ZAGAT 2012/2013
There's "never a dull bite" assert acolytes of this "lively" Evanston hangout tended by "friendly" staffers where the "imaginative" eclectic small plates are "big on flavor" and the "excellent" wine list is accompanied by an even "better beer selection"; prices are more "accessible" than its nearby Stained Glass sib, and though it can still be "a bit of a splurge" for some, it remains a "popular drop in place" (though no reservations may result in a wait).
MICHELIN GUIDE 2013
The Cellar is the younger sib to Evanston stronghold The Stained Glass Bistro, located around the corner. Though the two spots share a kitchen, they each have distinct personalities- this one's the global nomad who's just finished her Eat, Pray, Love round-the-world trip of self-discovery and returned to tell her tales...and share a cool craft beer and plate of tapas with you too.
What The Stained Glass does for wine drinkers, The Cellar does for beer. These far-reaching brews pair seamlessly with the small plates menu divvied into sections labeled A Hint of Europe, All-American, and Worldwide. Dive into varied bites like blue cheese beignets with roasted mushrooms and Port wine syrup; before going whole hog on the fried chicken with sweet garlic gravy.
CHICAGO MAGAZINE
Evanston, that most urban of suburbs, finally has a cool place for a bite and brew after the movie. A deep storefront decked with raw wood beams and pinpoint lighting, The Cellar—brought to you by the folks behind The Stained Glass Bistro—skillfully blends slick and hip with cozy and comfy. Maybe it’s the seating (a cushy couch here, glossy high-tops there), or the small plates (tender braised short ribs over marrow potatoes, Maryland crab cake buried under crispy frites), or the global beers (Goose Island Matilda, Orval Trappist Ale from Belgium). We like the casual-affordable approach to global dining so well, we might skip the movie altogether.
TIME OUT CHICAGO
There are people out there who love Evanston, who couldn’t imagine living anywhere else, who think it is the Great Compromise between city and suburb. And then there are the rest of us, who believe the only thing to do in the land of Northwestern students is go to a movie and eat large quantities of Red Mango. It’s for us that the partners behind the Stained Glass Bistro have opened the Cellar, a beer-and-wine bar with a global selection of small plates from bacon-wrapped dates to a bucket of fried chicken to sake-steamed mussels. If the scope of the menu makes it seem as if they’re appealing to a diverse crowd, that’s because this is Evanston. They have to.
