Restaurant Review – Northside Bar & Grill

On a rainy, chilly Chicago evening, you’ve got to find a cozy and inviting spot for dinner. And find one we did: Northside Bar & Grill in Wicker Park. The atmosphere is wonderful, with lush green plants, a fireplace, high ceilings, cozy couch seating, dark wood tables; the list goes on and on. We came in on Saturday night around 6:45 and were seated right away – always a plus in my book. Their regular menu offers a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and burgers. They also have a rotating daily special menu. My eye was immediately caught by the Chicken Giardiniera Sandwich: grilled chicken, provolone cheese, hot giardiniera, and pickled red onion on a ciabatta bun. Easy choice for me! I chose their seasonal vegetable instead of fries. This was delicious! I love ciabatta bread and it was the perfect base for this sandwich. In my opinion, giardiniera is a perfect condiment- it goes well with anything! This was no exception. The chicken was grilled perfectly, a little crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The seasonal vegetable was a medley, with zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and onion. My boyfriend ordered The Big Burger: a hand-formed Angus prime patty with tomato, red onion, lettuce, and cheddar cheese; all on a brioche bun and served with fries. This was very tasty! The burger was cooked well and I love a brioche bun. We all agreed that the fries were the real star though. The texture was fantastic- crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside! We have been trying to figure out how they came out so well. Our theory is that they were battered fries- dipped into some sort of flour mixture prior to frying. However they were cooked, they were delicious! My friend ordered the Steak Fajitas: skillet steak, grilled onions, and peppers, served with all the fajita fixings: corn tortillas, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. These were super tasty! I loved the seasoning on the steak and the grilled veggies were very good. 

Northside Bar & Grill is open Mondays through Fridays from 11:30 am to 2 am, Saturdays from 11 am to 3 am, and Sundays from 11 am to 2 am. They have several weekly events, including an Open Mic Night and a Trivia Night. Find more information here.

RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO