Great beer selection . Food taste really good as well. Plus they have sweet potato Fries!! read more

Be prepared to wait in line during lunch hours. The wait is definitely worth it! This place has awesomely HUGE sandwiches! I had a smoked turkey sandwich with tons if avocado. It was delectable. They have outdoor seating available for when the weather is nice. I'll definitely be going back. read more

If you come here you have to go for the sandwiches. The portions are huge but the taste is awesome. Even the regular size sandwiches are huge. Plenty of variety. Great casual atmosphere. read more

Bat 17 - I lost the fight and this was the regular sandwich size. Oh well. - New American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

WOW!! The food portions were HUGE!!! I got the Pigskins..."four mouth watering potato skins stuff with an NFL sized portion of BBQ pulled pork or applewood smoked bacon (your choice), white cheddar cheese and a side of BAT 17 homemade BBQ sauce.$10.29" ( description from their menu website) I was able to eat a total of one and felt like I had a large meal. Seriously soo yummy!! Next time I am in that area I would go back for sure and try other things. We were on the restaurant side and they recently did an expansion where you can go next door and there is a more open space with pool tables, another bar, tables, tvs and such. Looked like a fun place to hang out after a meal. Next time for sure. read more

Bat 17 - Pigskins $10.29. - New American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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The food is very good and the sizes of sandwiches and burgers are humongous. The chicken tortilla soup is really good. The potato salad is different than your everyday potato salad and has some heat. It's really good. The bison and turkey burgers are excellent. The service is always friendly. The cons are the floor and bar seating is crazy tight and it can get way too loud to hear the person next to you. The pricing is high. I don't mind paying more for a quality meal but it's gotten too high for a deli sandwich. read more

The bar is fine. The beer selection tends to be stale with the staples you'll find in most places, but it's a good place to watch a playoff game. The food is very good on the restaurant half - if a little generous (plan to take half of your sandwich home!). read more

We came for a burger and a beer and that's exactly what we got. Wait time was minimal from time we walked in and out meal was on the table. For a Saturday night, not bad at all. The services was attentive and friendly. This was my first sunny side up burger, and it was not a disappointment that's for sure. read more

There is nothing wrong with Bat 17. That said, there's also really nothing that special about it either. This is another one of those places that seems better than it really is because it is the only restaurant of it's kind in the area. (Reminds me of Quintons in Iowa City but without the awesomeness.) They have a gigantic sandwich menu that is broken down by the type of meat (or lack of meat) that they feature. Corned beef, chicken, fish, turkey, beef, vegetarian and pork. While so many options can be nice, I personally find it overwhelming. The sandwiches are enormous. They give you the option of "regular" size or "full" size, but I have never eaten an entire "regular" size in one sitting. With any sandwich you get a choice of blue cheese cole slaw (which my best friend LOVES), bacon potato salad, or chips. There is also a lot of salad choices and a delicious looking breakfast menu. The two big draws for me to Bat 17 are their drinks and the late-night menu. They have some of the best drink specials around. $3.75 Stella Artois pints, reasonably priced martinis and delicious cheap Bloody Mary's - and they are all so good!!!! Really, every mixed drink I have had there has been outstanding. You can order from their late night menu until at least 12, and I think maybe even later, and they have a lot of options which, of the ones I've had, are all delicious. The big drawback to Bat 17 though is that the food is very overpriced. Sandwiches range from $6ish to over $10. read more

Thanks to Yelp reviews I gave this place a try. Twice. A few random thoughts: * YAY: "The Captain" drink? YES. They need to quit playing around and make that available by the pitcher. * BOO: I agree with another reviewer that gave out the "secret" to their huge sandwiches, which is big-ass slices of bread. Tasty and toasted? Sure. But come on now. * YAY: The onion strings with the spicy cheese dipping sauce? Give whoever thought that up a raise. For serious. * BOO: Tried the chocolate and raspberry martinis and I personally found them too strong to be drinkable, therefore unappetizing. I know. Trust me, I hesitated a long time before typing that out, but that was just my experience. But, if you're one of those people that doesn't drink for the taste... * YAY: But they have a TON of other drinks to try! My friend really liked their german chocolate cake dessert drink. So maybe I should have had that? * BOO: The caramel brownie is huge, but remarkably, it barely tastes like chocolate. It's like getting a mouthful of chewy sugar. This gave me a serious sad, because it looked so good. * YAY: While the bread is huge on the sandwiches, bottom line, they are delicious. I had the buffalo chicken sandwich and you could just taste the quality. I just need them to trim the bread a bit. I also had the plain sliders and they hit the spot. I'd go back to Bat 17 because the food is good, the service is friendly, and it's just so easy to hang out there. They have so many tempting items on the menu, and what you do get is pretty good, it's enough to get you back through the doors. Also, it's just a great spot to meet up with friends for a bite to eat, drinks, and conversation. read more

My girlfriend made me try this place because she lives in the area, even from the South Loop it's worth the trip. I had a turkey burger that was really good and she had some kind of french toast creation that I was amazed with. The staff was great and very laid back! read more

This is a nice place anytime of day. The sandwiches and beer selection are terrific and the breakfast menu is creative. The funky egg sandwiches were neither tasty or edible really. Everything else during two visits was top-notch. read more

I'm just going to give you a couple tips here: 1. Split a sandwich. Any sandwich (they're all good) because it's way too much food for one person unless your on one of NU's athletic teams. 2. Visit the bathrooms. Hilarious offbeat decor. 3. Get the banana cream pie. Or any pie or dessert -- outrageously good. Not all necessarily in that order but all 3 are Musts. Oh, and 4. Repeat. read more

Great place to relax and enjoy a beer in hip environment - they have a wide selection of beers and helpful staff. They'll even give you small beer shots to taste & then decide which one you want to try. Their pulled pork sliders are pretty cool too! read more

Food quality and flavors a solid 4 to 4.5 stars. Portions too big, prices too high. Reduce both. Those arent sliders. Those are borderline full sandwich. Service is dry and unattentive. Server telling you dressing is dairy free but had chunks of feta in it. Dining room was at 67 degrees. Moved from high top to high top to 3rd table. All wobbly. Floor hadnt been degreased and mopped well in ages. They dont make use of theit total space well. Black bartender refused to let us take a 5 top only to let another family take it 5 mins after us. Both families of 4. 10 mini wings, not jumbos, for 12.29?? Great samdwiches and burgers but u dont like dining in here hence wont be returning. read more

This place really hit the spot! Who knew BAT stood for Benson Avenue Tavern?! Aside from the great service, friendly staff and cozy ambience, the portions were HUGE! Even the side salad that comes with the massive sandwiches is hearty and they certainly aren't stingy with their portions. You could easily get 2-3 meals out of one meal here if you're able to use self control and take some home! I will most definitely be back! read more

Bat 17 - New American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I ordered a sandwich and onion strings at 5:00 PM. It is now 9:41 PM and I'm still waiting. No phone call. No text message. Nothing. I checked 3 times and the order had gone through. 13 minutes away from house. They'll never hear from me again. read more

Hubby and I were passing through and we so glad we stopped!!! Amazing service! Best burger and awesome brew selection!!! Will definitely be back. #livesimplybysimplyliving read more

Bat 17 - Cold brew! - New American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Pretty cool place if you want to play some pool, watch a game on a big screen tv at the bar and enjoy some great food. I ordered the Acapulco burger and onion strings, the burger was cooked to order medium rare, perfect, they also have a great assortment of domestic and imported beers and spirits. Service was good. read more

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I want to love this place because the concept is so cool. Free brewed coffee, an extensive vegetarian menu, and the combination of a deli and a pub are things I want to encourage. In practice, however, the sandwich I ordered was flavorless and a big disappointment. The brownie sundae was great, and the service was wonderful, too. I would go back, but maybe I would stick to chicken salad or something. read more

Austin inspired (notice the ads for the Austin Bat Festival on the menu board) bar/cafe/coffee shop is tricky to find, but worth the find. Texas sized portions, with OK service, and free hot beveragers. Only wish the place was much bigger as the bar area gets a bit difficult to get around when more than three parties are there. Oh yeah, the cole slaw is AMAZING. read more

Best BLT ever. Don't even think about ordering the large one. Great sandwich. @TomOB read more

The full size sandwiches are huge and can be shared. This is one of the few places that can pull off a good breakfast and a good dinner. Maybe because most items are sandwiches :P. I tried the Funky Monkey for brunch and then split a Carnegie Reuben for dinner (not on the same day). Both were fresh and tasty. I completely forgot to ask for the free coffee at brunch but I will visit again and remember to try it out. Highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

So glad I found this gem in Evanston. I often head up to the Century Theater to see the first movie of the day for $5.50. By the time I'm done, I'm really hungry but just can't bring myself to go to Chili's. The space is tight, but we've found seats both times amid the Northwestern basketball fans. The menu (both beer and food) is extensive. I've had the pastrami and chicken salad sandwiches and both were very good, as were the fresh fries. I also thoroughly enjoyed my white bean and bacon soup. The good news is the sandwiches are epic in proportion so you can have leftovers! read more

The food tastes good, but at what cost? The menu is very overpriced for dressed up bar food at best. After eating here several times over the past couple years, here's what you can expect: 1) Tiny room with no atmosphere and way too many TVs per guest 2) Overpriced booze 3) Delicious but overpriced sandwiches 4) The waitstaff do NOT tell you when half their menu isn't available until you've sat there for 20 minutes looking at the menu 5) The owner is pretentious and yells at you if you disagree with him On top of this, the few times I've gotten takeout there they've gotten my order wrong EVERY SINGLE TIME!! I've had to walk back there and fix it EVERY SINGLE TIME. When I got waitstaff to fix it, they were courteous. When the owner was supposed to fix it, he was a real tool about it. Bottom line, I'm never going there again. Good luck to you if you try it. read more

This place is crammed with NW students and locals. Which makes sense, as this dive has plenty of flat screens to follow your fave team, plenty of brew on tap and great sandwiches. The wait here can get pretty bad at times, but if you're not in a hurry, grab a cup of coffee and wait. The burgers here are top notch and probably some of the best I have ever eaten. Then again, you are dropping about $14 for a burger and side. The bloody Mary Sunday special ,is not very special, as I could barely taste any vodka and the "BM bar" is a joke, just make me a decent drink and save the "customizing" BS. Service here is spotty. First time, the server was all smiles and right on her game. Second time, the server was in lala land. Brought me my drink and then forget the other 3. After waiting and seeing her dart in and out of the kitchen getting food, hugging some guy, etc I just stood up walked through the maze of tables and patrons, found her in the back and reminded her about the drinks. Her service level did not improve throughout the visit. It's definitely a "must go to spot" in the area for great sandwiches, but the wait and service may cause to move on next time if the wait is long. read more

(FYI: I am reviewing the restaurant side, not the bar side.) This Evanston establishment is the best of times and the worst of times. If you're looking for a good environment for an intimate dining experience with friends, this is not the place to go. You will be seated a cramped tables in an overly crowded restaurant and barely be able to hear the person across the table from you, while you brush arms with the stranger at the table next to you and can't move your chair in or out more than an inch without ramming someone. BUT.... If you're just looking for good food, you're in for a real treat. The sandwiches are humongous and delicious and could satisfy the appetite of a small village. The cube fries are an added delight. They're a bit pricy, but they have a membership card that gets you points for every dollar, so at least the high prices help you get closer to a coupon faster? I would recommend coming at non-peak dining times for a better experience. It becomes almost impossible for a party larger than 2 at lunchtime and dinner is no better. The newer bar side seems to be emptier, but it also has a different menu. read more

BAT17 is one of the gems of evanston. It used to be a small bar and was kind of tough to get into, because when you have such good food and beer people flood to it. Luckily they expanded to the building next door and put a few pool tables in and more TVs. I used to dig the fried pickles but they got rid of em !! Crap. But dont worry they had these small buffalo chicken bites which were totally chill. I liiiike. Grab a few buddies go get a beer tower and have a great time. Staff is friendly and awesome. Why would anyone go to tommy nevins when you have this a few blocks away. read more

I simply love Bat 17 for a casual burger night! The burger selection is amazing, and I can't rave enough over the Scarlet Knight burger, a TEN ounce angus burger with grilled pineapple, roasted red pepper on a pretzel bun with sriracha sauce on the side. The sweet potato fries are consistently amazing, crisp waffle-style served in a metal basket on the side, so you know you will consistently get a nice-size serving of fries. I tried the Old Foghorn Barleywine Style Ale, which was pretty good -- I consistently recommend the Edmund Fitzgerald Porter which they have on tap there. Husband loved his Nittany Lion. Oh, and we're SEC fans, so we guffawed at the SEC burger nestled at the end of the menu -- a plain and frankly timid burger... HAHAHA! We finished up with two beers at the bar while taking in the Blackhawks game, and we really were "overlooked" by the bartenders, although the bar was not busy -- room for improvement for Bat 17, but not enough to keep us away. We'll be back! read more

Great food, drinks, and atmosphere. So much variety on the menu as well. Definitely a tried and true favorite for my fam!

I like this bar and the drinks here. It's a nice place to hang out. The price is also nice. read more

Bat 17 - Lost at sea and chocolate martini - New American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I had never heard of this place before coming here the other week ago, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. I ordered their veggie burger for lunch and it was excellent. It was huge, so I sheepishly had to eat it with a knife and fork, but it was so worth it. It came on what seemed to be a home made brioche and had cucumbers, avocado, and really really good swiss cheese. There's a variety of sides you can choose from to go with your burger/sandwich. I went for the black bean and corn salad, which was a good call since it was pretty light and the burger itself was way bigger than I had expected. The sweet potato fries looked really good, but there's no way I could have eaten the burger and the fries. I wasn't thrilled with the service, but at a casual place like this I don't really expect great service, so I guess it didn't bother me too much. read more

Great sandwiches ...awesome service. Only problem is the bread to meat ratio. Bread is cut a little to thick for the amount meat provided. Otherwise the sandwiches are highly recommended. Dont forget FREE COFFEE read more

I enjoyed the Revolution Anti-Hero IPA. My burger was good; the beef was tasty, tender and top quality, and the bun was chewy and fresh. The service was cheery and friendly, and the atmosphere was okay but could be improved, especially for the price. read more

This is kind of late review (I Was there Thursday 18 April) but I have to give a great shout out to one of my Favorite restaurants in Evanston. Every time I have friends or family come visit I bring them here at least once. Pretty Impressive Beer Menu and a decent liquor selection...I get the Blue bloody mary almost every time I go...it is Awesome. or having such a large menu with many many items everything I have tried from there has been delish., which is not very common when there are so many items it seems restaurants tend to go cheaper on the ingredients to be able to make all the dif. items. I split the Turkey burger with my cousin the portions were MORE than enough to split and I eat a lot. We got their delicious sweet potato fries as a side. My other cousins got the BBQ Salad and Ceaser salad they got the smaller portion that was offered and still couldn't finish it. I will have to say this last time the service was pretty bad which is a first. we went on a Thursday late afternoon around 3 or 4. They waitress took awhile to bring us waters or get drink orders even though the place wasn't particularly busy. Then after she took our order she went and ate her food. She only came back to our table once to bring us our food and didn't even ask if anything looked ok or if we needed more drinks/water...she just sat down the food and walked away and continued eating her food. I had to get up and go ask her if we could get some more water and the side of tomatoes I originally ordered. Other than that experience I have always had a pretty pleasant dining experience with friendly servers ....I can't wait to visit now that the new addition is open!!! read more

Love this place! Something for everyone on the menu. Great beer list. Friendly staff. Kid friendly. It's one of my go-to's for casual dining. Sandwiches and salads are gigantic but they offer half-sizes. I always still get the biggie and end up eating it all because it's so good. The cookies are also excellent so we usually end up taking a few home for later (iced oatmeal cherry). It is definitely a small place, cramped and sometimes loud but that never seems to bother me, even if we have to wait for a table. Bat 17 is a great casual neighborhood place to meet friends for lunch or dinner. No need to dress up, I'm often coming straight from the gym next door and never feel out of place. read more

Well its a "Sports Bar" but they played a Modest Mouse song, which made me want to give it 4 stars for effort, but it shortly lost that rating by playing a Silversun Pickups song right after. This is the kind of place that would love Tame Impala, but still isn't over the Black Keys stolen riffs, and would be scared of playing Death From Above 1979. The beer prices were extremely fair but that doesn't cut it bro. 10/10 would love to DJ this bar. read more

Food is 5 stars, one star off for the service. Could not have picked a better college bar to have in Evanston. I miss being able to go there for the nachos or their salads on a weekly basis. I still have my Bat card in my wallet! Check it out for a dive bar that has huge portions and great drink specials. I swear by the nachos, roadhouse sandwich, and buffalo chicken salad. read more

Charming service; long menu with something for everyone (good fries; interesting sriracha chicken sliders; delicious Carnegie reuben); exceptional beer and cider lists; great for whiling away a Sunday afternoon. read more

I discovered this bar a few months ago and it was a great place so I decided to put it in our company bar crawl last night. 2 weeks prior I called and asked for specials and to see if they could accommodate my party of 25 and asked what time. At that time I didn't know specifics so I told her I would call back right before to confirm time. On Wednesday afternoon I called and spoke to a women again and confirmed my time and asked is around 3:30 pm I could bring by balloons with our company name on them and she said absolutely. At 3:30 on Friday when I walked in the guy asked what the balloons were for and I explained and he said "I am sorry but we can not accommodate your party. We booked another party bigger than yours and they have the place until 9:30 pm." I was beyond upset that because my party was only 25 people that they chose to pick the bigger party size instead of because professional and allowing my reservation to be accommodate since I booked first. And on top of this, no phone call, no email...nothing to notify me. I will never go there again and highly recommend you know book a party with them unless you want to get cancelled on last min! read more

They have delicious food and amazing huge portions. The ambience is great if you eat in, but the left side is a little cramped if that's where you end up sitting. We were getting jostled a lot by people coming and going because we were near the door. The right side is much more spacious. I have ordered from them twice on grubhub and both times there were mistakes with my order, which was frustrating. I would check right as the food is arriving that you have everything. read more