meal there a few months ago.

Details are posted here.

Ruby of Siam, a block south on Skokie Blvd in the strip mall with the DSW, is a great choice.

I second the Charcoal Oven recommendation. It's quite an experience.

Last Friday night, we really enjoyed our dinner at EJ's place on Skokie Blvd. just north of Old Orchard. The room is an upscale rendition of a knotty-pine northwoods lodge-- steaks, shrimp, fish and the like. Prices are fairly upscale, too, but the food is very well prepared, portions are beyond generous and the service is much better than you'd expect in that um, neck of the woods. They do take reservations, and you'll take home a lot of food.

http://www.ejsplaceskokie.com/

EJ's Place
10027 Skokie Blvd.
Skokie, IL 60077
847-933-9800

JoelF wrote:Ruby of Siam, a block south on Skokie Blvd in the strip mall with the DSW, is a great choice.

I live in the area and would rank ROS far ahead of the other places mentioned in this thread.

For a kosher deli that draws people from quite a ways, tryThe Bagel in the Old Orchard Mall.

My personal favorites there are the following:

1) The Lawrence and Kedzie sandwich - corned beef and pastrami

2) the grilled salami sandwich - with Muenster cheese and raw onions it is heaven.

Ghazi wrote:For a kosher deli that draws people from quite a ways, tryThe Bagel in the Old Orchard Mall.

Jewish but, definitely not Kosher. I'm not sure I'd recommend the Bagel if you're treating yourself to an evening out.

EJ's is certainly a nice recommendation. I've been eating there for years and it's a great place to get a nice martini and a steak in a lively atmosphere.

Best,
Michael

It's a bit of a stretch both in concept (pancakes for dinner) and in distance (about 12 minutes by car), but Walker Brothers in Wilmette is always a fun splurge.

Wholly Frijoles - great mexican in lincolnwood
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3700&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=wholly+frijoles

Papillon - a little gem you would never expect to find in skokie - takes reservations
http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants/french/papillon-skokie/reader-review/144146/view

Tub Tim Thai- great thai place in skokie
http://www.tubtimthai.com/
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5733&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=tub+tim+thai

Pita Inn is great, but more of a lunch spot.

As for the chains, yes, there are

Maggiano's
California Pizza Kitchen
Cheesecake Factory

all of which are pretty standard. but try the three at the top...

Zhivago's, about a mile away (on Gross Point Road, just south of Old Orchard Rd.) is another nice option, and so is the U-Baa Grill, right there as well. The U-Baa is a burger and bar place.

ah wrote:....so is the U-Baa Grill, right there as well. The U-Baa is a burger and bar place.

AH,

I like UBAA/Old Crawford Inn for burgers, beer and general tavern style conviviality, but it may be a bit casual for the original posters intention.

Enjoy,
Gary

UBAA/ Old Crawford Inn
9956 Crawford Avenue
Skokie, IL
847-673-3080

right. Ubaa is very casual, just as you describe it.

Champps is on the west side of the mall. Large sports bar with lots of large flat screens. Food is good for sports bar and service is good. Good bruscetta. Nice outside covered seating.

http://www.champps.com/

UBAA might be casual, but I'd go there 100 times before going back to CPK or the Bagel, for sure. Also, in the category of romance-is-where-you-find-it, the Customary Dining Companion and I have had a couple of really lovely evenings there. We both like the historic aspect of the place, as well as the very good burgers and home-grown chili.

We should really try the Charcoal Oven sometime, though. Seems right in our mildly offbeat wheelhouse.

Although this afternoon UBAA was serving only cold sandwiches and slaw, due to "problems with the kitchen" (their words) We didn't stay, so I don't know if the problems were resolved later, but if you're going it's probably worth it to call ahead. I didn't get details, but my inclination from the way it was relayed is that the problems were of a mechanical nature.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I've run them by the wife, and we're headed to Bonefish...she wants some fish. Guess I should have asked her first

That is so sad. With all the great independent restaurants in the area that you won't find anywhere else, you'll end up at a chain that you could find in many places. At any rate, I hope you enjoy your evening.

nr706 wrote:That is so sad. With all the great independent restaurants in the area that you won't find anywhere else, you'll end up at a chain that you could find in many places. At any rate, I hope you enjoy your evening.

I agree and I also hope you enjoy it.

FWIW, I've had some excellent pieces of fish at EJ's.

Best,
Michael

If she wants fish, did you consider Don's Fishmarket? There are two sides there - a very casual tavern, and a slightly more formal dining room. And it's only about a block south of Old Orchard on Skokie Blvd.

Don's Fishmarket
9335 Skokie Blvd.
Skokie, IL 60077
847-677-3424

But I still think the skate and other seafood offerings at Charcoal Oven would be your best bet.

I'd go to Bonefish a hundred times before Don's Fishmarket. Well run chains like Bonefish and Maggiano's are better than most independents anyway.

MortonG wrote:I'd go to Bonefish a hundred times before Don's Fishmarket. Well run chains like Bonefish and Maggiano's are better than most independents anyway.

Oh boy...

wizzy wrote:Thanks for all the great suggestions. I've run them by the wife, and we're headed to Bonefish...she wants some fish. Guess I should have asked her first

If she wants fish I would head over one of these two places that are in the area...

Mitchell’s Fish Market
2601 Navy Boulevard
Glenview
(847) 729-3663

or

Davis Street Fishmarket
501 Davis Street
Evanston
(847) 869-3474

jesteinf wrote:

MortonG wrote:I'd go to Bonefish a hundred times before Don's Fishmarket. Well run chains like Bonefish and Maggiano's are better than most independents anyway.

Oh boy...

To agree I would cite some of the current discussions on the board; big bowl, in n out burgers etc
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=15666

To disagree I would argue that if such were the case there probably would not be such a dedicated community on this website.

Oh boy indeed. What does "better" mean anyway?

Do you want friendly service dictated by corporate binders? (don't go to Ed Debevic's, a chain -- the binders require the attitude)
Do you want ingredients whose freshness is dictated by those same binders, improving the odds that you'll see the same OK level of quality anywhere in the USA (to wit, Red Lobster)

There are chains I frequent because they have at least something goooood (BK Sausage Croissandwich, Calif Pizza Kitchen soups, etc.).
There are independents that are crap, and there's something to be said that by the time you get to be a chain, some standard level of crap will have to be exceeded, and that economies of scale and corporate supply chains ensure that the food supply stays consistent.

What you won't see, though, is Finesse. There are probably exceptions in small chains (Is Per Se a chain for having one in NYC and LV? I could probably make a case for Wildfire and a few other LEYE brands having a moderate amount of Finesse).

The point, though, is that by getting informed by places such as LTHForum, the crap can be avoided.
Most of the time.

Even if she wants fish I'd recommend the Charcoal Oven. If you check the link a number of posts above there's even a few pics of some nice looking fish. No, it's nothing fancy, but still. I grew up 6 houses away from there and it's a neighborhood fixtgure.

aviva5675 wrote:Even if she wants fish I'd recommend the Charcoal Oven. If you check the link a number of posts above there's even a few pics of some nice looking fish. No, it's nothing fancy, but still. I grew up 6 houses away from there and it's a neighborhood fixtgure.

I had a delicious skate wing at Charcoal Oven last weekend, one of my friends had a great piece of salmon and another friend had trout. Yum.

One of my favorite meals is the Chilean Sea Bass at EJ's. It is always perfectly broiled and huge.

I've eaten at Bonefish and would take a meal at Charcoal Oven or EJ's over them any day....

MortonG wrote:I'd go to Bonefish a hundred times before Don's Fishmarket. Well run chains like Bonefish and Maggiano's are better than most independents anyway.

Wow, a recommendation for Champps and "well run chains" in the same thread.