The Cellar at The Stained Glass

I’ve only tried this place for brunch. The food was delicious as was their Bloody Mary. Service can be a bit spotty. My one complaint is that they don’t open until 11 for brunch which is a bit late for me. Overall, a great find.

I don’t complain often but this place ticked me off: A classic case of a business that thinks it’s their job to make food rather than create an experience.
We had a very frustrating meal at the cellar. A birthday breakfast for seven including two eighty year old + grandmothers. This place has so many «rules» it is ridiculous — can’t give an grandmother a seat because more than half the party isn’t here yet and left her standing on the sidewalk (even though restaurant was almost empty), no chairs added to table when a seventh person shows because a «fire hazard» would be created, could not alter menu items add all, no reservations or prep for large parties. On and on.
This place was being run by a control freak and the manager was really kind of bitchy and rude. Food was average breakfasts — I expected more from a ‘brunch’ menu. Basically it was breakfast with the possibilty of having a burger.
By the way the comment about fire hazard is bogus. A made up ‘rule’. I do egress plAns for businesses and this was laughable.

What a fun date spot or place to get together with the girls! My friends and I each tried the crème brûlée trio. The chai one with whipped cream weighed on the burnt sugar and made it slightly soggy, but delicious flavor. The chocolate one was very heavy on the chocolate and perfect for the chocolate indulgers. I am totally blown away by the atmosphere and the cool nature of the servers.

Went here last night to catch up with a friend. The service was attentive but not annoying. The tuna poke was really fresh and delicious — served over rice — not chips. It was so good we asked for another order minus the rice plus chips. We also split the deep fried avocado tacos — they came with four so we didn’t have to cut one in half /​how refreshing. Would love to come back and try the brunch and the other selections. Great place for plate sharing, so many interesting options.

This is the posh Stained Glass’s more accessible little cousin next door. It’s been a little while since I dined here, so my memory might be a little rusty, but overall, I remember enjoying the place.
The service was fine and professional. The atmosphere is classy but not stuffy. The menu is nicely varied and not too big or too limited; perfect for a small plates place like this.
We had the trio of butters. They were interesting, certainly better than your average bread and butter, but I mean, at the end of the day, truffle, parmesan, and even goats’ milk butter with thinly sliced bread is not the most exciting food. I do appreciate how thinly they slice the bread though– thinner slices means more surface area means more butter. Also had the salmon en croute. It was okay, though salmon is oily to begin with and adding puff pastry almost made this a grease bomb. Had the bacon wrapped dates, but I’ve had so many variants of this dish (we order it almost everywhere we see it on the menu) and this version didn’t stand out. The maple-​rum donut was a good closer, though.
I was split between three and four stars, but rounded down because of the price. While it’s not THAT pricey, it’s expensive enough to compete with places like Campagnola that serve amazing food.

I came here thinking I was really going to enjoy some food tonight. I had looked at the reviews and pictures before I got here. I ended up ordering the avocado fried tacos, truffle fries, and a limoncello drink. All of this was just okay nothing spectacular. Maybe I ordered the wrong food. Maybe I should have went here for brunch instead… The fries were okay but I wouldn’t get them again. The ambiance was nice though.

Quick, fresh and tasty brunch. The menu is a bit limited (and really meat-​/​bacon-​heavy, so if you’re veggie or don’t eat beef/​pork, be prepared.) The omelet I had (California, with mushroom, kale and avocado) was a little boring. There was barely any kale, too many mushrooms and the ‘avocado’ came in the form of guac spread across the top of the eggs. Ok… The hash browns, however, could rival Tweet’s, and my wife’s breakfast burger looked PHENOM. Our server was fast and sweet as cherry pie. I’d like to come back again and try something else because I feel like they could live up to my 4 star review, despite my somewhat unhappy personal plate.

I’m mad my sister hadn’t discovered this place sooner. You can easily miss it cause the store front doesn’t stand out that much.
Once inside service was great. I couldn’t decide between sweet or savory, so I went with both :) We shared the doughnut French toast first. AMAZING! It sort of tastes like a fresh crispy cream doughnut with berries sprinkled over it.
For my main entrée I went with the house burger and fries. I’m really liking this fried egg on the burger trend. One of the best burgers I’ve had. Fries were just okay.
Great spot in the downtown Evanston area. I’ll definitely be back to try their Omelettes.

Evanston is chockablock with fantastic restaurants and the Cellar ranks up there as one of the best. We ducked in for a beer and to avoid the rain and were very pleased with our experience here. They had lots of local craft beers to choose from, and we also got a mini burger and fries to share. Well, can I just say that this is one of the best burgers I’ve ever had? It’s amazing but the moment I bit into that burger, I knew it was exceptional, ranking up there with Ray’s Hellburger, among other excellent burgers I’ve tried. I don’t know what it was, but the quality of the meat, the freshness of the bun, the bleu cheese and veggies… it was perfect. We definitely want to come back to sample other items on their menu.

Great place with a great environment! The interior was very well done and cozy and I could imagine it being a great date place. I came here for dinner around 7:30 on a Wednesday and I have to say it was pretty full — but also there was no wait to be seated. Our waiter was great and checked on us without being overbearing.
In terms of the food you must order the bacon wrapped dates — they are the perfect amount of sweet and savory with some nice smokiness. The truffle fries are pretty good too and I definitely recommend the salmon flatbread if you’re a fan of goat cheese.
For dessert I head the crème brûlée sampler was good and I have to agree — the Mexican chocolate was my favorite out of the three
Overall I am looking forward to coming here again!

Very good!
Benedicts poached to perfection (see picture). Not overly fat (no molten butter in the muffin), very tasty hollandaise in just the right amount. Comes with fingerling potatoes, steamed and grilled potatoes, again not drenched in fat oil or butter, not over salted (I added a bit of salt, even though I tend to salt lightly). Decent portion, but not American sized, which is ok with me.
Tart flambé for my wife that she was very happy with.
Atmosphere is quite nice, enough space even though it looks like it can be a crowded bar at nights…

Amazing!!! Our first time to The Cellar tonight — tapas-​style but not traditional tapas dishes. Very comfortable place – very casual but with the same kitchen as the very upscale Stained Glass. The lamb chops are as good of a dish as I think I’ve had anywhere. Maybe this was just a really «on» night for these guys but wow was it good. The tuna poke was outstanding, as well. Don’t let the casual atmosphere fool you — this food is the real deal.

I’ve been to the Cellar a few times for dinner and I have to say it’s a great date spot! I love the cozy feeling you get once you step inside.
My favorite part about the Cellar is how you can order many small dishes for variety. I’ve always ordered the mini sliders, which are very mini, and I never feel guilty eating other dishes as well. The sliders come with fries on the side, but I absolutely love the truffle fries as well. I have to admit… It’s a love-​hate relationship with those truffle fries.
I’ve noticed their menus change every so often and sometimes I miss a few of their older menu items. I’ve enjoyed their mussels, but they seemed to have disappeared. Please bring them back! They are dearly missed!
An interesting thing I want to mention was sometime in the summer when my friend and I wanted to grab brunch here. We walked inside to an empty restaurant and one of the employees told us they decided not to open today because of lack of customers. Not sure if this is common at other places too, but it didn’t feel good to be rejected!

I had high expectations going into this place, and came out feeling slightly disappointed.
I tried the mini sliders and the salmon flatbread, and for dessert the sampler of crème brûlée.
Mini sliders: was okay. Tasted like a regular burger to me that you can get for a lot cheaper, but the meat was juicy and tender. They are priced per slider, which i think is around $ 3. My boyfriend ordered two and that seemed to fill him up. It also comes with fries.
Salmon flatbread: This had a unique taste to it. If you are not a fan of goat cheese don’t get it. The portion was enough for me to bring some home for later, but the price was way too expensive for something I can probably whip up at home for cheaper.
Crème Brûlée: Now this is what I came here for mainly. The sampler came in 3 flavors: chai, chocolate and vanilla. The chai actually tasted like chai. It was pretty good, but nothing I would want to try again. The chocolate had a different texture that the other two, more like a cheesecake texture. THE VANILLA was my all-​time fav. When you got to the bottom of the dish you can see the tiny vanilla beans. I wish I could just order this one flavor.

I came here several times for dinner, mostly for the ambiance. The dinner menu is great for its price, but nothing to rave about.
Then I came here for brunch with friends and I have to say, it is my favorite brunch spot in Evanston. I ordered the Spinach Florentine which was outstanding. The concoction of the spinach hollondaise made a regular eggs benedict to die for. And may I also add the potatoes on the side were cooked to perfection; flavorful, crispy, and not too greasy.

This place is really popular for brunch. I visited on a Sunday around noon without making reservations and had to wait for approximately 30 minutes before getting seated. We were a little tight on space at the table, but service was quick. I ordered a side of eggs and hash browns. The hash browns were amazing. I am the type of person who prefers crunchy over soggy fries. And if you are too, you have to order the hash browns from here!
Will return!

Recently tried a sampling of the menu to mixed reviews, but the hits were homeruns. First, the bacon wrapped dates are outstanding. The scallops were also very good. I loved the crème brule sampler as well. I wasn’t very fond of the cauliflower dish, however.
The layout of the restaurant is fine, but it seemed like the tables are a bit close to one another. The waiter was very attentive, which is always nice.

An amazing cauliflower salmon croute; all the desserts; pleasant atmosphere; and Rick the bartender mixes mean drinks. Good food value (but expensive liquor and beer).

The salmon flatbread was delicious, as was the French onion fondue! The restaurant was packed when I went, but we were seated quickly and enjoyed the cozy ambiance. Definitely planning to come back to enjoy the crème brûlée — looked amazing from the table next to us!

The hidden gem of Evanston for date nights. Granted, they don’t take reservations, so you do have to be flexible with the wait time. Usually we belly up to the bar to wait and feel so comfy that we don’t even move once they say the table is ready. Food is great… I have ordered everything from the salt and butter flight, to bacon wrapped chorizo stuffed dates and mussels. More appetizer/​share a plate menu… but that is usually what we go for. Friendly staff and great ambiance.

We came in for weekend brunch just shortly after they opened at 11am. A few tables were filled but it was a quiet atmosphere overall. Service to our table was quick, the portions of the food were decent, and the total bill & cost was reasonable. What completely knocked off stars other than that questionable donut was the staff. Really have no desire to return because of them.
Nothing is more bothersome than staff lounging in the background because the rush hasn’t hit yet. I don’t want to see people slouched over the bar on their phone because there’s nothing to do. And if you’re seating customers less than 12″ away from the front greeting desk, don’t gather there and complain about a table that I can see. Obnoxiously making drug references or spending 5 minutes going round in a circle doing your best New York accents is not only lame but not super appropriate when you know. people are seated right behind you and guess what, from New York! Learn the art of whispering or folding napkins or something if you’re bored.

I’ve been here for dinner multiple times, but today was my first time having brunch at The Cellar. I had the Tart Flambé (fancy way of saying flatbread with bacon and eggs on top). It was delicious! Perfect combination of cheese, crème fraîche, egg yolk, and crispy bacon on perfectly baked dough. The dish was appropriately filling and only $ 10!
Love the ambience. We were able to have a nice intimate conversation for a couple hours. Great place for a date or girls’ night out!
Only weird thing is that when they applied the 10% Wildcard discount, they also applied 20% gratuity. Didn’t mind giving 20% but just thought that was weird.

Delicious food. Truly amazing service. The wait for six was forty minutes, but that’s okay — it was Saturday night at seven, after all, and we went down the street for margaritas while we waited.
They serve mostly small plates. Among the dishes I tasted were the pommes frites (amazing), butter and salt flight (very good, too filling as a first course), fried cauliflower (wonderful), cheese plate (my favorite — the candied walnuts sent it over the top).
So why only three stars? I’m vegetarian, and their menu is helpfully divided into Meat, Seafood, and Vegetarian. But two of the dishes under Vegetarian… aren’t. The fondue is au jus and the Caesar salad has anchovies. I can’t improve my rating until they stop lying on the menu. I mean really. I’m not even asking you to change your food — though I would have ordered both dishes if they were truly veg — but you can’t write VEGETARIAN at the top of your menu and then list foods with fish and beef in them. Just stop.
Luckily, the really marvelous waitress knew enough to warn me. Extra points for her; extra minuses for the management. Change it.
Update: Management contacted me and said they would alter the menu. Thank you!

I came here for brunch on a rainy saturday and this place is packed! We quickly got seated and the servers are really friendly.
I miss huevos rancheros back in LA so I wanted try the Cellar’s version of this.
I wasn’t really impressed with the Cellar’s huevos rancheros because they put TOO MUCH beans in this dish and it subtracts the flavor and looks. Also this just feels like a quesadilla slapped onto a pool of beans with fried eggs and a scoop of avocado. not good.
My friend got donut french toast and it was so good! It was moist and not too sweet. Would recommend :)

I really enjoyed my dinner at the stained glass. I went with a group so I was able to try a lot of things. First of all, the cauliflower was very nice. It has great texture and is seasoned well. The Asian BBQ ribs was also great. It was a little sweet, which I liked. The bacon-​wrapped dates were fantastic. The saltiness of the bacon complemented the sweetness of the dates. The lamb chops were also solid. I was mostly disappointed by the tuna tartare since I felt that it had too much avocado. The salmon en croute was also not my favorite. There was too much cheese and too little salmon. Overall, I do recommend going to the Cellar! I’ll definitely be back.

Yum! Loved all the food we ordered for brunch, and the prices were totally reasonable. I got the omelette, and maybe it’s because I’m from California and used to exorbitant prices, but I was floored that an omelette with goat cheese only cost $ 10 (I should go to Chicago more often!). Fruit bowl was fresh, omelette was great, good coffee, and enjoyed my friend’s huevos rancheros as well. Quick, attentive service.
Would definitely recommend this spot!

I haven’t tried dinner at the Stained Glass, but I have a feeling brunch is the true winner of this establishment. The entrance is off Clark and super unassuming. The inside is spacial and homey, perfect for ladies/​friends who brunch. Everything on the menu sounds good and tastes even better. You can’t go wrong with any of the options (even the side grits is flavorful). I would say the donut french toast is best for sharing with the table though — it’s tasty but way too heavy/​oily for one person (call me if you need help). The brunch drinks are reasonably priced too. Definitely coming back for more!

This was very nice on the whole, but some dishes weren’t perfect. The service and setting were on point, especially our server who was fantastic. Specific dish reviews below.
Butternut squash soup with Honey Lavender custard. Delicious. Super smooth and creamy, rich. Lightly spiced, with a delicate sweetness. Nicely balanced.
Bacon wrapped dates with chorizo. Chorizo was almost unnoticeable. Could have used some more spice. Very sweet and rich. Arugula and vinaigrette gave a nice bitterness, but I could have used a bit more textural variety and spiciness. Still very good, but not highly recommended.
Salmon en crote. Crispy outside, flaky salmon, rich goat cheese. Honestly, my favorite of the evening, but Sami’s least. I thought the depth of flavor, subtlety, and textural variety were fantastic. Sami thought it was kind of blah and disappointing.
Crème brûlée sampler: vanilla, chai, and Mexican chocolate. Mexican chocolate was the weakest, as it was slightly overcooked and mediocre flavor. I liked the chai, as the flavor was deeper and the texture was better, but still not great. The vanilla, however, was perfect. Tender, rich, creamy, delicate. Absolutely phenomenal.

Great place to enjoy a meal at reasonable prices — it shares the same kitchen as «Stained Glass» which is a more expensive experience (also nice place to go but your wallet will suffer more unnecessarily).
You can’t make a reservation for the cellar you just have to turn up & hope you get lucky as its a busy place but they’ll take your number & call you if you stay close by.

I think this place was pretty good! I was in search of a good brunch option and I think it’s safe to say that they deliver on that. However, my apologies to everyone that sat next to my highly excitable baby, because I don’t know that anyone from other tables got much of a chance to discuss anything.
Food wise, the Huevos Rancheros were good and the grits were basically amazing. Drink-​wise, the bloody was maybe a little bit boring/​lacking. I’d say meals here seem to be a good price, with good service, and great quality. What’s not to love? It’s no wonder people come here all the itme.
Do come here for brunch. Do eat here.

I was here for dessert one night after having dinner in, and we were seated immediately. Unfortunately, service after that was slow and spotty.
We had the crème brûlée sampler (chocolate, chai and raspberry) and the chocolate ganache cake.
The chocolate ganache cake was amazing: moist, and not too sweet. The crème brûlée sampler, unfortunately, only had one flavor that I found amazing (raspberry). The chai was way too strong, and the chocolate tasted mostly like chocolate pudding.

Amazing food, very disappointing service. Three other friends and I came last night for a treat, expecting a nice meal, based on the shining reviews on Unilocal.
When I first got to the restaurant, half an hour after it opened for dinner, I was seated with a friend at a 2-​person table. When we found out that 2 other friends were joining us, we asked the server if we could switch tables; I was very apologetic because I had originally asked for a table for 2, but we hadn’t touched the table setting at all so I didn’t think it would be a problem (we were also the only customers in the restaurant at the time). Our server, Chad, brusquely asked «Are you eating dinner or what?» then grabbed our water glasses and slammed them down on a 4-​person table near to us. My friend and I were taken aback but we didn’t think anything of it.
When our other 2 friends arrived, we ordered the salt and butter flight, the lamb chops, salmon en croute, smoked salmon flatbread, and shrimp tacos. I had expected the salt and butter flight to come out as an appetizer, as it is just bread and butter, but we ended up getting it with all the main dishes – which was fine, just a bit odd. The food, as I said before, was great. The 3 butters (truffle, goat, Parmesan) were amazingly flavorful and had the perfect consistency – both light and creamy – and the salt that was sprinkled on top gave the butter a bright tone. The bread that came along with the butter was pretty good as well, slightly crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. I loved my salmon en croute; the pastry was flaky and buttery, the salmon cooked to perfection, and the goat cheese pungent just the way I like it. The sauce that was drizzled on the perimeter of the dish brought a vinegary lightness that balanced out very well. I tasted the salmon flatbread as well, and it was delicious, and my friends all really liked the dishes they got as well.
This was when the service started to really get weird. One of my friends had finished her dish while the rest of us were not even halfway through with ours, but a server swooped in (literally after she had taken her last bite) and took her dish. The restaurant was not even close to being full at this point, so it didn’t seem like the kitchen really needed the plate. Because we had so much butter left from our butter and salt flight, we decided to ask for more bread (I had read that it was complimentary). The first server we asked sounded appalled that we would even ask that, so when Chad came over, we asked him if we could get more bread. He responded as if very annoyed, saying we would have to put in an order for the bread, then left our table while my friend said «So would it be possible to…» which seemed very rude to us. Another server then took away 2 of my friends’ knives while Chad brought us the dessert menu – 2 of us were not even halfway through our dishes at that point, and it was obvious that we were nowhere near being finished. We felt like we were being rushed to be kicked out, even though we hadn’t been there very long and there was no line waiting for a table. We decided to order the crème brûlée taster (loved loved loved the vanilla – the texture was perfectly silky and smooth and the flavor was rich, chai was pretty good, chocolate was okay). Also, when the check was brought to us, a 20% gratuity was already put on the bill (even though the menu said a gratuity would only be added to groups of 6 or more).
I really really wanted to like the Cellar; I would probably come once a week for the food, but after last night’s uncomfortable experience, I don’t know if the food is enough of a draw to face the bad service – only added the 2^nd star because I loved the food.

The cellar started offering brunch in November and I was finally able to stop by with a few friends for brunch this weekend. (FYI– Weekend brunch is offered from 12−2pm and no reservations are allowed during this time)
Food — Couple of us got the Salmon Flat bread and it was just delicious. The goat cheese, arugula and smoke salmon combination was just perfect. I loved every bite of it and managed to box some of it to take home too.
Coffee — I was totally disappointed with the coffee that was served. It was dark and bitter. I could not make it to taste good even after adding milk and half-​and-​half. I usually love the coffee served at brunch in other restaurants and I could not believe that I was let down here.
However, I liked the service and experience overall. I would probably be back but I would avoid the coffee next time. I would rate it as 3.5 star experience as it was better than ok but definitely not an yay — I’m a fan experience.

Aah this place is adorable! It truly is a hidden gem in Evanston. The restaurant is so intimate and the food is so delicious. The lighting is a bit dim, but the wall decorations like the wine bottles and the cellar-​like architecture makes you feel so cozy and protected.
I highly recommend the burgers and the cauliflower fried rice. And the desserts are to die for. They have this «grilled cheese» dessert item, and it is hard to describe how delicious it was.
Best place to go for a nice, quiet date or a chill girl’s night out!
Your bill fluctuates by what you order, so be mindful.
Going again and again for sure.