Best Restaurants for Anniversaries in Evanston

It’s crazy to think there are only three of these restaurants left in the world. We used to go to the Oak Brook location but now we finally got to visit the one in Chicago. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that this was the original one. It’s a classic French bistro fare with amazing servers and food. I highly recommend the steak and frites!  make sure to get your reservation early because we had to dine at 4:45 PM due to later dinner times not being available

The dishes on the brunch menu were all delicious, the service was excellent, and we loved the ambiance of the historic 'ice skating warming house' building. Thank you for a wonderful meal.

First off, our waiter was one of the best I've ever had. I'm sorry that I don't know how to spell his name but it started with Pan. Panagoitis? So sorry! He was AWESOME! Friendly, helpful, quick and made great recommendations. Second, the ambiance was lovely. We were in the "outdoor" portion of the restaurant that is closed to the elements for winter but it is an adorable space (think Euro cafe) that was toasty with heaters. The building itself is old, brick, historic and probably architecturally significant. It really lends to the ambiance of the restaurant. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, the food was out of this world! We tried the tasting board (three dips with pita), all of which were fantastic. Boyfriend loved the classic hummus, I loved the eggplant spread. Then we shared spanakopita which I could have eaten all by myself. Our entrees were a special - think moussaka with pasta instead of eggplant and a Diane salad with grilled shrimp. For desert we had a filo dough (LOVE THAT STUFF!) pastry filled with cream with cherry syrup on top and an orange cake (think vanilla cake with a heavenly essence of orange that tickles your nose and tastebuds) with pistachio ice cream. Every item knocked it out of the park - 10 out of 10! We live pretty far away (1 hour plus) so we probably can't come here as often as we would if we were in the neighborhood but we would if we could. Seriously, check it out and wear stretchy pants!

This restaurant continues to do a wonderful job. They are friendly, accommodating and so professional. The food is as good as it gets. We had the filet, sea bass and lobster and it was all to perfection.

Aboyer (previously Restaurant Michael) has been one of our favorite north shore spots to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. My husband and I have been following Chef Michael all around the Chicago area for decades now, and although the amazing food has been the key reason, we have always been impressed by his professionally trained staff, who are friendly, knowledgeable and pay attention to details. On this visit, we were celebrating my birthday (2 months late) since we cancelled the first reservation when Covid hit us, and the aftereffects stayed around far too long. The evening here was well worth the wait! After stopping at the bar for a quick hello to Sergio and a Champagne (for me) and a Chardonnay we settled in to the cozy banquette for dinner. We ordered our standard starter, the delectable Gougères, a mainstay that we hope never goes away. I switched to a rich Aviary Napa Cabernet for the rest of the dinner. We were delighted to have Sergio Junior as our server! He obviously enjoys his job and is a real ambassador for the restaurant. We took his recommendations for our entrees, and both were fantastic! I never order pork, and rarely make it at home, except for a roast. The Peppercorn Crusted Berkshire Pork Rib Chop with Cognac Mushroom Sauce was by far the best pork I have ever had. Happy Birthday to me. My husband’s decadently delicious Aboyer Burger was an unexpected item for him to order here, except for how much he loved it. Thank you from both of us, SJ!!! Last night was well worth waiting for. ♥️♥️