Downtown Wilmette isn’t known for having the best restaurants, but that is slowly changing. With restaurants such as The Noodle, Gibson’s and Depot Nuevo, downtown Wilmette is becoming a cooler place to hang out and go to dinner. Until recently, the restaurants in Wilmette did not serve bar food or “normal” American food with a southern twang. The Big Black Dog Tavern and Grill has come to change that and the restaurant looks to live up to its name: it’s a tavern setting with bar food menu. And none of it will put a hurt on your wallet.

The atmosphere in The Big Black Dog Tavern and Grill is open and friendly. The tables are a little close and there are only a few TVs around; it’s a tavern after all, not a sports bar. The wait staff is mainly young adults and college students and there are windows lining two sides of the restaurant. If you are planning on going there to watch a football game, change your plans. The TVs aren’t placed in convenient locations, usually high on a wall or probably somewhere your table isn’t facing.

Nonetheless, the food pickings aren’t slim and everything from burgers to barbeque to chili to salad is on the menu. It doesn’t matter what you’re looking for because The Big Black Dog will most likely have it. Unfortunately, the variety of food and the speediness in which it’s prepared makes for sub-par food quality. Just remember, the restaurant is a tavern, not a place that someone would go to get the best meal that the North Shore has to offer. This, of course, means the desert options are limited. Big Black Dog is famous for their pie and that’s basically all that is worth ordering for dessert.

Expect to pay about $15 – $20 per person, and with appetizers it’s about another $10. The Big Black Dog Tavern and Grill is really about the experience and the atmosphere and less about the food. It’s about that chummy, neighborhood tavern feeling.

It’s pretty easy to get to because it’s right in downtown Wilmette. However, just like with the rest of that area, there isn’t much parking. If you’ve got a reservation, or just like to be punctual, I suggest you leave a good five or ten minutes earlier. You may be lucky and find a spot right by the restaurant, but you’re probably going to have to walk a little bit to get there.

The Big Black Dog Tavern and Grill isn’t the best restaurant that the North Shore or Wilmette has to offer. It’s a place to go with friends or family that isn’t too fancy, but expect typical pub grub.

The Big Black Dog is located at 1141 Central Avenue in Wilmette. It’s open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. for dinner.