Fred's Garage — Restaurant in New Trier Township

Fred’s Garage is an absolute gem of the North Shore. On-site owner Cary strives to keeps this establishment tip-top in terms of food, music, service, and entertainment.

Inside they have plenty of seating and a beautiful white-top bar, and outside they have one of the nicest situated patios in the Chicago suburbs. You can either sit in the shade or the direct sun, and there’s never wait as servers are always out and about. The menu has a ton of great food and the bar a wide selection of beers and spirits. The bartenders are phenomenal and the service is friendly and consistent. And every summer, you can look forward to a growing weekly outdoor music festival every Wednesday.

Fred’s is always my first go to whether in the summer or winter. I highly recommend it for any age, and any family- or group-size. And if you visit during the holidays, you might even get your picture with Santa and...

The atmosphere is very unique. I see a lot of potential for Fred's Garage, but I was a bit disappointed in the menu options. Seems like they are trying to be too inclusive without employing chefs who know how to cook a variety of meals. Hopefully it has changed since, as we went during the busy first weeks. The hokey pokey was the most enjoyable dish we tried. I had vindaloo, which I found pretty bland. My boyfriend had the Bahn Mi (vegitable sandwhich) which was undercooked to the point he couldn't eat or enjoy his dinner. We have been back for drinks since, as we enjoy the atmosphere and staff, but are hoping to see improvements in the food quality and options. It may have been just because of the opening chaos that our food wasn't prepared to standards, and I hope to change my review to a more...

The outdoor seating here can be very cold despite IR heating in the ceiling. Little has been done to plug the holes allowing severe draft in the seating area. Also expect a large flock of unsupervised kids running around while their parents at the bar prepare to drive home visibly drunk. Generally, it's a good place with solid service and the food is a notch or two above bar food. But the atmosphere will not be attractive to everybody - especially if you don't have kids or know the local social drinking scene of the young (and not so young) parents. In all, it's a solid, informal, and reasonably priced restaurant and it's certainly worth a visit but first grab a coat and be prepared to embrace a "Lord of the...