AKB - Northwestern Tourist Tips

[BostonNit]

All Knowing Board:

Am going to Northwestern game, and it will be my first visit to Evanston. Suggestions on things to do, restaurants to try, etc.?

Flying into Midway early Fri AM and not flying home til late Monday so I'll have a few days to do stuff.

Not looking for generic Chicago things as I've been to the windy city a few times. Looking more for local stuff around Evanston.

Also, will be going to White Sox game either Fri night, Sat night (if we play early) or Sunday matinee. Have never been to Guaranteed Rate Field and enjoy checking out stadiums around the country when I travel.

Am open for suggestions for other stuff from the AKB.

 

[Statewise]

22 year Evanston resident:

Best restaurants
Bat 17 -- sandwiches
Campagnola -- Italian
Edzos -- burgers
Zentli -- tacos
Kansaku -- sushi
Lou Malnattis -- pizza
Mustard's Last Stand -- hot dog across from Ryan Field

Bars
Graduate Homestead room
Blue Horse Tavern
Ward Eight
Temperance/Sketchbook (Evanston breweries)
Bluestone (bar on Central near the stadium before game)

Best concert venue
Evanston Space (awesome intimate venue with wood fired pizza restaurant and good bar) -- Joan Osbourne Friday night (9/29)

Evanston stuff
Grosse Point Lighthouse (tour on Sunday)
Northwestern University (walk on waterfront along rocks -- a mile east of the stadium)
Bahai Temple (technically Wilmette)

Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[BostonNit]

22 year Evanston resident:

Best restaurants
Bat 17 -- sandwiches
Campagnola -- Italian
Edzos -- burgers
Zentli -- tacos
Kansaku -- sushi
Lou Malnattis -- pizza
Mustard's Last Stand -- hot dog across from Ryan Field

Bars
Graduate Homestead room
Blue Horse Tavern
Ward Eight
Temperance/Sketchbook (Evanston breweries)
Bluestone (bar on Central near the stadium before game)

Best concert venue
Evanston Space (awesome intimate venue with wood fired pizza restaurant and good bar) -- Joan Osbourne Friday night (9/29)

Evanston stuff
Grosse Point Lighthouse (tour on Sunday)
Northwestern University (walk on waterfront along rocks -- a mile east of the stadium)
Bahai Temple (technically Wilmette)

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Great list. Thank you!

 

[Lion84]

All Knowing Board:

Am going to Northwestern game, and it will be my first visit to Evanston. Suggestions on things to do, restaurants to try, etc.?

Flying into Midway early Fri AM and not flying home til late Monday so I'll have a few days to do stuff.

Not looking for generic Chicago things as I've been to the windy city a few times. Looking more for local stuff around Evanston.

Also, will be going to White Sox game either Fri night, Sat night (if we play early) or Sunday matinee. Have never been to Guaranteed Rate Field and enjoy checking out stadiums around the country when I travel.

Am open for suggestions for other stuff from the AKB.

ChiSox not a fun as Cubs especially since Cubs driving to playoffs but they are up in Milwaukee that weekend - Sox stadium OK but the area isn't - getting better but I wouldn't hang around there too late after the game. as for Restaurants, I like Victory Tap on S. Michigan Ave - old style Italian place.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

ALWAYS check the bands in town. Chicago has great live music venues, the only thing I miss of that dreadful city

Live Music, Concert Tickets & Tour Dates Near You | Bandsintown

Never miss a show. Get concert recommendations & stay connected with your favorite artists. Find tickets, tour dates, and live music events in your city.

www.bandsintown.com

this catches the eye

Agent Orange @ Cobra Lounge

Sep 29, 2023 - Chicago, IL

www.bandsintown.com

 

[BostonNit]

ChiSox not a fun as Cubs especially since Cubs driving to playoffs but they are up in Milwaukee that weekend - Sox stadium OK but the area isn't - getting better but I wouldn't hang around there too late after the game. as for Restaurants, I like Victory Tap on S. Michigan Ave - old style Italian place.

Have been to Wrigley a few times anyway, and as mentioned they're not in town.

Likely will go to Sat eve ChiSox since Northwestern game has the ungodly 11AM kickoff.

 

[Lion84]

Have been to Wrigley a few times anyway, and as mentioned they're not in town.

Likely will go to Sat eve ChiSox since Northwestern game has the ungodly 11AM kickoff.

You know its less than 1 1/2 hours to Milwaukee - could always shoot up there to see the Cubs and Brewers - probable wont take much longer than getting to Sox Stadium.

 

[LionJim]

You know its less than 1 1/2 hours to Milwaukee - could always shoot up there to see the Cubs and Brewers - probable wont take much longer than getting to Sox Stadium.

You could do worse going to Milwaukee. I hope @BostonNit isn’t thinking of driving to the Sox game, it’s an arduous drive between Evanston and the Chicago lakefront, approximately three 90 degree turns per mile.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

You know its less than 1 1/2 hours to Milwaukee - could always shoot up there to see the Cubs and Brewers - probable wont take much longer than getting to Sox Stadium.

That stadium is AWESOME

 

[PSU Mike]

Wilmette - 2 -3 miles north may have fewer but better restaurants, plus they’re tightly grouped. Sophia (steak), Torino (ramen and sushi), Pescadero (seafood) Napolita (brick oven pizza), Valley Lodge (“American casual/sports”) among them. If you like veggie/vegan fare Blind Faith in Evanston and Spirit Elephant in Winnetka are great, with the former having better desserts and the latter having better cocktails. I’m in Glencoe, 6.7 miles north of Ryan Field. I can be free Friday evening to meet anybody if they’re inclined. Also Highwood (maybe 11 miles north of Evanston, but on the same Green Bay Corridor, has tons of cocktail venues and restaurants. Just don’t make any Goodfellows jokes at some of those venues…

 

[BostonNit]

Anyone planning a PSU takeover of a local watering hole before or after the game? Or on Friday evening?

 

[WanderingSpectator]

Let me know if you have any other questions.

We plan on doing a walking tour around campus either Friday late afternoon or after the game. Are there any iconic statues, sculptures, or locations we need to see?

How about lake-view dining or drinks?

 

[LionJim]

We plan on doing a walking tour around campus either Friday late afternoon or after the game. Are there any iconic statues, sculptures, or locations we need to see?

How about lake-view dining or drinks?

Please do prepare for the possibility that you find yourself freezing your butt off.

 

[WanderingSpectator]

Please do prepare for the possibility that you find yourself freezing your butt off.

The weather looks phenomenal! Sunny and 80° Saturday and Sunday!

 

[LionJim]

The weather looks phenomenal! Sunny and 80° Saturday and Sunday!

You’ve been warned.

 

[Statewise]

We plan on doing a walking tour around campus either Friday late afternoon or after the game. Are there any iconic statues, sculptures, or locations we need to see?

How about lake-view dining or drinks?

Ryan Field is on Central Street. Take Central Street all the way east to the end (roughly eight blocks from Ryan Field). You will hit the Grosse Point Lighthouse. Walk around there for 10 minutes.

Go south one block to Lincoln Avenue. Once you hit Lincoln, walk east (left) until you hit the end -- you will be right in front of a NWN beach, which unfortunately has some water treatment plant construction going on presently. Then take a right and you will pass along the new Ryan Fieldhouse, which is an amazing indoor football practice center that was built a couple of years ago. If you travel towards the lake (left from the fieldhouse), you can walk along the lake path, which is very nice. You will pass the lacrosse field, the NWN lagoon and tons of students running/biking and swinging in hammocks along the NWN rocks, and eventually get a great view of Chicago and see the NWN boating center (there will probably be a bunch of boats out as the weather is supposed to be great). On the way back, you can cut west and walk through the campus, which is also really nice and just a couple of blocks long.

Actually, @LionJim, Chicago in September and October tends to be great weather, and it looks like it will be perfect this weekend (approaching 80). Around Halloween, the weather falls off a cliff, and it is ugly until May.

 

[LionJim]

Ryan Field is on Central Street. Take Central Street all the way east to the end (roughly eight blocks from Ryan Field). You will hit the Grosse Point Lighthouse. Walk around there for 10 minutes.

Go south one block to Lincoln Avenue. Once you hit Lincoln, walk east (left) until you hit the end -- you will be right in front of a NWN beach, which unfortunately has some water treatment plant construction going on presently. Then take a right and you will pass along the new Ryan Fieldhouse, which is an amazing indoor football practice center that was built a couple of years ago. If you travel towards the lake (left from the fieldhouse), you can walk along the lake path, which is very nice. You will pass the lacrosse field, the NWN lagoon and tons of students running/biking and swinging in hammocks along the NWN rocks, and eventually get a great view of Chicago and see the NWN boating center (there will probably be a bunch of boats out as the weather is supposed to be great). On the way back, you can cut west and walk through the campus, which is also really nice and just a couple of blocks long.

Actually, @LionJim, Chicago in September and October tends to be great weather, and it looks like it will be perfect this weekend (approaching 80). Around Halloween, the weather falls off a cliff, and it is ugly until May.

All I can say is that I was in Evanston this past mid-June and froze my *** off eating outside. That wind off Lake Michigan be fierce.

 

[PSU Mike]

Anyone planning a PSU takeover of a local watering hole before or after the game? Or on Friday evening?

Did you make a plan?

 

[PSU Mike]

I proposed a meet up (to @BostonNit) at Firehouse Grill and/or Sketchbook Brewing on Chicago Ave in the Main Street area of Evanston this evening. Let me know if anybody would actually show - I’ll need a little warning. Thinking 7:30 range, but flexible. Hell, I might even break out the clean underwear for this occasion.

 

[Woodpecker]

I proposed a meet up (to @BostonNit) at Firehouse Grill and/or Sketchbook Brewing on Chicago Ave in the Main Street area of Evanston this evening. Let me know if anybody would actually show - I’ll need a little warning. Thinking 7:30 range, but flexible. Hell, I might even break out the clean underwear for this occasion.

Almost 3 months early!

 

[BostonNit]

I proposed a meet up (to @BostonNit) at Firehouse Grill and/or Sketchbook Brewing on Chicago Ave in the Main Street area of Evanston this evening. Let me know if anybody would actually show - I’ll need a little warning. Thinking 7:30 range, but flexible. Hell, I might even break out the clean underwear for this occasion.

Staying in prospect heights. Let me get back to you after my brother arrives here. 7:30 might work but he's driving in from Detroit and might be too tired.

 

[IrishHerb]

Please do prepare for the possibility that you find yourself freezing your butt off.

Should not be too bad this weekend. Early kickoff, game should be played in the 60s.

 

[MacNit2.0]

All Knowing Board:

Am going to Northwestern game, and it will be my first visit to Evanston. Suggestions on things to do, restaurants to try, etc.?

Flying into Midway early Fri AM and not flying home til late Monday so I'll have a few days to do stuff.

Not looking for generic Chicago things as I've been to the windy city a few times. Looking more for local stuff around Evanston.

Also, will be going to White Sox game either Fri night, Sat night (if we play early) or Sunday matinee. Have never been to Guaranteed Rate Field and enjoy checking out stadiums around the country when I travel.

Am open for suggestions for other stuff from the AKB.

Walker Brothers for breakfast. The best