The bf and I were craving something hearty and delicious late last Saturday night, and decided to check out a place called Dean Street in Prospect Heights. Located on the corner of Dean and Underhill, Dean Street shined like a beacon on a mostly deserted and residential block. Part of the reason we chose this place was the fact that they serve dinner until midnight, which is great for the late-night crowd or those of us who get distracted and forget to eat at a reasonable hour. The bar area was not hopping, but there was a bit of a roar from the back room. I quite liked the atmosphere of the place and we sat with a good view of the bar and the street. We ordered a dirty martini and a beer. The martini was far too dirty for my taste and a brownish color that turned me off a bit. The beer, however, was pretty tasty. Our waiter was nice, but not too attentive, and the bartender fiddled with the jukebox after we paid for some songs, eliminating the last song purchased, which was a weird thing to do. Other than that, our experience at Dean Street was great. The food was delicious. We ordered the Caesar salad, sauteed beets with balsamic, shrimp and grits, and ribeye steak with broccoli rabe and scallion mashed potatoes. Very, very good food. I would definitely recommend this place for a bite. The steak was perfectly cooked to order and very tender. The shrimp and grits were creamy and cooked to perfection. I liked the beet dish and appreciated having a unique option like this on the menu. The Caesar salad was not amazing, but did not disappoint – pretty standard. Overall, we really enjoyed our experience at Dean Street, and I will definitely be going back for the live music nights!
