Eh, could be much better. Did not have any coke products, then they were out of lemonade after just two glasses. One of the server or bartender... no idea who he is, announced that he is going to the bathroom after I asked him to close the tab. The food was amazing, no lie. But the service.... We also ordered BLT Salad or whatever it's called with a shrimps... Shrimps only made it to our table after we ate the salad already, that is also another huge minus. I will definitely recommend that place just for the food. But if you are just like I am, looking for a great service as well as a good food(I mean yea, who doesn't like to experience a great service) that place isn't for you.
Milly B
It was our first time coming to this restaurant, first host in front of house couldn't be more unfriendly, their menu was extremely poor nothing like you see in the pictures, I ended up ordering a pizza that barely had any pepperoni or sausage, also the waiter informed us at the beginning that there was bottomless mimosas not listed on the menu, only to find out we had been charged for every single one they said they don't offer that i was beyond dissatisfied they totally lied in our face, why would you deceive customers like this??!! We ended up paying almost 200 for mediocre food few mimosas and 2 pieces of a dry apple cake. Guess what I won't be back nor recommend this place. Shame on you.
Greg D.
I was excited to each at this actual location, which used to be a bank along time ago. I remember the day the bank in this location was robbed without any violence, incidence or long lasting drama and in less then (65) sixty-five seconds, {which seemed like a lifetime for me}. I have not been back to this location since the chess game robbery as it was dubbed by authorities to the Chicago Sun-Times, Evanston Review, WGN and Chicago Tribune. The food was great. The managers awsume proper. The waiter we had was overwhelmed with too many tables and good rush of customers, probably more then they expected, which was cool to see happening in Downtown evanston to be honest. the waiter actually did pretty well, considering, yeah. They need to restock on sparkling water for a cool, fresh, classy like this. Imma go back and get (5) automatic.
kim l.
The set up and ambiance was great. It's a good intimate date night spot for cocktails. Food was just ok. The salmon wasn't seasoned well, the potatoes were under cooked. Not sure what they are going for with menu options. Especially with the appetizers. It's kind of all over the place. Probably my first and last time going.
Prin P.
I visited Next of Kin on a lunch outing with my work colleagues and I was a bit disappointed with my experience. The service was good enough, the server was pleasant and attentive but there were other issues that were concerning. First, we ordered our appetizer and when it arrived my coworker went to pass out the small plates that were stacked on the table and as she went down the stack we realized they were dirty!! (see pictures). It was so gross! The server took them away quickly and apologized, but that should not have happened. Next, I had prepared ahead of time and looked over the menu beforehand to be prepared or at least have an idea of what I wanted to order but once I got there I found out they only had the lunch menu and it was very limited so I had to rethink what to get. The burger seemed too heavy and the only other option was the sashimi bowl but I wasn't in mood for raw fish so I got a kale salad with cooked salmon, it was OK, just not what I was in the mood for. The last blow was they don't have a pepper mill to get fresh pepper and the pepper shaker just let out a dusting of pepper on my salad. No matter how much I sprinkled I couldn't taste it or see it. It was just a bummer overall. For what they charge at this restaurant they should be a bit more on top of it. Dirty plates, no pepper mill at a high-end casual establishment, really??
Aggie Hef
This restaurant looks like a two Michelin star place! They are super slammed, but as you can imagine, it's super hard to get staffed so they were all running rampant to fulfill guest needs.Drinks were great, especially the Bloody Mary for lunch/brunch.The Journeyman Barrel aged Fig and Plum Manhattan was heavenly. Salads were stellar, especially the watermelon salad. Music was divine. Please be patient when you go and enhance your experience with understanding how many tens of thousands of individual tasks each of the staff performs in one shift. It's an experience 4 sure!
Megan Rae
Very good food! However, the peach blueberry crisp took a very long time to come out and our waiter didn’t take the time to check on us in the meantime or let us know ahead of time that the dish takes awhile to prepare (if that’s the reason it took awhile for service). When it arrived, it had a strange taste to it- I couldn’t even finish, I was a bit worried that it wasn’t even safe to eat. Overall, our experience and food was great! Just that one hiccup. And I HIGHLY recommend the lavender lemonade cocktail!
Nancy Ericksen
Met a friend fir brunch here.. Food was good.. Has french toast w orange butter.. Loved it .
Sherwin C.
I have to say, everything about this restaurant is beautiful. Beautiful dining rooms, beautiful patio, beautiful food, and beautiful menu options. I'm a bit surprised that it took me so long to find this restaurant as everything is so elegant at an extremely reasonable price. I actually ended up at this restaurant after my first option was extremely crowded and then took a wrong turn when trying to find another breakfast option. The huge patio area with an option to sit inside with screens (to have the same patio-like feeling) was a big draw and I was immediately surprised when the inside was even more nicely decorated with tall ceilings, elegant light fixtures, comfortable seating, and lots of uniquely decorative walls. The service was also quick and professional to match the overall vibe of the restaurant. The menu for my meal contained a wide variety of options from breakfast to salads to sashimi bowls to pizza. I was quite happy to see such a wide variety of cuisines available, with small variations that kept the dishes familiar yet slightly elevated. Fortunately, the food was all excellent as well. The honey butter french toast is perhaps the plainest looking item you can order. But don't let this fool you as the challah bread is infused with a delicious, almost custard like egg mixture. This by itself is enough to make the dish extremely flavorful and worthy of a visit. However, this also comes with a delicious rosemary orange flavor maple syrup with a slightly thinner consistency that compliment each other perfectly with perfect balance of citrus, tangy, and pine-like flavors. To top it off, the honey butter that's provided is rich and sweet (and would be amazing with fresh baked rolls!). Once you combine all these elements together, you get one of the best french toast preparations that I've ever had. Highly recommended for anyone with a sweet tooth and any lover of Hong Kong style egg tarts. The kale caesar salad was extremely fresh with juicy cherry tomatoes, firm brocolli, and crispy cucumbers to match. The chicken breast was grilled to perfection, flavorful and juicy at the same time which matched well with the saltiness of the parmesan and crunchiness of the bread crumbs. I really liked how each element was perfectly bite sized and how the chef managed to add color into a typically plain looking dish. The salmon sashimi bowl may be disappointing to some as it's really more like a bibimbap with some fish on top. It is presented beautifully with the separate vegetable elements in their own section and both green and red fish roe on top. Make sure that you combine all the elements together and mix both sauces in to get a perfect combination of spiciness and sesame oil in. The vegetables and crunchy and fresh and the fish is tasty though I wish they provided additional chunks. Still, this is well prepared and delicious though quite different from a poke bowl. Overall, I had an excellent experience here and enjoyed some beautiful, creative, and delicious food at a very agreeable price point. I look forward to visiting again soon to try more of this delicious food that puts a smile on my face.
Eileen E.
We enjoyed dinner on the large outdoor patio. The spicy curry dish was delicious. We all enjoyed the Brussels sprouts appetizer. We will definitely be back!
My first time here and I will say that it was wonderful. I met my family who I haven't seen in a while. The server was patient even though we couldn't decide on food because we were catching up with each other. He kept drinks and appetizers flowing and was very cordial. I originally ordered the fish, but as it was almost ready, he came out to say that it wasn't looking very fresh so asked if I wanted to order something else. Even though I ordered a different dish, my food came out just as quickly as everyone else at the table. Delicious food, great drinks, lovely ambience and awesome service!
Bernard S
This was a great place to have a casual lunch with a friend. Spacious outdoor seating was available. Service was excellent in all regards. The menu was creative and perfect for a well-prepared casual lunch. This is one of the better places I've had lunch in when in Evanston.
Karl V.
I love this restaurant! I just had the most beautifully plated sashimi bowl with black rice for lunch. And, amazingly, it tasted as good as it looked! Super fresh, healthy and vibrant. This is so beautiful to look at...it really did need a picture before I devoured it. Also had the PERFECT avocado toast with cherry tomatoes and arugula lightly coated in good olive oil. You know you are at eating food that's a notch above when even simple ingredients stand out bc they are so fresh and thoughtfully prepared. The service is always great here too. I can't say enough about how underrated their huge patio is too. Why isn't this place jammed? I think it's bc it's a pain to park here. But there's tons of parking a block away at 807 Davis's garage. The giant burnt butter salted chocolate chip cookie is irresistible. The cocktails here are great too, but it was a working lunch. The interior space is a modern lovers dream too if you want to eat inside!
Carolyn W.
We went there for my fiancee's birthday, Lauren R. was our waitress. I asked if they made Pina Coladas, they did not, so my second choice was an Amaretto Sour, she said yes I know we have that and my fiancee ordered the Honey Dew You. Lauren returned with my fiancee's drink and informed me there was no Amaretto so I ordered the Lavendar Lemonade. For dinner I ordered the half chicken but they didn't have any more chicken, so Salmon it is. Despite the bumps in the food options; the service was great and the people were friendly, the manager even visited our table with a amusing story. I would definitely revisit this place.
Christine K.
With The Cellar and Stained Glass now closed, I figured Next of Kin would be a decent option for a meal. Maybe weekend brunch isn't the right time to visit, but the food was mediocre at best and more than disappointing. Ambiance is great for a date or meal with friends of family though. We ordered coffee, the hummus plate, pizza, and Caesar salad. Unfortunately, the best part of the experience was flexible seating despite a later reservation and the Caesar salad. Nothing to write home about for the hummus plate, and the pizza reminded me of the square Pizza Hut pizza. Perhaps, dinner and drinks offer more, but for now, I don't think I have an inclination to return.
Eh, could be much better. Did not have any coke products, then they were out of lemonade after just two glasses. One of the server or bartender... no idea who he is, announced that he is going to the bathroom after I asked him to close the tab. The food was amazing, no lie. But the service.... We also ordered BLT Salad or whatever it's called with a shrimps... Shrimps only made it to our table after we ate the salad already, that is also another huge minus. I will definitely recommend that place just for the food. But if you are just like I am, looking for a great service as well as a good food(I mean yea, who doesn't like to experience a great service) that place isn't for you.
It was our first time coming to this restaurant, first host in front of house couldn't be more unfriendly, their menu was extremely poor nothing like you see in the pictures, I ended up ordering a pizza that barely had any pepperoni or sausage, also the waiter informed us at the beginning that there was bottomless mimosas not listed on the menu, only to find out we had been charged for every single one they said they don't offer that i was beyond dissatisfied they totally lied in our face, why would you deceive customers like this??!! We ended up paying almost 200 for mediocre food few mimosas and 2 pieces of a dry apple cake. Guess what I won't be back nor recommend this place. Shame on you.
I was excited to each at this actual location, which used to be a bank along time ago. I remember the day the bank in this location was robbed without any violence, incidence or long lasting drama and in less then (65) sixty-five seconds, {which seemed like a lifetime for me}. I have not been back to this location since the chess game robbery as it was dubbed by authorities to the Chicago Sun-Times, Evanston Review, WGN and Chicago Tribune. The food was great. The managers awsume proper. The waiter we had was overwhelmed with too many tables and good rush of customers, probably more then they expected, which was cool to see happening in Downtown evanston to be honest. the waiter actually did pretty well, considering, yeah. They need to restock on sparkling water for a cool, fresh, classy like this. Imma go back and get (5) automatic.
The set up and ambiance was great. It's a good intimate date night spot for cocktails. Food was just ok. The salmon wasn't seasoned well, the potatoes were under cooked. Not sure what they are going for with menu options. Especially with the appetizers. It's kind of all over the place. Probably my first and last time going.
I visited Next of Kin on a lunch outing with my work colleagues and I was a bit disappointed with my experience. The service was good enough, the server was pleasant and attentive but there were other issues that were concerning. First, we ordered our appetizer and when it arrived my coworker went to pass out the small plates that were stacked on the table and as she went down the stack we realized they were dirty!! (see pictures). It was so gross! The server took them away quickly and apologized, but that should not have happened. Next, I had prepared ahead of time and looked over the menu beforehand to be prepared or at least have an idea of what I wanted to order but once I got there I found out they only had the lunch menu and it was very limited so I had to rethink what to get. The burger seemed too heavy and the only other option was the sashimi bowl but I wasn't in mood for raw fish so I got a kale salad with cooked salmon, it was OK, just not what I was in the mood for. The last blow was they don't have a pepper mill to get fresh pepper and the pepper shaker just let out a dusting of pepper on my salad. No matter how much I sprinkled I couldn't taste it or see it. It was just a bummer overall. For what they charge at this restaurant they should be a bit more on top of it. Dirty plates, no pepper mill at a high-end casual establishment, really??
This restaurant looks like a two Michelin star place! They are super slammed, but as you can imagine, it's super hard to get staffed so they were all running rampant to fulfill guest needs.Drinks were great, especially the Bloody Mary for lunch/brunch.The Journeyman Barrel aged Fig and Plum Manhattan was heavenly. Salads were stellar, especially the watermelon salad. Music was divine. Please be patient when you go and enhance your experience with understanding how many tens of thousands of individual tasks each of the staff performs in one shift. It's an experience 4 sure!
Very good food! However, the peach blueberry crisp took a very long time to come out and our waiter didn’t take the time to check on us in the meantime or let us know ahead of time that the dish takes awhile to prepare (if that’s the reason it took awhile for service). When it arrived, it had a strange taste to it- I couldn’t even finish, I was a bit worried that it wasn’t even safe to eat. Overall, our experience and food was great! Just that one hiccup. And I HIGHLY recommend the lavender lemonade cocktail!
Met a friend fir brunch here.. Food was good.. Has french toast w orange butter.. Loved it .
I have to say, everything about this restaurant is beautiful. Beautiful dining rooms, beautiful patio, beautiful food, and beautiful menu options. I'm a bit surprised that it took me so long to find this restaurant as everything is so elegant at an extremely reasonable price. I actually ended up at this restaurant after my first option was extremely crowded and then took a wrong turn when trying to find another breakfast option. The huge patio area with an option to sit inside with screens (to have the same patio-like feeling) was a big draw and I was immediately surprised when the inside was even more nicely decorated with tall ceilings, elegant light fixtures, comfortable seating, and lots of uniquely decorative walls. The service was also quick and professional to match the overall vibe of the restaurant. The menu for my meal contained a wide variety of options from breakfast to salads to sashimi bowls to pizza. I was quite happy to see such a wide variety of cuisines available, with small variations that kept the dishes familiar yet slightly elevated. Fortunately, the food was all excellent as well. The honey butter french toast is perhaps the plainest looking item you can order. But don't let this fool you as the challah bread is infused with a delicious, almost custard like egg mixture. This by itself is enough to make the dish extremely flavorful and worthy of a visit. However, this also comes with a delicious rosemary orange flavor maple syrup with a slightly thinner consistency that compliment each other perfectly with perfect balance of citrus, tangy, and pine-like flavors. To top it off, the honey butter that's provided is rich and sweet (and would be amazing with fresh baked rolls!). Once you combine all these elements together, you get one of the best french toast preparations that I've ever had. Highly recommended for anyone with a sweet tooth and any lover of Hong Kong style egg tarts. The kale caesar salad was extremely fresh with juicy cherry tomatoes, firm brocolli, and crispy cucumbers to match. The chicken breast was grilled to perfection, flavorful and juicy at the same time which matched well with the saltiness of the parmesan and crunchiness of the bread crumbs. I really liked how each element was perfectly bite sized and how the chef managed to add color into a typically plain looking dish. The salmon sashimi bowl may be disappointing to some as it's really more like a bibimbap with some fish on top. It is presented beautifully with the separate vegetable elements in their own section and both green and red fish roe on top. Make sure that you combine all the elements together and mix both sauces in to get a perfect combination of spiciness and sesame oil in. The vegetables and crunchy and fresh and the fish is tasty though I wish they provided additional chunks. Still, this is well prepared and delicious though quite different from a poke bowl. Overall, I had an excellent experience here and enjoyed some beautiful, creative, and delicious food at a very agreeable price point. I look forward to visiting again soon to try more of this delicious food that puts a smile on my face.
We enjoyed dinner on the large outdoor patio. The spicy curry dish was delicious. We all enjoyed the Brussels sprouts appetizer. We will definitely be back!
Restaurantji Recommends
My first time here and I will say that it was wonderful. I met my family who I haven't seen in a while. The server was patient even though we couldn't decide on food because we were catching up with each other. He kept drinks and appetizers flowing and was very cordial. I originally ordered the fish, but as it was almost ready, he came out to say that it wasn't looking very fresh so asked if I wanted to order something else. Even though I ordered a different dish, my food came out just as quickly as everyone else at the table. Delicious food, great drinks, lovely ambience and awesome service!
This was a great place to have a casual lunch with a friend. Spacious outdoor seating was available. Service was excellent in all regards. The menu was creative and perfect for a well-prepared casual lunch. This is one of the better places I've had lunch in when in Evanston.
I love this restaurant! I just had the most beautifully plated sashimi bowl with black rice for lunch. And, amazingly, it tasted as good as it looked! Super fresh, healthy and vibrant. This is so beautiful to look at...it really did need a picture before I devoured it. Also had the PERFECT avocado toast with cherry tomatoes and arugula lightly coated in good olive oil. You know you are at eating food that's a notch above when even simple ingredients stand out bc they are so fresh and thoughtfully prepared. The service is always great here too. I can't say enough about how underrated their huge patio is too. Why isn't this place jammed? I think it's bc it's a pain to park here. But there's tons of parking a block away at 807 Davis's garage. The giant burnt butter salted chocolate chip cookie is irresistible. The cocktails here are great too, but it was a working lunch. The interior space is a modern lovers dream too if you want to eat inside!
We went there for my fiancee's birthday, Lauren R. was our waitress. I asked if they made Pina Coladas, they did not, so my second choice was an Amaretto Sour, she said yes I know we have that and my fiancee ordered the Honey Dew You. Lauren returned with my fiancee's drink and informed me there was no Amaretto so I ordered the Lavendar Lemonade. For dinner I ordered the half chicken but they didn't have any more chicken, so Salmon it is. Despite the bumps in the food options; the service was great and the people were friendly, the manager even visited our table with a amusing story. I would definitely revisit this place.
With The Cellar and Stained Glass now closed, I figured Next of Kin would be a decent option for a meal. Maybe weekend brunch isn't the right time to visit, but the food was mediocre at best and more than disappointing. Ambiance is great for a date or meal with friends of family though. We ordered coffee, the hummus plate, pizza, and Caesar salad. Unfortunately, the best part of the experience was flexible seating despite a later reservation and the Caesar salad. Nothing to write home about for the hummus plate, and the pizza reminded me of the square Pizza Hut pizza. Perhaps, dinner and drinks offer more, but for now, I don't think I have an inclination to return.