It was our first time at 501 Local today -- we took my mother-in-law there to celebrate her birthday. I made a special request during the reservation, which usually gets overlooked, so I was genuinely pleasantly surprised when they made it happen. My mother-in-law absolutely didn't expect it, and it made her feel really special. Patch greeted us warmly (I hope I got the name right!) and took great care of us throughout the evening, making sure we had everything we needed. He even personally acknowledged my mother-in-law's birthday, which was such a thoughtful touch. She was so happily surprised! The Hugo Spritz cocktails were refreshing and delicious. I ordered the scallops both as an appetizer and as my main course, and I truly enjoyed them. The strawberry chocolate cake we shared was absolutely delicious -- it practically melted in my mouth! I will definitely come back just to have it again Next time, I also want to try the burgers. The place itself is very welcoming and has this really nice coastal summer vibe. You can truly relax there, and the patio looks amazing. read more

We were out and about and stopped in for a quick lunch on the outside patio at 501. Our waitress was Brooke and she was both very pleasant and attentive. We split the Angus burger and the Ceasar side salad. The burger came with an ample amount of nicely seasoned fries so it was a near perfect lunch split for two. The patio is noteworthy - it's lovely and has plenty of greenery and space. All in all a great lunch option in downtown Winnetka. read more

501 Local - Angus Burger Includes Plenty of Handcut Fries - New American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

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I came in solo to 501 Local on a Monday in July. I had a couple of menu questions, but unfortunately, the server's response left me feeling a bit inadequate and unsure about my choices. While the service wasn't terrible, it didn't create the most welcoming vibe, especially for a solo diner. I was unaware that it was half-price burger night--this related to my open ended question to the server. The food was decent, but nothing to write home about. I can see 501 Local being a great spot for locals but as an out-of-towner, I'm not sure I'd prioritize it. The atmosphere didn't leave me eager to return. The half-price burger night idea is nice, but its 20 bucks. Overall, I'd come back only if a companion's preferences lined up with what 501 Local offers. It's a spot for locals, but not for travelers passing through. read more

Love a great brunch spot on Saturday . If you're in the winnetka area highly recommend this spot . Everything from the food and the space was calm and bright can't wait to come back and enjoy the rest of the menu . I believe our waitress was Santana or Savannah sorry if I got your name wrong but you were so sweet with your recommendations and energy . read more

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Sorry I posted pictures of another restaurants food. We did have the mushroom burger with avocado and then we had the fries with truffle oil. I removed the wrong photos and reposted the photos. read more

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501 local keeps getting better. Their new manager is a very pleasant addition - positive and helpful. The food is consistently good and in the summer the patio is wonderful. A solid choice for dinner on the north shore! read more

We came here a few days ago for a birthday dinner. there were four of us and they sat us near the doorway despite other tables deeper into the restaurant being available. It only bears mentioning as it was cold outside and produced quite a cold breeze every time the door was opened. So we moved further inside and the temperature got better, but it was still chilly inside. The server came and took our drink orders. I ordered a mocktail and had them make it into a cocktail and they did a great job. It was made very well and it was very refreshing. I picked this place for my birthday as I thought it had options for everyone. My wife and I both ordered soup. I had the chicken gnocchi and she had the butternut squash soup. My parents each had side salads. The butternut squash soup was very good. My soup had four gnocchis in it and they were probably sitting in the soup all day because as soon as they touched my tongue, they fell apart, no sturdiness to them at all. There was so much stuff in the soup that it overwhelmed the chicken, broth, and gnocchis and I couldn't taste anything else but the chopped up vegetables. It was a a lot overwhelming and the flavor was seriously underwhelming. Next we ordered our meals. My dad had the crispy chicken sandwich (ordered without the crispy onions on it). Guess what? It arrived with the crispy onions. He just removed them. My mom got the shrimp puttanesca dish. She said it was very good. My wife got the portobello sandwich with a side of the roasted cauliflower and I got the 501 angus burger with truffle fries. The fries come with parmesan, truffle oil, bacon, and parsley. They arrived with the roasted cauliflower first. It was cold, and she asked for them to warm it up. Then they arrived with her portobello sandwich with the truffle fries on the plate. She said I got the fries and she doesn't like bacon, so if it's touching her sandwich, they have to redo it. They took away her sandwich. Then they brought back the roasted cauliflower. It was better, but not much. About 7-8 minutes go by and they finally return with her sandwich (without fries) and my sandwich with the truffle fries. The fries were okay as I couldn't taste the truffle oil, parsley, or bacon. Why you ask? Because they were in a clump under the fries. I think they just dumped the fries on a new plate, warmed them under a lamp where the parmesan, bacon, parsley, and truffle oil melted together and not on the fries. They ended up being just mediocre and I barely touched. them. The burger was okay. It says on the menu that the meat is mixed with breadcrumbs and onions. I could taste the onions (they were a bit much). The burger was just okay. I'm told that burgers are half price on Monday. I'll think I'll skip that. Overall, my dinner was lackluster, They do offer a dessert on your birthday for free. Anything but their chocolate strawberry cake. I totally get that as the slice they give you is huge. And it is phenomenal. The whole strawberries through the center in mascarpone is very light. It was so chocolatey without being overly so. This was the highlight of the meal and well worth returning for (especially if you only go for dessert). It's easy for me to skip returning to 501 Local as there are many similar restaurants in the area, but I'll be back for that cake. YUM!!! read more

Amazing food! Love the dessert Service can improve Went in for business meeting. Would love to go back to try more items. read more

501 Local - New American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

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Such a cute restaurant! I came by for lunch with a friend on a Monday. The restaurant is sort of tucked away on the street if you are not looking for it you may drive right past it. There is plenty of street parking outside and a parking lot across the way. Upon arrival to the restaurant they had so many doors it was hard to tell which one was the one to enter but once you get inside it's like a totally calming and warm environment. We were quickly say with a beautiful view of the outside. Looking through the menu, there's something for everyone. If you're looking for a yummy taco, or a burger, or even a salad. I opted for their cobb salad with salmon. It was delicious. The portioning was great, and everyone around us was beaming with excitement of how great the food was. I was also excited to see that they had a lavish mocktail menu as well. I got the Strawberry martini drink and it was refreshing for a spring day. All in all, we had a great experience. I am looking forward to coming back soon, maybe for happy hour, or even dinner! read more

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Easter Brunch was magnificent!! Scallop appetizers, delicious spinach and mushroom quiche, pear arugula salad and terrific service and atmosphere. Cant wait to go again!! read more

Wonderful place. Food is great, tasty, refined, always interesting; service was eager to help and accomodate; place is airy, spacious, so it's not noisy. Really special. read more

The burger was juicy and flavorful. French fries were yummy. Great service and cocktails too!

2-star review but lost a star when owner responded 'thanks! Come again!' Potstickers - 1/5. holy cow. Chicken skewers - 1/5. not grilled which is very unusual. New york strip - if this was actually NY strip, then we got the last cut that minimally qualified. D's get degrees. Served with onions, peas over pea cream, tartine Scallops - 5/5. Sous chef carrying the team here! Great sear. Bed or lightly blanched vegetables. Roasted cauliflower drenched in acidic glaze truffle fries - never tasted but probably fine Worst part of the chocolate cake is the cake?! Really dry. Chilled strawberries (timing problem) enveloped in the mascarpone. A bit of cake on top and bottom. Ganache on the plate that is so liquid that you could mistake it for syrup. Apple tart = fruit mush. Were these made in nepotism? How could the dessert choices be so bad? It's the easiest portion to delegate. Store bought would have been better. Martini had a heavy pour (but not enough to come back) read more

Absolutely amazing spot! The food is delicious, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming. I highly recommend this place to anyone whether you're planning a casual meetup with friends or looking for a cozy spot to enjoy quality time with family. Great food, great people, great vibes a must-visit! read more

2nd time in 3 weeks. Went for our anniversary in late November and really enjoyed the food and service. Came back last night with friends who we found out go to Local 501 often. but they never had the portabello mushroom sandwich nor the Angus Burger. all four of us cleaned our plates. Service was excellent and the owner super nice. We all are foodies and definitely will be back. Every order we have had was excellent. In warm weather they have outdoor patio that is lovely. Burger and the turkey burger were perfect. Truffle fries excellent and enough for 4 people. We skipped desserts this time. oh, the squash soup is a great starter. enjoy. read more

When you step onto the outdoor patio at 501 Local on a clear summer evening you feel as if transported out of Illinois for a brief moment. It's a fantastic setup with a tree in the middle of the multi-level outdoor space. The ivy along the building wall opposite the table really sets the mood. It's quite charming. We were seated promptly and ordered drinks and the spring rolls to start. I have to say the spring rolls were perhaps the best I've ever had. Full of flavor and super fresh! When we were seated we had the upper deck to ourselves but this changed quickly as multiple tables were seated around us including one group of 4. There was a man in that group (we'll just call him the pontificator) who was extremely loud and would not stop talking. I'm kind of surprised no one in his own group said something but it was a mood killer. Either way I was excited for the main course. I ordered the Hangar Steak medium, it was cooked perfectly and the presentation was phenomenal with asparagus spears lining the top of the plate along with arancini. The pea and bacon filled rye crepe wasn't my favorite but I'll chalk that up to taste preference. Overall the food was outstanding. The service however wasn't great. Our waiter never checked on us after we got our food, so I wasn't able to order a drink with dinner and instead made the drink my desert. The pontificator at the nearby table kept him very busy, he probably made him take 4 separate trips just to order wine. Typically I'm fairly understanding but being a former server myself you do have to know when to walk away and attend to other guests. At one point the pontificator was showing him pictures of his garden on his cellphone. It was almost laughable. Regardless, we definitely enjoyed the food, however were disappointed in the attention we received from the server. So although I believe 501 Local deserves 5 stars for their food, I'm taking it down 1 star for service. I plan to be back though to enjoy the wonderful outdoor patio! read more

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I was running some errands in the area and realized that I hadn't had lunch yet. Ended up coming here because I noticed that they were dog-friendly. It was already around 3 pm when I stopped in which was convenient for me because it was the start of Happy Hour. My brother and I ended up sharing the sliders and getting our own order of fries (we didn't realize they'd be a huge order) because my brother doesn't like truffles. The chili Paloma and their cocktails were half-priced for happy hour so it was a good excuse to have one. The food was delicious and the drinks were very refreshing. Lucy (my pup) had a great time and will definitely be back! read more

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I had the worst caesar salad of my life here. Great patio, lovely staff, but the worst caesar salad ever.

We celebrated Father's Day at 501 Local this year. It's the first time that we tried this restaurant that we found on Yelp. What caught our eyes was its beautiful patio. It is nice that their online booking system allows customers to choose seating from indoor or outdoor. That makes reservation of outdoor dining a breeze, and there's no need to depend on the "first come first served" system. The patio was surrounded by a lot of greens and there was a big tree toward the back of it. It was comfortable and relaxing. We were promptly seated as soon as we arrived. Our waitress Kate was very friendly and attentive. She did a great job in a busy evening like Father's Day! The food was good. I ordered the Hanger Steak, which was served with asparagus, arancini, pea and bacon-filled rye crepe, grilled corn, madeira port wine jus, and balsamic glaze. The presentation was good and it was cooked just right (exactly to my order of medium). My wife got the Lobster ravioli and she let me share one of them, which was filled with crab meat and delicious. Our daughter ordered the Seared Salmon that had a lot of yummy sides on the plate. We also shared an order of Pot Stickers that had a flavorful sauce on them. My wife shared a piece of Watermelon Cake with me. That was refreshing and had the right amount of sweetness. We all enjoyed the food and the ambience of the patio! It was interesting that almost all the other tables were ordering burgers with fries, and we heard that they finally ran out of fries (must be a very popular item). Their burgers and fries actually looked quite enticing; I might try them next time when we return! read more

501 Local - Watermelon Cake - New American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

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We wanted to celebrate Father's Day at a local restaurant with outdoor dining, and was happy to find 501 Local on Yelp! The beautiful patio was in the front of the restaurant, but nicely separated from the street.  It was busy but not full on Father's Day when we arrived around 6:30 PM.  Since it was Father's Day, almost every table had a kid or two, and the vibe was casual, warm, and family-like.  We were very impressed by our friendly young waitress, Kate, who was very attentive at every step through the evening!  In the beginning we even thought she was serving the entire patio, but later found out that she had some help.  She professionally handled her job without losing a beat throughout the evening!  When I decided to activate their reward program before we paid the check, Kate got her manager Sandra involved.  Sandra was also very nice and friendly. We ordered Potstickers to share.  They had a different take on potstickers, with chicken filling, served with bok choy, cilantro, parsley, scallions, and spicy thai chili sauce.  The potstickers had a slightly crunchy skin, and the whole dish was enjoyable!  Our adult daughter had Seared Salmon, which was served with sautéed fingerling potatoes, mustard greens, ratatouille, and lemon aioli.  It was a full plate of yummy food and she happily finished it all!  Hubby had the Hanger Steak, served with asparagus, arancini, pea and bacon-filled rye crepe, grilled corn, madeira port wine jus, and balsamic glaze.  He enjoyed his dish as well.  However, the arancini seemed to have been re-fried with a dark skin that he did not eat.  I had Lobster Ravioli, served with mascarpone, fried brussel sprouts, sauce, américaine, and gremolata.  It was nice that there's a piece of lobster claw meat as "garnish", and the ravioli was filled with shredded lobster meats.  The sauce was like a very rich lobster bisque.  I do like this dish a lot!  I shared a piece of Water Melon Cake with hubby.  The fresh water melon balls on top were very refreshing!  The cake itself was yummy, but seemed to be a bit on the dry side.   All in all, it was a relaxing and pleasant dinner.  Even though their dinner menu is kind of limited, we like our experience and will be back! read more

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Had a pretty average meal at 501 local. We ordered the focaccia to start which was pretty dry but the flavors were nice. I got the tuna which was prepared well with good flavors but nothing too spectacular. My sister got the burger which she thought was alright. The service was good but a tad slow. The restaurant is very nice and clean but overall a little over budget for the quality. read more

501 Local - Grilled Angus Burger - New American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

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501 local is a beautiful and open restaurant in Winnetka. I enjoyed a peach Bellini, the focaccia bread starter, and my main meal. I ordered a Brussel sprout salad with salmon as my protein. I additionally ordered a side of broccolini and sweet potato fries with barbecue sauce. It was all so amazing and I was truly sad when I finished my salad. The staff were very kind and helpful when I had questions about the menu. Overall, it was a positive and delicious experience and I am looking forward to return soon! read more

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Liked this place a lot. Great little bar with a great staff. Cocktails and beer were amazing. Food was amazing and the atmosphere was fresh and comfortable. read more

This is my third visit to this location. I can see it becoming a regular place. I enjoyed the bbq pulled chicken sandwich. My guest had the chicken tacos. We both enjoyed our meal. We sat for a long time and no one rushed us out. The wait staff is constantly working and moving around. The restaurant is simple and elegant at the same time. Mark, the owner, is the perfect host. Take a moment to say hello. read more

Great food. Lovely patio (best in the north shore?). Perfect service. Order the endive boats! ... or anything else. You will enjoy it all. read more

501 Local - Seared Tuna - New American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

Sorry I didn't take any pictures because I was starving and the smells alone were begging me to eat! I got the portabello sandwich- divine - I asked for extra aioli and was sooo good dipping the sammy in it. The sandwich could have been more loaded in my opinion - for $17 the amount of veggies was a little dissapointing... but still so good. Truffle fries UGH YUMMMMM! Highly recommend. read more

This place is such a cute brunch spot. The restaurant is bright and airy and the the waiter was super kind and attentive. I had the chicken tacos and the food was fresh and not too heavy. They also had mocktails which is nice but I will definitely come here again to try their drinks. read more

501 Local - Chicken Tacos - New American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

An unexpected treat in the suburbs. Delightful outside patio (the temp in the mid-70s), the deconstructed ahi poke and the pulled-pork sliders were surprisingly fresh, appropriately seasoned, and of large proportion. We definitely will return when in the neighborhood. AND free parking -- take that, Chicago. read more

Outstanding service , ambiance, and great variety of drinks and food. Our server (Ibrahim) was great! Very attentive and kept an eye on the table and joked with our children which is always appreciated. read more

Service was excellent, burger was a 4/5 but fries were solid! Would go back to try something else as Mondays are a burger special. Drinks were good too! Would read more

I should have realized the top comments on this place were about how "cute" it was. Suggestion before you go - look at the photos of the food, the undoctored and sponsored ones, by looking at "newest first". Food was bad, service was worse. We came in on a Friday at around 5 pm. Server took 20 minutes to come to our table to take a drink order, with no water. Another 15 minutes after our drink order, I received my soda (not even a cocktail - just soda). Realizing we were probably not going to see our server for a while, we put in our order for food. Took another 45 minutes for burgers once we put in our order. The burger was not good. Underseasoned, bland. At this point, we realized that extending our time by sending the food back would just ruin our experience even more. We just ate half our food and left. Not going back. They'll probably do fine and stick around the area, they seem happily mediocre and unremarkably Instagrammable. read more

The dropping temps in Chicago have me on the search for the best heated patios in my hood and many had recommended 501 Local, located in the previous Trifecta Grill space. Their patio has a charming and cozy greenhouse, fire table and then plenty of tables with normal heaters. We were seated at one of the normal heated tables and stayed warm throughout our meal, although any colder than the 50ish degrees outside and I think it would have been too chilly for my Florida blood. It wasn't very crowded at 6pm, but the patio was completely full by 7:30pm. I did go inside (masked of course) to use the restroom and the restaurant inside was about 1/3 full. Our waitress was very attentive and the service was fast- maybe even too fast since we felt like we needed to kill some time after so that we didn't have to go home to kids awake. After we ordered wine (sauvignon blanc for me) we opted to share the dumplings (yummy sauce), brussel sprout salad (soo good) and the scallops (pretty good). It was the perfect amount of food for us, but if i went back I would definitely order the brussel sprout salad again and try some new things from the menu. We opted to go elsewhere for dessert (again, to kill time), but I thought the fondue on the menu looked fun for another time. If you're going during winter and the pandemic I'd try to get a reservation for the greenhouse or the fire table to stay warm, but overall a lovely patio experience. read more

501 Local - Lots of heaters on patio and this one greenhouse - New American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

Three of us arrived for lunch. We had not seen each other for quite awhile so lots of conversation. We all ordered the beet salad and we all loved it! Our server checked back with us in a timely manner and we were allowed to linger after our lunch. Love this place!! read more

Our hostess Ava was phenomenal ....We throughly enjoyed the hospitality but the food needs to pick Up a notch . Everything was mediocre at its best ... the ambiance is great and the crowd Is a mix of families and couples. Overall a great vibe, loved my wine !! read more

501 Local - Dinner! - New American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

We ate outside on a very chilly night but the staff was great and made sure we had heat lamps close by. The French onion soup was strange, it's not your typical version so just know that if you are going to order it. The burger was delicious and so were the sweet potato fries! Looking forward to going back when the weather is a little warmer and sitting on the patio again. read more

501 Local - Spicy Chicken sandwich and Angus Burger - New American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

Being a downtown city dweller, this was my first time visiting the very quaint and pretty downtown Winnetka and dining at any or their fine establishments. My friend suggested 501 Local (501 is in their address) and I couldn't have been more pleased. It was a hot and muggy day to sit outside but they have a cute patio surrounded by greens and the inside is warm and inviting with a white, open and airy feel. It gives the vibe of an upscale casual restaurant but it's just the opposite with very reasonable prices, great service and good food and drinks. Co-incidentally, I met the chef and the owner . The chef made a few recommendations and I went with the portobello sandwich which was really flavorful and I didn't regret not getting a burger . My friend got the potstickers that came drenched in some really flavorful sauce. I tried a bite, and could have eaten the whole thing. Their old fashion was on point. I forget our servers name but she was very friendly and even took us to show us their next door connected Japanese restaurant that has a slightly different vibe with sushi, udon and poke bowls on the menu. What sealed the 5 star review was the owner's (Mike) thoughtful gesture to send us their very unique watermelon cake desert (on the house) because we expressed curiosity around it. It had mascarpone cheese, was light and not too sweet while also refreshing with fresh watermelon and mint leaves. I'll certainly be back to try the Japanese spot soon and put 501 on my rotation. read more

This is one of the best restaurants in the area. I have never had a bad meal. The service is quick and the restaurant is very cute. I highly recommend this place. read more

I wish i could give 31/2 points because this place is so charming, with a nice menu and great service. First time dining here and we enjoyed the enclosed patio, which can oddly get quite loud, but has a cozy feel. Our server was so spot on with her timing and friendliness. Our group enjoyed the food but it feel short with an over cooked $18 burger and an awfully "I can make this at home" wimpy chicken cutlet, offset by a terrific Cobb salad, fresh hot hand cut fries and a nice bottle of Malbec. The $200 all in check (for 4) for basic food makes this an occasional stop-- be sure to make reservations cuz it's hopping. read more

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It's got a great patio, 5 stars for that! The problem with this place is that the food is okay, not super delicious and they charge NYC prices, but that I guess is to be expected in Winnetka. Four of us had drinks, sandwiches and one dessert and it was well over $200...just not worth the money. It's been at least three different iterations that I remember in the last 10 years. Covid probably killed the last version. An order of crabcakes was tasty, although for real Baltimore crabcake purists these were more along the lines of a crab dip that were then shaped into patties, breaded and fried. They tasted good but they were very wet and did not have a lot of lump crab meat chunks. The Cuban sandwich tasted good however it was about 1/3 of the plate size and 2/3 of it was french fries. Salads are fine. Drinks are tasty. read more

What a fun night. Relaxed. Chill. No need to rush. I ordered Spicy Hot Toddy rye bourbon, hot honey, chai simple syrup, lemon juice + candied lemon + cinnamon + vanilla, Raspberry Lemon Drop house vodka, lemon juice, st. george raspberry liqueur + lemon wheel and a riesling. All very good. All ordered lobster bisque lobster, tomato, celery, carrots, onion & tarragon +crostini. As well as Veggie Spring Roll rice noodles, cucumber, carrots, jalapeño, purple cabbage, mango, basil, mint, cilantro, romaine & bell pepper Served with peanut sauce and sweet chili , Potstickers chicken, spicy thai chili sauce -14, Roasted Spaghetti Squash Pasta* arrabbiata sauce, parmesan, basil (but subbed in regular pasta) and Angus Burger onions and bread crumbs in the meat, gruyere, caramelized onion, arugula, aioli + toasted brioche and french fries All were pretty delicious.'I love the fact that we were able to just chat with friends and hang out. It was a little difficult to find someone to take our bill but finally we did. I love the decor - very simple, clean lines and all. I would definitely come back. read more

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