They have the best Berger on the Northshore It is a great place to meet friends The decor is adorable I love the wall of Fred's The salads are very good but I can never resist the burger read more

Fred's Garage is truly a hidden gem in Winnetka. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is warm, inviting, and full of character. The space has a relaxed yet stylish vibe that works perfectly for brunch, lunch, or a night out with friends. The food is consistently outstanding. Every dish is flavorful and thoughtfully prepared with fresh ingredients. And I have to call this out specifically: their Fred's Garage habanero sauce with a hint of pineapple is easily one of the best sauces I've ever tried. Just the right balance of heat, sweetness, and flavor it's unforgettable. The service is what really sets this place apart. Jessica is hands down one of the best servers you'll ever come across kind, attentive, and always on point. Gabby is also amazing, bringing great energy and genuine care to every table/bar area. The owner, Cary, clearly pours his heart into the restaurant, and that pride shows in everything from the food to the atmosphere to the staff. In the summer, the patio is the place to be. The live bands and outdoor setting create a fun, welcoming vibe that makes you want to take your time, relax, and enjoy the moment. Whether you're local or passing through, Fred's Garage is the place you'll want to come back to again and again. read more

Fred's Garage - Fred's Garage Habanero Pineapple Hot Sauce - American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

Saturday night at 5:30 I start an online order. I go through the whole process, making sure I get everyone's order correctly. I add my credit card info and whatever else they want. When I hit the order button, it tells me SORRY WE ARE NOT TAKING ONLINE ORDERS. Then why have Online Ordering on your website? read more

Haven't been here in quite a while. They have expanded with an enclosed patio that completely opens up when the nice weather shows up. We had a friendly server and really good double cheeseburgers. Pick fries, coleslaw or mixed greens for a side. I had the slaw. I would go back just for that alone, not too creamy with a little spicy kick. Bar area with a few tv's and a few high tops. Parking can be a little tricky. There's a lot going on in this area with dining and boutique etc. read more

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Drinks are awesome, but food is underwhelming. The sandwiches are sloppy and lack taste. They need a new chef.

This is a local staple. I always have a hard time deciding what to order because everything is amazing. It is one of our go-to spots. Service is great, food is great, and location can't be beat. The patio is nice in the warmer months. If you're on the north shore and looking for tasty food, this is your stop! read more

Worst restaurant on the Earth On my first visit this place their water put his armpit in my new food !!! Have you ever had such amazing experience in a restaurant !?!?!? Chef's dish of the day was " with waiter's armpit" for me that evening !!!!! On my second (and the last !!!l ) visit, they prepared salad with salmon for my wife from rotten fish !!!! But their manager told me that it's "fresh" and didn't agree even to taste or smell it !!!! And the owner wished me never to come back !!!!! I can't imagine that it could be in this area, so "wonderful" service and so "fresh" salmon first time in my life. BEWARE of this poor service and shady salmon salad . . . I spent 95$ for this "amazing" experience last visit . . . read more

Fred's Garage - Piece of the "freshest" salmon for food testing laboratory! - American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

Came by to grab a drink on the patio. Great on-tap selection. Great apps, great service and high quality food..... read more

Fred's Garage - Dessert on patio - American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

I enjoy Fred's garage. It has a nice patio, and decent bar for when you just want a cocktail, and they do a great job decorating for the holidays, especially Halloween. It is popular with families, and sometimes all the children running around the patio and other diners can be a bit much. Going during off hours helps with this so much. I get it, their Halloween decorations are really cool, and it's exciting. During the cooler weather they enclose the patio for warmth. As some reviews mention, the service can be slow, especially during prime time dining hours. I think the food is reliable, but average, especially for the prices. One of my favorites is their Ceaser salad, and I have them put their baked mushrooms on it - so good. They change the menu seasonally, so if you like something, it may not be there next time. I like the variety of their cocktails, but I have found the bartenders are not consistent in how they make them. I have been enjoying a spicy mango margarita made with mezcal and chili liquor. One bartender made one for me that was amazing, and next time I went the bartender gave me a bland drink, and I was so disappointed that I spent $15 for it. read more

I can't believe they get away with serving this food in Winnetka.... Place was busy, maybe patrons are so boozed up they don't care about food quality? Drinks aren't great either, they can't pour a beer properly... Staff was ignorant, obviously zero supervision in kitchen and in front of house.... read more

Fred's Garage - Southwest Salad - American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

The music is good, nice seating area outside. Service was good. Our food came out with a wrong side dish, and onions wrongfully included in a steak sandwich. The manager had a bad attitude and made it uncomfortable. read more

Ok this place was buns. Service was very mid, and you had to ask 3 people to get a drink. The menu was bad, they had a lot of items, but nothing sounded good, or original whatsoever. I had the wings as a starter, which were ok, very hot, which I appreciate, but nothing special. Fries were bland, and boring, the burger was okay, but it was the only half good thing on the menu. Dad didn't like the slaw, salad was bland and boring like the fries, brother didn't like the chipotle tacos, and the chili was too meaty, and not that good. The food wasn't THAT bad, but it's like every single other restaurant, ambiance isn't anything you haven't seen before, it's loud, full of kids, high prices, bad menu, bad service, there is just no reason to go here. I won't be going back read more

The food was great, the service was good and the ambiance was great. Very cute themed restaurant.

My husband and I were on a drive today and decided to try out Fred's garage. We ordered a cheeseburger, which was a double patty and wondered if we should split it. The waiter said to split it and if you wanna order something more, you can always do that. It was a big burger. So that's what we did. It came with fries and it was more than plenty For us to split. It was delicious. It had an aïoli sauce which made it different from other burgers. We would definitely go back again. The burger was $18 which was a little pricey, but it was good. read more

Came here for the first time on a weekday late lunch at 1pm. Luckily no reservations needed and fortunately was able to find parking directly on Green Bay Rd. and for two hours or less it is free. What really turned me on about this place is the fact that they were very relaxed no one was in a rush and they really nailed the french fries. They came out the perfect size the perfect width and very crispy and well salted. The menu overall is pretty creative bar and or pub type food. The portions are very generous considering the price and it's location in Winnetka. I will definitely come back here again for some real sustenance and solid food. Some very good choices as well with the bar and the beers. read more

Fred's Garage - Ribeye cheesesteak - American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

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First time in? Not entirely, tried to get in before but they were not open yet. Why is this not obvious? This time we got in, the rest of my party seemed to enjoy it, but I was not feeling it. The weather was nice so we sat outside, it is a nice outdoor space. The service in general was really spacey and scatter shot, have no idea what the contributing factors were, but I know our server alone was really spaced out. Some featured cocktails on the menu were unavailable after we ordered them. My wife's dinner was brought out after everyone else's, no explanation or reasoning, it just showed up. Our server was no where to be found when we were ready for the check. I finally flagged him down and we processed it but he never came back for it. We even let him know when we were leaving that the check was on the table with cash in it but he was not concerned in the least. For all I know it could still be sitting there ;) It was at the level that I am pretty sure our entire party could of walked out and no one would have even noticed. Speaking of which, it seemed like nobody was in charge which could be part of the problem. As for the crowd, big span, I saw everything from families with little kids running around, to date night, to the 'in place' for the teen crowd to make an appearance. As for the food, from what I saw, it was bar food at best. I ordered the salmon burger, it was meh. My take is, if you come here to watch the game, hang, drink beer, eat bar food and pay in cash, then you will probably do just fine. If you come expecting more than that, you will probably not feel it like me. I fully admit, the older I get, the more of a foodie I become, this is not foodie. read more

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Came here with coworkers after a volunteer day and just randomly discovered this place. First the decor inside is so cute it's like a Texarkana gas stop off Route 66 vibe. Got the burger because I saw pictures on google and it did not disappoint. Their fries were great too. I only wish they had a slightly bigger menu. read more

Fred's Garage - Burger and fries - American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

Not my first time here and will not be the last. Very good food as always for a decent price. Hector our server was quick and very friendly. Tried the Bourbon BBQ wings... holy cow! They were amazing! The place is a bit loud for our date but has great ambiance. I hung out here when it was a gas station, I like it much more as a restaurant. read more

Fred's is a reliable if mediocre restaurant. The outside seating draws a nice crowd ... on weekends especially. Actually I was told it's the "place to see and be seen in Winnetka." Not wanting to be seen, I've always tried to show up well before that crowd appears. The food is...average, not standout. They used to have a fantastic grilled cheese sandwich but it's off the menu. I've had the burgers and the "single deck" club sandwich. All decent food. The service is also decent to hit or miss. The manager we asked to help move the umbrella on our table recently was gruff and not happy about the request. The waitstaff is utilitarian but with one exception, Lauren(?), during the summer of '23, not particularly friendly. All in all it's an ok place for a burger and "to be seen" if that's your thing. read more

I was surprised about the quality of the food, not garage food. On Friday they have fried fish. I generally find fried fish to be greasy and mostly breading and small fish. The fried fish at Fred's was amazing. Beautifully cooked thick fish with a nice crust that popped off the fish if you prefer un breaded fish. I think they used panko but I am not sure. At any rate , it was light and tasty. I am a tartar sauce lover. They do not have any. My friend has the salmon which O tried. It was delicious moist and with a wonderful taste. It came with roasted corn kernels. They have outside seating with plenty of seating. Inside the garage there are many tables . The inside is beautiful , not garage like. There is a garage door to let in the summer breezes . We went on Saturday at dinner time and sat outside without a wait. read more

Mediocre food - felt like chuckie cheese SO MANY KIDS- and a bit loud. Kitchen service brought out one meal at a time with 5+ min in between delivery. Maybe better later in the evening? Went at 5:30. read more

Nice outdoor patio. Kid friendly. Food was tasty and servers were nice. Food was a little slow, so I'd recommend ordering as quick as possible after being seated especially if you're with kids. read more

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First time here..Well this was anti climatic ...so on the website they showed an awesome looking burger which got us to go here and try it in the first place. only to find out they don't serve that burger any longer. So instead we ordered the only burger on the menu (which is the second photo). It was ok... service was good ...but disappointed about the burger. Maybe change the website to reflect what u serve. We might come back to try something else. Not sure . read more

Fred's Garage - American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

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Loved it. Great food. Upscale diner ambiance. Nice place. Wish it were open on Sundays.

A forgettable meal with extravagant prices. If I'm paying $18, for a cheesesteak and fries I'm expecting to get the best cheesesteak I've ever had. But, it was bland with not enough cheese and the meat was grainy. My daughter got chicken parmesan and the chicken was burnt. Service was a bit too attentive. Our plates were cleared as I was still finishing my fries. Ambiance was a clean, curated diner/garage. Overall it wasn't bad, but for a lunch that costs over $100 for three people, I want to be able to rave about it. read more

An amazing spot to just enjoy a sunny day good outside patio and a good ambience. Food was just good. The service was just ok no silverware was served and the drinks took forever to come. Had to flag down the server to get some napkins. Maybe cos it was a Friday evening but I wouldn't mind giving this place a second try . read more

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Cold beer and good burger. Was pretty busy at the bar, too! Bartender was prompt and courteous.

I had such a nice experience here. I went last Sunday for a late lunch in beautiful weather. They have a nice and large outdoor space and all the tables were far apart from each other. The service was fantastic and the waiter was extremely attentive. We each started with a poke appetizer and then shared the grilled cheese on sour dough with French fries. The poke bowl was SO good and came with wonton chips and it was a good portion size. The grilled cheese was amazing made with sour dough bread and absolutely decadent! The only downfall would be that it could use more vegetarian menu items and if my husband had been with me, he wouldn't have had a lot of choices. They did have heaters outside so I am assuming this would be a great option as the weather gets chillier. read more

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Friendly staff. Casual atmosphere. The cheesesteak is one of my favorites on the north shore. Got wings the last time and they did not disappoint. It was odd though; the wings don't come with carrots or celery. It costs 2 or 3 dollars more which couldn't cost more than 15 cents to them. Sorry Fred, wings should come with celery and carrots at not cost. read more

This place was so-so. It's not great and it's not bad. I would say if you are near the area and need a quick decent place, then this would check it. Aesthetic: they got the cool, modern garage going which is cute. The place is spacious and clean. It seems they have a patio for warmer weather, so that may be fun. Price: I think they were decently priced and were very generous with their portions. I would say it's like $15/person on average with take home for sure. Food: Pretzel was okay, I was not fun of the dipping sauce. I am a basic cheese person though. The wings was bomb, surprisingly. The flavor was well-balanced and meat was juicy. The Elotes was a big miss and I love elotes... it was a lot but sometimes it's better to have a quality small portion. It didn't have enough cheese and it had soo much butter the corn was swimming in it. The burger was okay too, maybe a bar higher than Firehouse. Overall, it's okay. read more

Fred's Garage - Wings, pretzels, burger, and elotes - American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

Just finished lunch here and this place is awesome. The menu has a huge variety and the ambience can't be beat. There is an amazing outdoor patio and the inside also has seating along with a a horseshoe bar with TVs. We started with the pretzels which were perfect. Pretty standard but there are many ways to blow them, and Fred's nailed it... warm and crispy and salty on the outside and a cheese sauce that I could have drunken from. I also went with the soup. It's 85 degrees so not sure what I was thinking but it did not disappoint. It was some 3 - pepper poblano soup that was unreal. Spicy, homemade, tasty. I also got the Asian salad that was an 11 out of 10. Crispy, fresh, perfect balance of cabbages and Edemame. Finally, couldn't ask anything more from Veronica who took care of us. Despite a busy crowd and only 3 servers she was outstanding- pleasant, friendly, patient and attentive. Love Fred's. Well done again. read more

This was our second stop on a three stop taco crawl with the family. There are a number reasons to really like Fred's Garage. First, the outdoor dining area is really nice and covered for your comfort on those really hot sunny days. I guess to keep you dry in rain too. Second since our family now includes a vegan, we appreciated that we could substitute plant based protein instead of meat in the tacos. The reviews on the mixed drinks are mixed. My spicy mango margarita was great but the watermelon paloma wasn't good and we left most of it. Unfortunately the tacos in general were disappointing. They were very Americanized. The flour tortillas were tasteless and boring. They didn't even bother to grill them. The chipotle chicken tacos weren't very spicy and had pretty much no chipotle flavor. The tequila shrimp tacos again were tasteless except for something very bitter. It seemed like it was the cabbage that was bitter but if it wasn't that, it was something else. Since I really liked the atmosphere and vibe, I would be willing to give the place another go but I would stick to American food since my guess is that is where they excel. read more

Fred's Garage - Spicy Mango Margarita - American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois

When I first went here, I thought it was gonna have a night of fine dining. But when I went there, I was brutally wrong. The service was terrible and it took forever to get seated. The food was OK but it took literally 40 years for it to come. It's not like I'm saying it's better than McDonald's but personally it's not that good. This is my dad's least favorite restaurant and we used to go there a lot but now it's very bad and not fun. The theme of the store is pretty good. Looking like an old garage, but it took a very long time for the food to come. You would be better off going to a different restaurant. read more

Gus was our bartender/server and was great!! Awesome service and he had a great personality. Very enjoyable experience

I had to try this new restaurant in town! People were really nice. Food: Cheese curd: Not my kind of dish Cheese steak: Good Kids cheeseburger: Delicious - kids gave it a thumbs up! Generous portions of fries. Fried chicken: Breast was good but the thigh was bloody and not cooked long enough. We sent the thigh back and received another one that was still red. Hopefully, this dish has been perfected by now. Other hiccup was that they forgot my daughter's dish but once I told them they made it right away. Place gets busy and service was a bit slow but we also came around the time this restaurant was fairly new. Outdoor seating area is very nice but too bad winter is coming. Wished they had more seating inside. We would give it a try again as we love supporting local restaurants. read more

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Had a great lunch at Fred's Garage. Steak sandwich was flavorful, love that they seasoned the tomatoes. David our server was really nice! read more

Good food. Service a little slow because they were so busy. Very nice staff. Fred's never disappoints.

beautiful patio, cool atomsphere/design, great food, cocktails, and server Gus is one of the best I've ever had! exceptional experience today read more

We were here a while ago in 2022, and this was a wonderful place to go on a cool sunny day. Staff was great, very friendly, and the food was very tasty. Cool decor too! read more

After hearing about this place and getting mixed reviews, I finally decided to give this place a shot and i was not disappointed. Our server was great and even the manager stopped by to see how everything was going, which was great. I had Chipotle Chicken Tacos, that came with the side of mixed greens and my daughter had the Buffalo tenders. The tacos were fresh and a 10 In my book! My daughter rated her buffalo tenders an 8 because she wasn't a big fan of the breading. Overall i would rate this place a 10/10! Costumer service was amazing and so was my food! read more

Fred's Garage - Chipotle Chicken Tacos and buffalo tenders - American Near Me - Winnetka, Illinois