NU students celebrate their first Big Ten win of the season with a beer tower at Bat 17.
The Big Ten's brainy, red-headed stepchild, Northwestern lacks the vaunted football history of most of its conference cohorts (Otto Graham and Darnell Autry notwithstanding). But we'll say one thing for the feisty Wildcats squad: It always seems to make things interesting. Same goes for the surrounding community of
Evanston. While the condo-filled city might not astound you at first with its array of entertainment options, you'll find enough here to make the short trip worth your while. The best part? You won't have any trouble finding tickets to the game.
Best Place to Watch the Game: Tommy Nevin's Pub (1450 Sherman Ave., 847-869-0450)
Whoever Tommy Nevin is, he must have a hard time making decisions. This multi-room establishment includes a sit-down restaurant with a menu of traditional Irish favorites, a large bar area with the requisite arcade games and dart boards and an adjoining banquet room (formerly dubbed Nevin's Live) where many a private party is held. But on Saturdays, the focus is squarely on one thing: NU football. Students and alums clad in purple gear watch their team on the several flat-screens mounted throughout the bar, enjoying $4 20-ounce drafts of Miller Lite. Expect to hear the fight song a few times if the Cats are performing well.
Where to Eat Before the Game: Clarke's (720 Clark St., 847-864-1610)
If you can't sniff out some kegs 'n' eggs at an off-campus apartment, this diner should provide the fuel you need to scream yourself hoarse. The skillets (three eggs, cheese, meat and vegetables atop Northshore potatoes) are popular, but you can get anything from chocolate chip pancakes to a turkey club at any time.
Where to Eat After the Game: Bat 17 (1709 Benson Ave., 847-733-7117)
What better way to celebrate a victory than with an $11 sandwich? Wait, hear us out. These aren't just any sandwiches; these two-fisted delights — bearing names like the Tazmanian Dirvish and the Clubber Lang Club — consist of fresh, grilled bread from nearby Bennison's Bakery, stacked high with ingredients like hot pastrami, applewood-smoked bacon, Wisconsin muenster and Russian dressing (that combo may not actually be on the menu, but damn, it sounds good).
For drinks, order one of the 105-ounce beer "towers" (mounted on either purple Northwestern helmets or black Bears headgear, $22) – if you dare.
Tailgating spot: Henry Crown Sports Pavilion/Norris Aquatics Center (aka SPAC) parking lot (2311 Campus Dr. on the lakefront; take Sheridan Road to Lincoln)
Unless you're the owner of a season parking pass, you won't be parking or tailgating outside Ryan Field. Don't worry; the on-campus lots offer free, weekend-long parking (beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday) and better parties, anyway. Of the several options, the lot outside the school's huge sports and aquatic center is your best bet for finding students from whom to mooch some burgers and beers. Why? It sits directly outside the fraternity quad, and NU has one of the most Greek-heavy social scenes in the conference. Memorize some secret handshakes, and you just might nab yourself a new nickname.
Best of the nightlife: Prairie Moon (1502 Sherman Ave., 847-864-8328)
Though you're probably coming into town having heard at least one wild story about the nearby Keg, we can't recommend the place to anyone with a real ID. If you've really got a jones for big cups of Miller Lite and some good, old-fashioned dancing on top of the bar, at least head to P Moon first. Within its labyrinthine space, you can scarf down some contemporary American regional cuisine (everything from the Blue Moon Burger to Key Lime Margarita Shrimp Skewers), sip on Belgian ales, play pool and darts, groove to the occasional DJ or just settle in on one of the comfy leather couches. And then, by all means, go get sloppy.
Place to Go If You Don't Care about Sports: Unicorn Cafe (1723 Sherman Ave., 847-332-2312)
Every college town has at least one quirky cafe that serves up whole bean coffee drinks, shakes, sundaes and creatively named paninis. But the nice thing about Unicorn is that it doesn't cater exclusively to students. Sure, you'll see your fair share of students working on laptops and meeting with professors, but don't be surprised to catch one of Evanston's more interesting locals setting up shop at one of the tables for the day. Say hello in between sips of your pumpkin spice or gingerbread latte.
Follow us every week as we check out a different campus throughout the Midwest that is hosting a big-time college football game. So far we've been to Michigan and Illinois And be sure to check out our guide to Chicago tailgating.
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